Hong Kong: $8.5m set for Henan flood victims The Government today approved two funding applications totalling $8.519 million for Plan International Hong Kong and Amity Foundation, Hong Kong to help flood victims in Henan Province. The money will be used to provide flour, rice, cooking oil and quilts for around 62,800 victims. The Government said the Disaster Relief Fund Advisory Committee hopes the grants will facilitate the provision of timely aid to the victims and help them restore normal living. To ensure the money is used properly, the two relief agencies will submit evaluation reports and audited accounts on the use of the grants after the relief projects have been completed. This story has been published on: 2021-08-09. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. South Africa: Government making progress in the fight against GBV: President Ramaphosa While violence against women remains a pandemic in South Africa, government continues to work tirelessly to fight the scourge against gender-based violence (GBV). Just as the women of 1956 fought against the injustices of their time, the women of today are engaged in a new frontier of struggle. It is a struggle for equal rights, dignity, economic liberation and freedom from violence, said President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Monday. Presidetn Ramaphosa was delivering this years National Womens Day keynote address under the theme: The year of Charlotte Mannya Maxeke: Realising Womens Rights. The President officially released the one-year progress report on the implementation of the National Strategic Plan (NSP), where the government worked with civil society to give effect to the six pillars of the plan. Although the launch of the plan coincided with the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have nevertheless made measurable progress. Justice and support for survivors As part of the work to provide justice and support to survivors of GBV, President Ramaphosa said 32 regional courts are now designated as sexual offences courts across the country. In addition, about 3 500 Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences investigating officers have undergone specialised training, while 12 public buildings have been renovated and repurposed to be used as shelters. The President said also work has been done to ensure that all police stations have sexual assault evidence kits. There have been important legal reform as well. Key legislation around domestic violence, bail and the sentencing of offenders, as well as broadening the scope of sexual offences and other matters is currently before Parliament. According to the First Citizen, South Africas courts are now handing down harsh penalties and sentences to those found guilty of GBV and conviction rates in sexual offences cases have improved. In addition, he said government will soon approve the International Labour Organisations Convention 190, which addresses sexual harassment and violence in the workplace. Meanwhile, the President said the GBVF Private Sector Response Fund, which was launched this year, has raised some R141 million in pledges. He has since called on businesses, donors, philanthropists and individuals to make donations, adding that government has allocated R21 billion over the next three years to support the six pillars of the NSP. Economic inclusion According to the President, a critical pillar of the plan is to ensure womens economic and financial inclusion. He believes that one the country can attain this is by creating procurement opportunities for women-owned businesses in the public sector supply chain. He reminded the citizens that government announced that 40% of public procurement should go to women-owned or -operated businesses. We are calling on the private sector to make a similar commitment to enhancing the empowerment of the women of our country. He said a Womens Economic Assembly will be launched this month to identify the supply chain opportunities for women-owned businesses in key industries such as steel, automotive and energy sectors. Effects of COVID-19 President Ramaphosa acknowledged that the pandemic has been harsh on women and children. When growth at the economic level stalls, when development is halted and when the economy loses jobs, we know that it is women who bear the brunt disproportionately. He said although the social and economic relief measures implemented last year provided much-needed support to women workers, small business owners and grant recipients, the levels of employment and income among women have not recovered as fast as their male counterparts. We are therefore working to ensure that women benefit from the most recent relief measures and our Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan. Safer society Although we have gone a long way to empower the women of our country, we still have much further to go. We want to live in a society where women feel safe and are safe. He said he envisions a society where women can assume leadership positions in the workplace, community, government and all public institutions. We also want to live in a society where womens opportunities are not limited by social attitudes and practices or even by economic circumstances. We want to live in a society where every girl child can study what she wants to study and for as long as she needs to, and where she can take up any occupation or pursue any career of her choice. He has called on South Africans to reject sexism in our homes, churches, schools, government and places of work. Let us together raise a new generation of men and women who understand that the rights and freedoms guaranteed by our Constitution belong to all, men and women alike. SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2021-08-09. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Hong Kong: Patrick Nip meets govt interns Secretary for the Civil Service Patrick Nip today met non-ethnic Chinese students participating in a government internship programme to learn about their experience. He encouraged the students to keep up their efforts to enrich themselves to meet the challenges ahead. Launched by the Civil Service Bureau in 2019 to assist young non-ethnic Chinese in acquiring work experience and enhancing their competitiveness for employment, the programme has been well received and so far around 80 post-secondary non-ethnic Chinese students have taken part. Mr Nip said: The Civil Service Bureau has all along been reminding heads of departments and grades to review on an on-going basis and ensure the Chinese language proficiency requirements of related civil service jobs are no more than necessary for the performance of the job, so that non-ethnic Chinese would have equal access to government job opportunities like other applicants. The Government has also strengthened its promotional efforts, hoping to enable non-ethnic Chinese to gain a better understanding of civil service job opportunities and the operation of the Government with a view to attracting them to join the civil service and serve society. This internship programme is one of our notable measures. This year, 35 non-ethnic Chinese students have been posted to various government bureaus and departments for an internship lasting about eight weeks. Some placements were relevant to the provision of public services to non-ethnic Chinese communities and required knowledge of their languages or cultures. The participants generally hold the view that the internship programme has broadened their exposure and enabled them to obtain a more in-depth understanding of the Government's efforts in supporting non-ethnic Chinese communities. This story has been published on: 2021-08-09. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site. 0108263 License for publishing multimedia online Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349 Government forces attacked Qastoun, a village in northwestern Syria, an area still not under the control of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who last month promised to free it from Jihadi groups. A local ceasefire between Russia and Turkey has been in force since March 2020. Damascus (AsiaNews/Agencies) Four children from the same family were killed in northwestern Syria by shelling from government forces, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SHOR) reported. The attack, which took place in Qastoun, a village in Hama province, near Idlib, was part of a military offensive that began in late June. Northwestern Syria, including the provinces of Latakia and Aleppo, are still not fully under the control of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. The area is still a jihadi and rebel stronghold, including Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, a former al-Qaeda affiliate. In Idlib, a ceasefire has been in place between Russia and Turkey since March 2020. Two thirds of the provinces residents have been displaced. For the past two years the truce has been respected, but after Assad was sworn in for a fourth term, Syrian government forces stepped up their attacks in the southern part of the province in order to liberate those parts of the homeland that still need to be. Government forces also clashed with rebel groups in Deraa, southern Syria. SHOR described the latest round of violence as the worst since 2018, when government forces retook parts of the province. Currently, Assad and his forces hold about two-thirds of the territory. Drawing contest about Hanoi launched Young artists will have an opportunity to show off their talent and creativity through a drawing contest about Hanoi. The Hanoi La... contest aims to promote the title Hanoi -- Creative City awarded by UNESCO in 2019. Photo courtesy of the organisers The Hanoii La... contest, which is open for entries until September 9, aims to promote the title Hanoi -- Creative City awarded by UNESCO in 2019. It is organised by the UN cultural agency UNESCO, the UN Human Settlement Program (UN-Habitat), and the Vietnam Institute of Culture and Arts Studies (VICAS) with the companionship of the Vietnam Local Artist Group (VLAG). The contest is part of the Hanoi Rethink project initiated by UNESCO, UN-Habitat, and the UN Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), with the support of SOVICO Group, to realise the city's commitments when joining the UNESCO Creative Cities Network. According to UNESCO, the COVID-19 pandemic may limit the movement of people, but it cannot stop the flow of creativity. The drawing contest about Hanoi welcomes unique ideas from different visual art forms such as painting, drawing and design. Entrants can freely express a Hanoi behind their artistic lens and emotions. Eligible works must be submitted with the registration form; the original file of the entry must have a resolution of 300dpi, with a minimum size of 40cm x 40cm. The winner will be awarded a cash prize of VN10 million (US$438). There will be four co-winners for second place, one voting prize and 24 prizes for outstanding works. Jury board includes Tu Na, Xuan Lam, Kawako Giang Nguyen, Noh-a and X.Lan painters who are popular among the Vietnamese artist community. More information about the contest can be found on Hanoi Creative City website. Recognised as a UNESCO Creative City of Design in 2019, Hanoi has committed to place culture and creativity at the core of its sustainable development, with a wider vision to become a leading creative hub of Southeast Asia. In order to support the commitment of the city, UNESCO is leading the project Mobilising Cultural Dynamics and Youth Participation towards Hanoi Creative Capital with the slogan Hanoi Rethink together with other two implementing partners UNIDO and UN Habitat. This project will support the city to implement its new strategic vision of a Creative City of Design, harnessing its cultural assets and youth participation as key agents for innovation, creativity, and social change. One of the key outcomes of the project is to empower young Vietnamese creative talent to influence and contribute to the new development agenda of Hanoi as the Creative Capital with innovative ideas and actions. Vietnam Local Artist Group (VLAG) was established in early 2019 by young founders of TiredCity, a company that specialises in manufacturing and retailing printed products by young Vietnamese artists. VLAG has gathered nearly 50,000 members and become a playground for Vietnamese art communities to exchange, meet, learn and share experiences. Since its establishment, many drawing competitions and art activities have been frequently held by the group yearly. Satellite navigation tech used in agriculture, aquaculture, environmental monitoring in E Chinas Jiangsu People's Daily Online) 13:58, August 09, 2021 The Gaofen 2 Earth Observation satellite has become a useful tool for intelligently monitoring hairy crab farming in east Chinas Jiangsu province. An industry insider said that the technology will be introduced to the whole aquaculture industry in the future, Science and Technology Daily has reported. Cultivator Yu Gang catches crabs on the Hongze Lake in Xuyi County of Huai'an City, east China's Jiangsu Province, Nov. 14, 2017. (Xinhua/Zhou Haijun) The satellite technology also helps banks to decide how much money they should give to farmers as credit or subsidies through its ability to accurately identify crops and measure the size of the farmland. Wei Zhen, deputy general manager of Image Sky, a technology company based in Suzhou, Jiangsu province, said their satellite remote sensing technology was used by banks in Xinyi, Xuzhou city in Jiangsu to grant credit to farmers, after it provided them with relevant information about the farmland, such as its size and what crops were grown on it. The Gaofen satellite is also used in environmental monitoring. According to Peng Xiangyang, deputy director of the Nanjing Gaofen satellite application center based in Nanjing, Jiangsus capital city, the Gaofen satellite has been used to monitor the ecological environment of the Nanjing section of the Yangtze River Economic Belt. In particular, the satellite, together with unmanned aerial vehicles, has formed a comprehensive and dynamic system in monitoring the environment of Taihu Lake, one of the largest freshwater lakes in China. Jiangsu has one Gaofen satellite data center and four branch centers, and several enterprises, research institutes and universities have benefited from or contributed to the development of the satellite technology. In Jiangsu, Gaofen satellite technology has been applied to seven areas, including smart city construction, ecological conservation, smart transportation, hydraulic engineering, resources surveying and monitoring, smart agriculture and meteorology. (Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun) 4 dead, 7 injured in building collapse in NE China Xinhua) 15:46, August 09, 2021 HARBIN, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- Four people were killed and seven others injured after the top floor of an office building in Harbin City, capital of northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, collapsed on Sunday afternoon, local authorities said Monday. The accident took place around 3:10 p.m. when the seventh floor -- the topmost floor of the building -- collapsed while workers were carrying out waterproofing work, leaving 11 people trapped. The injured are being treated in the hospital. The building belongs to a local investment company. Further investigation into the accident is underway. (Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun) China-Russia military exercise begins in NW China Xinhua) 16:45, August 09, 2021 YINCHUAN, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- ZAPAD/INTERACTION-2021, a joint military exercise between China and Russia, kicked off Monday at a combined-arms tactical training base of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) in northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. Li Zuocheng, a member of the Central Military Commission (CMC) and chief of staff of the CMC Joint Staff Department, served as the general director of the exercise. At the opening ceremony, Li announced the order for the exercise to begin. Participating officers and soldiers from the two militaries were organized into 13 ground formations and two air echelons to be inspected. The joint exercise aims to deepen the joint anti-terrorism operations between the Chinese and Russian militaries and demonstrate the firm determination and strength of the two countries to jointly safeguard international and regional security and stability, according to Chinese and Russian officials. It reflects the new height of the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era and of the strategic mutual trust, pragmatic exchanges and coordination between the two countries, the officials said. The joint exercise is set to continue till Aug. 13. (Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun) China says latest COVID-19 resurgence more complicated but controllable Xinhua) 16:56, August 09, 2021 The latest resurgence of COVID-19 in China, caused mainly by the Delta variant, is more complicated but the epidemic is generally controllable, a Chinese official has said. He Qinghua, a senior official with the National Health Commission (NHC), made the remarks at a press conference organized by the State Council inter-agency task force on Thursday. "As long as local authorities strictly implement various prevention and control measures, I think the epidemic will be largely under control within two to three incubation periods," he said. He acknowledged that the current wave is more complicated and has put some strain on response efforts since it has multiple imported sources and has affected a wide range of people and places. The latest outbreak mainly originated from a flight that departed from Russia and landed in Nanjing, capital of east China's Jiangsu Province. Further viral genome sequencing has found that all the strains in the recent resurgence of COVID-19 were the highly infectious Delta variant. In a bid to curtail the spread of the Delta variant, prevention measures have been taken across China, including massive testing, targeted lockdowns, and extensive contact tracing. As of Aug. 7, the Chinese mainland has administered more than 1.77 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines. (Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun) By Xin Ping A solider is standing guard aboard a U.S. warship during the first naval exercise between the United States and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, September 2, 2019. /Getty Editor's note: Xin Ping is a commentator on international affairs, writing regularly for CGTN, Global Times, China Daily, etc. He can be reached at xinping604@gmail.com. The article reflects the author's opinions and not necessarily the views of CGTN. "The United States is revitalizing our multilateral partnerships to advance our shared prosperity, security, and values in the Indo-Pacific," U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said at the annual U.S.-ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting on August 4. From both the historical lens and the broader perspective of modern international relations, Southeast Asia has always been one of the key strategic fulcrums of advancing American national interest in the region. Now, the Biden administration is prioritizing strengthening America's ties with its Asian allies, a clear push at checking China. But winning back credibility within Southeast Asia won't be easy, given that American historical relations with the region are replete with blood and deaths. Since World War II, the U.S. has constantly been involved in conflicts in Southeast Asia: providing economic and military support for France during the First Indochina War, directly involved in the Second Indochina War (known as the Vietnam War), initiating the most notorious bombing attacks in the Laotian Civil War, and numerous other proxy wars. The Vietnam War from 1955 to 1975 has become one of the most painful sufferings in Southeast Asia, which killed over 1.5 million Vietnamese civilians. After a U.S. destroyer was alleged to have clashed with North Vietnamese attack craft on August 4, 1964, the U.S. Congress passed the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, giving the then President Lyndon Johnson broad authority to "take all necessary measures to repel any armed attack against the forces of the United States." Four decades later, however, historians discovered that the trigger for the war, Gulf of Tonkin incident, was a fiction. Nearly 200 documents the National Security Agency (NSA) declassified in 2005 make clear that there were no North Vietnamese naval vessels present during the reported incident of August 4. It was the deliberate distortion of intelligence reports by the NSA, along with the Johnson administration's zeal for aggressive action, which deceived the American public, opening the floodgates for direct American military involvement in Vietnam. According to Fred Branfman, American anti-war activist and writer, Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) officials' involvement in the widespread assassination and torture in Vietnam is also a matter of public record. American military Chinook helicopters help in the evacuation of Saigon, Vietnam, April 1975. /Getty The My Lai massacre was one of the most horrific and shocking episodes of the Vietnam War: On March 16, 1968, a company of American soldiers brutally killed over 500 unarmed civilians, mostly women, children and the elderly, in the village of My Lai. Young girls and women were raped and mutilated before being killed; families were dragged from their homes, thrown into ditches and executed. CIA head William Colby testified to the Congress that the CIA's Phoenix Program routinely assassinated thousands of civilians. At no time did he or any other CIA officials present any evidence that those civilians they murdered were in fact guilty of the crimes of which they were accused. Plus, numerous Phoenix Program executors confessed later that local assassination teams were given quotas by William Colby of the number of people they were to murder weekly. As a result of "victor's justice," no high-ranking U.S. officials have ever been punished or even reprimanded for the war crimes they committed in Vietnam. As part of the Vietnam War effort, from 1961 to 1971, the U.S. forces dropped 20 million gallons of defoliants in the country, causing more than 400,000 Vietnamese deaths. Another 2 million Vietnamese who came into contact with this chemical got cancer and other diseases. Besides Vietnam, from 1964 to 1973, the U.S. dropped more than 2 million tonnes of ordnance on Laos equal to a planeload of bombs every eight minutes, 24-hour a day, for nine years making Laos the most heavily bombed country per capita in history, according to Legacies of War, a Washington-based NGO focusing on the tragic aftermath of Vietnam War-period bombing in Laos. It is noteworthy that up to a third of the bombs did not explode, leaving Laos contaminated with vast quantities of unexploded ordnance (UXO). Over half of all confirmed munition casualties in the world have occurred in Laos. Even till today, there are 50 new UXO-related casualties in Laos on a yearly basis and 40 percent of the victims are children who accidentally detonate UXO while playing on the field. The war launched by the U.S. against Filipino revolutionaries from 1899 to 1902 led to estimated deaths of 20,000 Filipino combatants and more than 200,000 civilians as a result of combat, hunger or disease. All the wars launched by the U.S. in Southeast Asia constitute a clear violation of U.S.-initiated Hague Convention in which protection of civilians is a main international consensus. In Asia, the massive pain and historical trauma left behind by the U.S. persist. For many, war never really ended in the region. It is not difficult to understand why Asian countries have a deep-seated sense of caution about America's focus on human rights diplomacy. Shouldn't Asian people be entitled to the same natural rights guaranteed to American citizens? A warmongering nation which focuses solely on geopolitical calculation and always acts on political expediency can never genuinely advance "shared prosperity, security and values" for the region. By Bobby Naderi Chinese aircraft carrier Liaoning, submarines, and other naval vessels and fighter jets take part in a Chinese navy review in the South China Sea, April 12, 2018. /Xinhua Editor's note: Bobby Naderi is a London-based journalist, guest contributor in print, radio and television, and documentary filmmaker. The article reflects the author's opinions, and not necessarily the views of CGTN. Succumbing to a monumentally self-destructive ideological fever, the U.S. government says it has sent naval and air patrols to the South China Sea to challenge China's claims of sovereignty over the strategic region. According to the U.S. Navy, the idea is to assert the freedom of navigation through joint naval exercises with allies including NATO nations, and also signal to competitors that the American military "remains ready at the high end of warfare expressly because of its global operational commitments." But things have changed and the Americans cannot save face. They cannot maintain the status quo or eternally seek to demonize China "with a sense of urgency." More specifically, they cannot make the rules in the South China Sea. Colonial routine It is the false shame of fools to try to conceal the fact that contrary to Washington's shallow concerns, China poses no threat to its neighbors. The U.S.-led naval drills have a great deal to do with keeping the illusion of "China threat" going in the region and under deliberately fraudulent pretenses. It goes much deeper than that. Stupidity also got Washington into the trade war mess with China and it just can't get out. It's true that the "Empire of Chaos" always puts profit and regional designs above all other considerations, including dialogue. Dialogue with China is off the table because such actions do not profit the military-industrial complex and the cult of endless war. Divide and rule is colonial routine and provocation is profit. Destabilizing is the trend and supporting chaos and distrust is progress. In a similar fashion, prolonging the trade war with China is good for big business. We know this because the foreign-policy establishment in Washington is now well beyond showing disagreements and successful media inquisitions of the past. Slanderous accusations long confined to vilifying China have crept into greater accusations and paranoia. "The U.S. strategy of integrated deterrence toward China is critical to maintaining peace in the region" and "action against China has to occur now" is the final recourse of smear to stop deviations from the regional program of hugely profitable enemy hate and imaginary hostility. The ruling big lies of the War Party and corporate militarization have divided into united camps. The media and the Biden White House support each other non-stop on the anti-China stage, while their perceived allies take sides behind the scenes and as extras. No wonder fake news is the medium of battle that may continue into the unknown future. A U.S. Navy officer stands on board the USS Ronald Reagan, a Nimitz-class aircraft carrier and part of the U.S. Navy 7th Fleet, as it sits anchored in Hong Kong, southern China, November 21, 2018. /Getty Self-destructive ideological fever Put crudely, military provocations accompanied by arms sales and an undisclosed number of U.S. naval forces in the Asia-Pacific region could increase the likelihood of a violent confrontation. There is a strong possibility that Washington is succumbed to a monumentally self-destructive ideological fever with all those naval movements and media lackeys, granting "safe haven" to Hong Kong residents, undermining the "one country, two systems" architecture for the city's governance, warning American businesses of the "growing risks" of operating in the Asian financial hub, selling arms to the Taiwan region, and shrugging off pressure campaign from American business groups to remove tariffs on Beijing whatever it takes. The plan to sell arms and pour gas on the fire to fend off any attempt by Beijing to keep the region together fits neatly within this same basic strategy. It throws a wrench in Beijing's plan to protect its sovereign borders and put an end to any plan to divide and destabilize the area. A weaker, fragmented South China Sea cannot pose any threat to Washington's regional ambitions and colonial designs. There can be no real dialogue and understanding under such policy, unless the regional community supports Beijing's action to ensure a democratic and fair regional order based on strict respect for the norms of international law, the United Nations Charter, recognition of the unquestionable value of cultural and civilizational diversity, national sovereignty, and the right of the countries to decide their futures freely and without external threat and pressure. The strange thing is that no one has deputized the U.S. and its naval forces to police the South China Sea. America did the right thing to leave Afghanistan after almost 20 years of bloodshed and no victory, and also to transit troops in Iraq out of any "combat" role. The silly thing now is to get itself ensnared in a new stratagem it knows lacks purpose, benefits no one, and leaves open the possibility of yet another similar failure in the future. Here is the deal. The U.S. and the extras should stop all the flag-showing, the flowery speeches and self-congratulatory messages. It makes sense of more or less nothing at all. It won't work as either map or compass. They should stop dispelling the reality of China and seeing it as an "imaginary enemy." For any solution to work, there has to be broad cooperation with China across all political spectrum to make common cause in addressing everything. Such a political counter-offensive must begin immediately as no conceivable alternative exists. By Chen Hong Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne recently issued a statement that her country will work out what resembles the so-called Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act of the US and a handful of other countries by the end of this year. Once the bill passes, Australia will be able to impose sanctions upon any individual and entity in any other country that it deems as violating its so-called human rights standards or committing other violations. With the Act in place, it must not be hard then for Canberra to take action and sanction Trump, whose incompetence and dereliction of duty had caused the death of more than 600,000 American civilians during the COVID-19 pandemic. It would be a matter of course then for Canberra to sanction the rogue policemen and rioters who had constantly persecuted and murdered African Americans and other ethnic minorities in the US, the Canadian schools and churches that had caused the unnatural death of thousands of Indian children, and the Western politicians who have made it a habit of making rumors and trouble, tapping into the communication of foreign state leaders, fabricating lies about the origin of the novel coronavirus, and sowing discord among nations. Wouldnt it? In fact, as some Australian media analyzed, Paynes statement about the Australian version of the Magnitsky Act is in response to the US and other Western countries. Following their Cold War mentality and ideological standards, it intends to grossly interfere in the internal affairs of other countries through illegal long-arm jurisdiction. They would use domestic laws as the basis to sanction countries they regard as rivals, turning a blind eye to facts even to the extent of manufacturing false evidence. Therefore, the so-called Magnitsky Act is nothing more than a piece that flagrantly disregards international law and national sovereignty and totally contravenes the basic norms governing international relations. Through such unilateral means as canceling visas and slapping economic sanctions, it threatens, intimidates and suppresses relevant entities and individuals of other countries with national terrorism and hegemony. As a matter of fact, regarding the disasters, internal turmoil and war, and spread of weapons of massive destruction that have happened in certain countries that violate the international law, international conventions and humanitarian principles, the United Nations (UN) has interfered and restricted in an open and orderly manner through multilateral mechanisms like its Security Council and such legal means as dispatching peacekeeping troops and imposing international sanctions, so as to forcefully and effectively safeguard world peace, stability and prosperity. Yet if a country is so outrageous as to arbitrarily make legal decisions and carry out cross-border attacks on other countries according to its self-made standards and for its sole political strategic intentions, the international rules established by the international community through the UN will also be trampled upon and ravaged, and the international order defending world peace and stability is bound to be shocked. In recent years, some US-led Western countries have used their domestic laws, including the so-called Magnitsky Act, to impose baseless interference in the internal affairs of other countries including China. To resolutely safeguard our national sovereignty, dignity and core interests, and oppose the hegemony and power politics of the US-led West, China has released the Anti-foreign Sanctions Law that is now in effect, providing a powerful legal weapon for it to counter discriminatory measures by foreign countries. The Morrison administration, obviously got carried away by America's anti-China wave, has successfully plunged the once mutually beneficial China-Australia relationship to the lowest point since the two countries established diplomatic ties by making one trouble after another. If Canberra plans to continue following the US lead, concoct and implement the Magnitsky Act, and blatantly interfere in Chinas internal affairs, it can be assured of Chinas resolute and potent counter attacks. (The author is President of the Chinese Association of Australian Studies and Director of the Australian Studies Center of at East China Normal University) Editor's note: This article is originally published on huanqiu.com, and is translated from Chinese into English and edited by the China Military Online. The information, ideas or opinions appearing in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of eng.chinamil.com.cn. Y-20 BEIJING, Aug. 9 -- The China-Russia joint exercise ZAPAD/INTERACTION - 2021 is to be held from August 9 to 13. Participating troops from both sides have conducted multi-day adaptive training, in which the Chinese participants focused on several events such as airdrop and army aviation coordination in special operations. During the adaptive training, the participating troops carried out large-scale cluster parachute landing and heavy equipment airdrop training. The training gave full play to the advantages of large transport aircraft, including Y-20, which served to transport paratroopers to the maximum carrying capacity, successfully putting airborne combatants onto the battlefield at one scoop within the shortest time. The training also managed to carry out the simultaneous landing of both personnel and equipment, so that the airborne troops could board the vehicle as soon as they landed, realizing the fastest personnel-equipment combination in the combat area within the shortest time. An army aviation brigade and a special operations brigade under the PLA Xinjiang Military Command jointly conducted fast-roping featuring one helicopter and six ropes by the special operations soldiers onboard, and also carried out assault vehicle transfer with the Chinese "Lynx" hanging from the helicopter. The training has greatly shortened the landing time, which not only helps reduce the possibility of personnel exposure but also enhances the ability to seize opportunities on the battlefield. Prior to the joint exercise, soldiers of an air defense battalion under the PLA Western Theater Command conducted coordinated air defense drills continuously, and they will use the HQ-17 missile defense system in the oncoming joint exercise as one of the main battle equipment of the ground air-defense system. HQ-17 is currently one of the brigade-level field air defense systems with the strongest air defense capabilities and the best comprehensive performance commissioned to the Chinese military, capable of carrying out multi-target interception. In addition, the "4-25" missile-artillery integrated weapon system will also be unveiled during this exercise. The exercise ZAPAD/INTERACTION-2021 kicks off at a combined arms tactical training base of the PLA Army in Qingtongxia City of West China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region on August 9, 2021. YINCHUAN, Aug. 9 -- The exercise ZAPAD/INTERACTION-2021 kicked off at a combined arms tactical training base of the PLA Army in Qingtongxia City of West China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. General Li Zuocheng, member of Chinas Central Military Commission (CMC) and Chief of the CMC Joint Staff Department, attended the launch ceremony as the chief conductor of the exercise and officially announced the commencement. The exercise ZAPAD/INTERACTION-2021 kicks off at a combined arms tactical training base of the PLA Army in Qingtongxia City of West China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region on August 9, 2021. Pictures show that the participating troops from China and Russia parade at the launch ceremony in 13 ground phalanxes, together with two air echelons. Participating troops from both sides formed 13 ground phalanxes and two air echelons to parade at the launch ceremony. Lieutenant General Liu Xiaowu, deputy commander of the PLA Western Theater Command and commanding officer of the Chinese participating troops, and his Russian counterpart, deputy commander of Russias Eastern Military District addressed the ceremony respectively. The exercise aims to expand the depth of joint counter terrorism efforts of the Chinese and Russian militaries and demonstrates the firm determination and strong ability of both sides to jointly safeguard international and regional peace and security. It also marks that the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership, bilateral strategic mutual trust and pragmatic exchange and cooperation have reached a new height in the new era. Moreover, it testifies to the solid friendship of the two militaries beyond the limits of COVID-19, demonstrating a new look of military exercises conducted by major countries in the new era. The exercise focuses on jointly maintaining regional security and stability. Chinas Central Military Commission (CMC) formed a directing department, and established a three-level commanding system comprised of the headquarters, joint command, and participating troops to carry out the exercise in two phases of joint planning and land attack. The first phase will focus on the judgment, consultation, decision-making and coordination capacities of the joint command, and the second phase on the joint operations training, such as conducting saturation attacks, destroying the enemys operation system, and annihilating the remnants of the enemy forces. The exercise ZAPAD/INTERACTION-2021 kicks off at a combined arms tactical training base of the PLA Army in Qingtongxia City of West China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region on August 9, 2021. Pictures show that the participating troops from China and Russia parade at the launch ceremony in 13 ground phalanxes, together with two air echelons. The exercise ZAPAD/INTERACTION-2021 kicks off at a combined arms tactical training base of the PLA Army in Qingtongxia City of West China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region on August 9, 2021. Pictures show that the participating troops from China and Russia parade at the launch ceremony in 13 ground phalanxes, together with two air echelons. BEIJING, Aug. 9 -- Relevant departments of the Logistic Support Department under China's Central Military Commission (CMC) signed agreements with three airline companies to introduce ticket preferential policies for military personnel and their families recently. The three airline companies involved in this preferential program are the China Southern Airlines, Hainan Airlines and Xiamen Airlines. It is learnt that the preferential program covers military officers, cadets, soldiers, civilian personnel, etc., as well as their families. The preferential service is available online on the military travelling platform independently developed by the CMC Logistic Support Department from August 1. According to the policies, the military personnel can enjoy more discounts on the basis of market price during the business trips, family visits and vacation travel. Meal discounts, full refund and free ticket changing within a certain sum will be offered through registered individual accounts on the platform each year. For the military personnel in urgent tasks, ticket refund and change service are available for free. It is learned that since 2017, China has successively set priority passes for military personnel in railway stations, highway stations, civil aviation airports and ports. 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. You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close Workers wear masks out of concern for the coronavirus while greeting people at a restaurant on Boston's fashionable Newbury Street, Sunday, Aug. 8, 2021. (AP Photo/Steven Senne) Below are the arrests for Aug. 6-8. All listed are presumed innocent until proven guilty. Charles Amos, 44, was arrested on Aug. 8 at 1809 W. Carter St. for operating a vehicle while intoxicated (class C misdemeanor). Brenna Beauchamp, 27, was arrested on August 7 at 3:32 p.m. at 2401 E. Markland Ave. for possession of a legend drug (level 6 felony), neglect of a dependant (level 6 felony), possession of cocaine (level 6 felony), possession of Paraphernalia (class C misdemeanor). Zachary Bowlin, 33, was arrested on Aug. 6 at 7:44 p.m. at 1133 S. Wabash Ave. for warrant/ body attachment. Turbora Brown, 44, was arrested on Aug. 6 at 3:30 p.m. at 268 S. 00 E.W. for possession of a firearm by a serious violent felon (level 4 felony), possession of marijuana (class B misdemeanor) and warrant/ intimidation. Joshua Calvert, 30, was arrested on Aug. 6 at 9:13 p.m. at 2011 N. Market for driving while suspended- prior (class A misdemeanor). Joseph Castillo, 48, was arrested on Aug. 6 at 12:13 a.m. at 5101 Arrowhead Blvd. for possession of methamphetamine (level 6 felony), possession of paraphernalia (class C misdemeanor) and driving while suspended-prior (class A misdemeanor). Mikila Certain, 21, was arrested on Aug. 7 at 8:14 p.m. at 605 Marsha Ct. for neglect of a dependant (level 6 felony), possession of marijuana (class B misdemeanor), possession of methamphetamine (level 6 felony) and possession of paraphernalia (class C misdemeanor). Blane Coate, 28, was arrested on Aug. 6 at 3:55 a.m. at 400 E. Defenbaugh St. for resisting law enforcement (class A misdemeanor) and public intoxication (class B misdemeanor). Vernon Holland, 26, was arrested on Aug. 6 at 2:20 a.m. at Markland Avenue and Courtland Avenue for operating a vehicle while intoxicated (class C misdemeanor). Brandon Lawson, 25, was arrested on Aug. 7 at 8:13 p.m. at 607 Marsha Ct. #57 for neglect of a dependant (level 6 felony), possession of marijuana (class B misdemeanor) and possession of paraphernalia (class C misdemeanor). Support Local Journalism Now, more than ever, the world needs trustworthy reportingbut good journalism isnt free. Please support us by making a contribution. Contribute Leslie Marr, 38, was arrested on Aug. 6 at 2:51 p.m. at 1800 W. Markland for warrant/ dealing methamphetamine. Xavier McCarter, 22, was arrested on Aug.6 at 2:21 a.m. at 1709 E. Lincoln Rd. for operating while intoxicated (class C misdemeanor). Ricardo Mcghee, 32, was arrested on Aug. 6 at 3:50 p.m. at 2023 N. Purdum for criminal recklessness (level 5 felony), resisting law enforcement (class A misdemeanor), pointing a firearm (level 6 felony). Sean Moss, 48, was arrested on Aug.6 at 11:49 p.m.at 2040 S. Reed Rd. for warrant/ Iowa. Jakob Plake, 26, was arrested on Aug. 7 at 12:05 a.m. at East Taylor and Longview for domestic battery (class A misdemeanor). Jimmy Reyes, 53, was arrested on Aug. 7 at 1:57 a.m. at 511 Albany Dr. Apt. #311 for operating a vehicle while intoxicated (class C misdemeanor). Montae Reed, 27, was arrested at 3:59 a.m. at 100 E. North St. for warrant/ Miami County. Samuel Russell, 48, was arrested on Aug. 8 at 10:46 p.m. at Fischer St. and N.Washington St. for warrant/ domestic battery. Ashton Sokol, 19, was arrested on Aug. 8 at 2404 Baxter Rd Apt. #3 for domestic battery (class A misdemeanor). Johnathon Thompson, 29, was arrested on Aug. 6 at 4:38 a.m. at 100 S. Union St. for criminal mischief (class B misdemeanor). Danny Wood Jr., 34, was arrested on Aug. 6 at 1807 N. McCann St. for warrant/ petition to revoke. A 29-year-old Hammond man is in federal custody after allegedly buying the gun that was used to kill Chicago Police Officer Ella French, and severely wound a second Chicago police officer, during a traffic stop Saturday night. Jamel Danzy is accused of knowingly purchasing the the Glock Model 44, .22-caliber semiautomatic pistol on March 18 at a Hammond gun shop on behalf of a person, identified in court documents as Individual A, who could not legally buy a gun due to a prior felony armed robbery conviction in Wisconsin. According to court records, Danzy was questioned Sunday afternoon in the parking lot of the Munster restaurant where he works by three agents from the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). WATCH NOW: Riding Shotgun with NWI Cops Patrolling Lowell with Cpl. Aaron Crawford ATF Special Agent Christopher Labno said Danzy initially insisted he legitimately purchased the gun. But Danzy later admitted he acted as a straw purchaser for Individual A, who was one of the three people in the vehicle stopped by Chicago police and who afterward had the gun the ATF believes was used to shoot the two officers, Labno said. All three individuals in the vehicle two men and one woman were arrested following the shooting, records show. Emonte Morgan, 21, is charged with first-degree murder in the shooting, as well as attempted murder and other charges. Eric Morgan, 22, faces charges of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, unlawful use of a weapon by a felon and obstruction of justice. Frenchs partner, a Chicago police officer since August 2014, remained hospitalized at the University of Chicago Medical Center on Monday after being shot in the head. He was initially taken to the hospital in serious-to-critical condition. Speaking at a news conference Monday where the charges were announced, police Superintendent David Brown said the wounded officer is incrementally improving from Saturday nights tragic events. He said the suspects vehicle was curbed because of expired plates, but investigators havent yet established a motive for the shooting. Brown also said the woman who was with the Morgan brothers was not charged with anything because there was no evidence against her. According to court records, the ATF found Danzy because the Honda CR-V sport utility vehicle that French and the other officer pulled over around 9 p.m. Saturday, near the intersection of 63rd Street and Bell Avenue, had an Indiana license plate registered to Danzy. Danzy allegedly told Labno he's been in a relationship with Individual A for the past three years, Individual A gave Danzy money to purchase the vehicle, and Danzy sometimes lets Individual A drive the vehicle when Danzy isn't using it. Similarly, Individual A told Danzy to purchase the gun for him and showed Danzy a photograph of the gun while they were at Danzy's Hammond residence, Labno said. The U.S. attorney in Chicago on Monday charged Danzy with conspiracy to violate federal firearm laws, including knowingly transferring and giving a firearm to an out-of-state resident, knowingly making a false written statement to acquire a firearm, and knowingly disposing of a firearm to a convicted felon. Support Local Journalism Now, more than ever, the world needs trustworthy reportingbut good journalism isnt free. Please support us by making a contribution. Contribute Watch Now: Riding Shotgun With NWI Paramedics Danzy was ordered by U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Jeffrey Gilbert to remain in custody until his next court hearing Wednesday. Prosecutors plan to ask during that hearing that Danzy not be released on bail. French, 29, is the first Chicago police officer to be shot to death in the line of duty since 2018, and the first female officer fatally shot on the job in 33 years. The Saturday shooting happened just after 9 p.m. near West 63rd Street and South Bell Avenue when the officers conducted a traffic stop of an SUV, authorities said. Investigators have been using body-worn camera footage to piece together the sequence of events that led up to the shooting, according to the Chicago Tribune. Footage shows the three occupants were out or in the process of being taken out of the vehicle when Eric Morgan ran, leading one officer to chase and apprehend him nearby. The second suspect, Emonte Morgan, pulled away from French and made a move back toward the inside of the vehicle. As the officers tried to apprehend him, he allegedly fired a gun, striking both officers, sources said. Emonte Morgan was then wounded when he was shot by the officer who had initially chased his brother. Brown also provided a brief narrative of the confrontation that led to the shooting at the news conference, also describing a struggle between Emonte Morgan and the officers. The struggle went from the trunk of the car to near the inside of the car, not necessarily all the way inside, said Brown. And the shots rang out from ... the passengers front seat of the car, which is where he was originally seated. Last month, U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland visited Chicago to launch a new team of federal agents and local police focused on curbing gun trafficking in a city where dozens of people are injured or killed every week due to gun violence. The Associated Press and the Chicago Tribune contributed to this report. Criminal complaint in U.S. v. Danzy INDIANAPOLIS, Aug. 9, 2021 /CNW/ -- International Medical Group (IMG), an industry-leading international medical insurance, global assistance, and travel insurance company, is pleased to announce that Steve Paraboschi has been appointed as Chief Executive Officer, effective immediately. In addition to his new role, Paraboschi will continue to serve as President of IMG. Paraboschi succeeds Brian Barwick, who will remain engaged with the company as an Executive Advisor. "We are proud to recognize Steve for his hard work and dedication to IMG over the last several years," said Barwick. "Steve has been instrumental in steering IMG to adapt to the changing insurance environment while remaining committed to driving strategic growth. Steve's deep understanding of the international insurance and assistance industries together with his leadership skills make him the perfect person to lead IMG into the future." Paraboschi joined IMG in 2017 as Executive Vice President, then was appointed President of IMG in January of 2020. With over 25 years of experience within the broad financial services industry, Paraboschi came to IMG from AXA Assistance USA, where he served as the Chief Executive Officer, managing the P&L, driving alignment to global strategies, and developing innovative product distribution models. Prashanth Gangu, Chief Operating Officer and President of Insurance & Services of IMG parent company, SiriusPoint Ltd. ('SiriusPoint') said: "I am delighted to welcome Steve to the role of Chief Executive Officer of IMG. As an innovative, fast growing, tech-enabled MGA that holds wide competitive advantages, IMG is a core part of SiriusPoint's value proposition and a key element to our long-term success. I am excited about what Steve and his team can achieve, backed by SiriusPoint, and building on the superb job Brian has done to grow IMG into an international leader in the international medical insurance, global assistance, and travel insurance space. Steve brings a wealth of experience and with it a new chapter in IMG's evolving story." "It's a tremendous honor to take on the role of CEO at IMG and I'm grateful to Brian and Prashanth for the trust and faith they have shown in me to lead the company forward," said Paraboschi. "During my tenure at IMG, we've generated significant momentum in the marketplace, and I look forward to accelerating this growth in the coming years with a continued focus on 'Being There' for our members, clients, producers, and employees." About International Medical Group (IMG) International Medical Group (IMG), a SiriusPoint company, is an award-winning global insurance benefits and assistance services company that has served millions of members worldwide since its founding in 1990. A leader in the industry, IMG offers a full line of international medical insurance products, as well as travel insurance plans, medical management services and 24/7 emergency medical and travel assistance. For more information, please visit www.imglobal.com. Support Local Journalism Now, more than ever, the world needs trustworthy reportingbut good journalism isnt free. Please support us by making a contribution. Contribute About SiriusPoint SiriusPoint Ltd. (SiriusPoint) is a top 20 global insurer and reinsurer providing solutions to clients and brokers in almost 150 countries. Bermuda-headquartered with offices around the world, we are listed on the New York Stock Exchange (SPNT). We write a global portfolio of Accident and Health, Specialty, Property and Runoff, combining data and creative thinking to underwrite risks with skill and discipline. With over $3 billion total capital, SiriusPoint's operating companies have a financial strength rating of A- (Excellent) from AM Best, S&P and Fitch. For more information, please visit www.siriuspt.com. SiriusPoint Forward Looking Statement We make statements in this report that are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the U.S. federal securities laws. We intend these forward-looking statements to be covered by the safe harbor provisions for forward-looking statements in the U.S. Federal securities laws. These statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements made on behalf of SiriusPoint. These risks and uncertainties include the impact of general economic conditions and conditions affecting the insurance and reinsurance industry, the adequacy of our reserves, fluctuation in the results of operations; pandemic or other catastrophic event, such as the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak; the costs, expense and difficulties of the integration of the operations of Third Point Reinsurance Ltd. and Sirius International Insurance Group, Ltd.; our ability to assess underwriting risk, trends in rates for property and casualty insurance and reinsurance, competition, investment market and investment income fluctuations, trends in insured and paid losses, regulatory and legal uncertainties and other risk factors described in SiriusPoint's Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2021 and June 30, 2021. Except as required by applicable law or regulation, we disclaim any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement to reflect changes in underlying assumptions or factors, or new information, data or methods, future events or other circumstances after the date of this report. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/img-appoints-steve-paraboschi-as-chief-executive-officer-301351391.html SOURCE International Medical Group (IMG) The mayor of Northwest Indiana's most populous city is condemning U.S. Sen. Todd Young, R-Ind., for flip-flopping his position on the bipartisan federal infrastructure legislation set to be approved this week by the Democratic-controlled Senate. Hammond Mayor Thomas McDermott Jr. said Monday that Hoosiers are disappointed in Young for consistently supporting the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act as it was crafted over the past several months, only for Young to announce days before the Senate vote that he plans to vote "no." "He is suddenly claiming that the bill is too expensive for him to support," McDermott said. "But this excuse rings hollow when you consider that Sen. Young voted for every pork-filled bill that came his way during President Trump's administration, resulting in a whopping $8 trillion increase to our national debt." A CBO report released Thursday suggests the $550 billion in new infrastructure spending, paired with $450 billion in infrastructure spending already approved, could add $256 billion to the federal deficit over 10 years, or $25.6 billion a year. Records show the federal government is due to spend $7.2 trillion this year, which means the added unfunded expense of the infrastructure plan is equal to one-third of 1% of federal spending. McDermott said Young has acknowledged Indiana has 5,500 miles of highways in poor condition, and the nearly $7 billion Indiana stands to receive under the infrastructure plan will go a long way toward repairing those roads and bridges, along with improving the state's water infrastructure, expanding broadband internet access, and supporting good-paying union jobs. "America needs to rebuild its crumbling infrastructure," McDermott said. "This bipartisan bill will give us the resources to repair the roadways, airports, and bridges that have been neglected for far too long. And in the process, we can finally rebuild America's disappearing middle class." The five-term Region mayor said the turnabout on the infrastructure proposal by the first-term Republican senator appears to be rooted in Young's desire to win Trump's endorsement for his 2022 reelection bid. Trump vehemently opposes the infrastructure plan. Support Local Journalism Now, more than ever, the world needs trustworthy reportingbut good journalism isnt free. Please support us by making a contribution. Contribute McDermott, who reportedly is considering seeking Indiana's Democratic U.S. Senate nomination next year, said that's unfortunate because Young had the potential to be a real leader in the Senate, able to move America forward in a bipartisan manner. Watch Now: Riding Shotgun With NWI Paramedics "Now, with Young's abrupt about-face, it appears he's more interested in avoiding a primary challenge than reinvesting in America's future," McDermott said. "Hoosiers expected more from Sen. Young. Instead, we got a man so desperate for an endorsement from the former president, he is willing to sell out working class Hoosiers." Lauren Ganapini, executive director for the Indiana Democratic Party, echoed McDermott's sentiments that Young is more concerned about his reputation inside the Washington GOP establishment than in listening to Hoosier voters. "This is classic Todd Young. He consistently promises Hoosiers one thing, but changes course when it matters most," Ganapini said. If the infrastructure legislation is approved by the Senate, it next will go to the Democratic-controlled House for further review and likely additional changes, which then must be endorsed by the Senate before the plan can advance to Democratic President Joe Biden to be signed into law. Get to know these new Indiana laws enacted in 2021 The Indiana Court of Appeals has unanimously affirmed the murder conviction of a Gary man who shot a friend nine times with an AK-47 as the friend sat on a couch playing a video game. Montel Ray Brooks, 28, was sentenced in December to 65 years in prison for killing 25-year-old Louis Watson on Jan. 5, 2018, inside Brooks' home in the 2100 block of Harrison Street in Gary's Midtown neighborhood. According to court records, Brooks and Watson were alternately playing video games and showing off their AK-47s when Brooks shot Watson in front of several witnesses, including one man who said Brooks had been using PCP. In his appeal, Brooks argued Lake Superior Judge Jamise Perkins erred by allowing testimony about certain blood evidence and by not declaring a mistrial when Brooks' attorney claimed prosecutors asked questions infringing on Brooks' right to avoid self-incrimination. The appeals court rejected both contentions. Moreover, the three appellate judges agreed even if they believed Brooks satisfactorily made his case, any potential error was "harmless." "Because eyewitness and corroborating evidence identified Brooks as the shooter, he suffered no prejudice from any potential error, and any error in the admission of the testimony was harmless," the appeals court said. Support Local Journalism Now, more than ever, the world needs trustworthy reportingbut good journalism isnt free. Please support us by making a contribution. Contribute Brooks is permitted to ask the Indiana Supreme Court to consider reviewing the appellate and trial court rulings. Watch Now: Riding Shotgun With NWI Paramedics Otherwise, his earliest release date from prison assuming good behavior is Oct. 8, 2066, according to the Department of Correction. Records show Brooks also still is awaiting trial for attempted murder in a separate case where Brooks allegedly shot a 42-year-old Portage man in the chest Dec. 20, 2017, in Gary. Brooks v. State ruling of Indiana Court of Appeals Gallery: Recent arrests booked into Lake County Jail Press Release August 9, 2021 Drilon calls for higher budget for social services in 2022 nat'l budget, says funds for security sector should be allocated for ayuda Senate Minority Leader Franklin M. Drilon called for an increase of funding for the social services sector in the to-be-submitted National Expenditures Program (NEP) for 2022 and rechanneling of the security sector funds to pandemic response such as the provision for the ayuda or social amelioration program. The Senate chief fiscalizer said "the continuing COVID-19 pandemic, growing budget deficit and skyrocketing national debt should make the government reconsider its defense spending for 2022, including the allocation for its heavily-criticized anti-insurgency funds." Starting 2018, Drilon pointed out, the social services sector has suffered a negative growth - from a 3 percent growth in 2017 to -2.4 in 2018, -0.3 in 2019, -1.1 in 2020. It slightly increased by only 0.5% in 2021. In contrast, except in 2019 when it decreased by -1%, the share of the defense sector is on an upward trend. It increased by 0.2% in 2018, 0.4% in 2020 and 0.2% in 2021, when the country is still reeling from the impact of the pandemic. Drilon expressed dismay at the negative growth in the social services sector budget while the share of the defense sector has continuously increased throughout the Duterte administration. "It cannot be the norm again next year, if we want to fast-track our economic recovery and lift our people out of poverty, hunger and unemployment," Drilon said on Monday. "Because of our limited resources, the government needs to downsize its defense spending for next year in favor of the much-needed ayuda and other social and health services," he stressed. "Even if the national budget kept growing over the years, the percent share of social services to the national budget didn't grow along with it and has in fact suffered decreases," Drilon observed. Drilon said the extraordinarily large funds that will be allotted to the security sector in 2022 should instead be redirected or given to social services sector like health, education and labor. He cited, for instance, the budget for its anti-insurgency fund of P19.2 billion this. The budget for the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) which are reported could increase anywhere between P30 billion to P40 billion, he added. While NTF-ELCAC has been assured of funds, there's no sign that the government will include ayuda in its 2022 proposed national budget. There is no allocation for ayuda in the 2021 General Appropriations Act. The government therefore was forced to scrimp and get ayuda funding from other worthy projects. Amid the controversies involving NTF-ELCAC, especially the red-tagging done by its officials, it can be recalled that several senators, including Drilon, had previously called for the defunding of NTF-ELCAC in 2022. "We must increase the budgets of the Department of Social Welfare and Development and the Department of Health to beef up our COVID-19 spending. We need to include a substantial amount of funds for ayuda in the next year's budget and vaccine procurement," Drilon said. He also urged for an additional budget for the Department of Labor and Employment to address unemployment and the Department of Education to strengthen our education system. "We need to include a substantial amount of funds for vaccine procurement, ayuda specifically for poor households, workers, PUV drivers, and students struggling with distance learning, and support for MSMEs in next year's budget," Drilon stressed. "I hope the Department of Budget and Management has allocated funds for ayuda and vaccine procurement in the to-be-submitted National Expenditure Program (NEP). The 2022 budget should not be a repeat of the 2021 budget where there's no sufficient funds for pandemic response and recovery programs including ayuda and vaccine-procurement," he added. Press Release August 9, 2021 In recognition of the crucial role of teachers, Bong Go lauds PRRD for approving release of appropriate funds for World Teacher's Day Incentive Benefit Senator Christopher "Bong" Go commended President Rodrigo Duterte for approving the release of PhP910 million to the Department of Education to meet the budget criteria for the World Teacher's Day Incentive Benefit. "The grant of this incentive to public school teachers recognizes the critical role that they play in nation-building. Patunay din po ito sa kagustuhan ng gobyerno na bigyan ng pagpapahalaga ang kanilang mga sakripisyo lalu na sa panahon ng pandemya," said Go. "Teachers' critical role in ensuring the continuing delivery of learning has become particularly more challenging, as the country battles the COVID-19 pandemic and the educational sector adapts to the new normal," he added. Under Republic Act No. 10743 or "An Act Declaring the Fifth Day of October of Every Year as the National Teachers' Day" and the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization's international observance of World Teachers' Day, the fifth day of October is observed to honor those who work in the teaching profession. This is to recognize the teachers' unwavering service and significant contributions to the development of the minds, values, and character of Filipino youth and generations around the world. Notably, the DepEd has said that it has about 910,000 eligible personnel for which the PhP910 million appropriation was based. Go has previously urged the national government to provide additional support for public school teachers, citing the hardships they are facing as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Go mentioned the difficulties that teachers are having with the blended learning technique that is being implemented while face-to-face classes are still prohibited. "Patuloy natin dapat sinusuportahan ang mga guro, lalong-lalo na ngayong pandemya. Hindi madali ang panahon ngayon. Naging mas challenging pa ang pagtuturo dahil nahaharap tayo sa maraming pagsubok, lalo na sa blended learning na ipinatutupad sa mga paaralan," Go expressed. Despite the change to a blended learning approach, Go previously stated that education must remain a priority. He pledged to support policies that strengthen the education sector while also safeguarding students' and teachers' health and well-being. Earlier, he filed Senate Bill No. 396 in 2019 to expand the purposes and application of the Special Education Fund which he proposed to be used for the operation and maintenance of public schools, payment of salaries, allowances and other benefits of teaching and non-teaching personnel, competency trainings for teaching personnel, operation of Alternative Learning System, including payment of salaries, allowances and other benefits of ALS facilitators; educational research; teaching aids, and other instructional materials, among others. "Patuloy tayong maghahanap ng paraan na mabigyan ng suporta ang ating educational sector upang hindi matigil ang pag-aaral ng ating mga kabataang Pilipino. Kung gusto nating umunlad, dapat bigyan natin nang malaking importansya ang kapakanan ng mga guro para maisaayos ang pag-aaral ng ating mga kabataan, lalo na sa literacy at numeracy," Go said in his previous statements. "Ang kabataan po ang kinabukasan ng ating bayan. Sila ang ating pag-asa upang tuluyang umunlad ang ating bansa. Bigyan po natin ng kahalagahan ang edukasyon na tanging puhunan nila sa kanilang paglaki. Kaya importante ang role ng mga teachers na siyang huhubog sa susunod na henerasyon," Go emphasized. Press Release August 9, 2021 Sen. Grace Poe's interview transcript on plight of MSMEs in pandemic Monday, Aug. 9, 2021 12:15-12:35 p.m. Karmina Constantino: Senator, the picture is clear. The MSMEs, they're not just taking a hit. I mean, if you look at big businesses that are forced to close down because of this pandemic, what more the MSMEs? So I guess the question is, how can a probe at this point into how the pandemic had impacted on these MSMEs help, Senator? Sen. Grace Poe: I think it's important to bring the leaders of the industry of the different sectors, particularly the MSMEs, on a discussion, an open discussion and I think the Senate can bring that about to really hear from them the plight of the MSMEs. I'm sure that there have been other discussions in the Senate, but the focus of this will be about why it is crucial for MSMEs to have representation in the IATF. The IATF at this point has been focused on the health situation of the country, which is, of course, very important. We have some experts from the health industry, we also have the local government representation for the ground, and we also have, of course, the members of the executive. Every now and then, presidential adviser Joey Concepcion sits in with the IATF to give their recommendation. But as we know, since the focus has been on health, sometimes we tend to forget that the economic health of our country is also very important. Of course, we can't work if we're sick. But if we're not sick and we're not able to work, then that's also crucial for survival. It affects the survival of many of our countrymen. So it's important that we have an IATF focused on economic recovery. Now, why is this important? MSMEs in particular compose 99 percent of businesses in the country, we know that. That's about a million businesses and about five million people at the minimum rely on these MSMEs. Now at this point, 10 percent of the MSMEs already shut down, they're predicting about 16 percent more, or up until 16 percent this year alone. And we've seen that in the past weeks the very abrupt decisions and policies of the IATF on the closures of business have really negatively impacted many of the small business owners, particularly, and this is my focus because I've had a chance to interact with some of themthe food and beverage industry. I think they found out about the GCQ with restrictions on the 29th, and they were supposed to shut down on the 30th. Nakapamalengke na ang mga may-ari ng mga restaurants na ito. Remember that's toward the weekend. So gaano karaming pagkain ang nasayang dahil bigla na lang sinabi ng IATF, "Wala nang dine-in whatsoever". Now, they are all in agreement that a lockdownperhaps to stall the spread of the virusis necessary, but at least give them some lead time. And I think the reason why this came about is there's really no direct line of communication between the policy makers, the IATF, and the small business owners. Joey Concepcion is doing his best, but he's representing millions of people dependent on MSMEs. Remember, what composes MSMEs? We have wholesale and retail, we have manufacturing, we have food and beverage as well as accommodations and other businesses, so that's a lot. And so, they really need a voice and representation. Otherwise, arbitrary rules will be made to the detriment of not only the owners of these businesses but their employees as well. Constantino: Senator, here's the thing though, the government seems to think that their pandemic response has been stellar, right? So how do you even think that a probe like this can help them change their mind and provide a seat to represent MSMEs? They seem to think that they're doing a good job. Poe: Well, I really don't know, maybe the pronouncements of some of their allies and their secretaries have been that. There's no denying that in other countries, they're suffering from the surge of this pandemic. I mean, even in the US alone, policies change every now and then. But of course, their economy is more resilient than ours. That's why we really need more informed decisions from those directly affected by the pandemic. I hope that they would listen. When there's a probe in the Senate, at least it brings to light the issues. I mean, more people are made aware of it. I have some friends who own restaurants and in fact, they were shocked. They found out on the 29th that they had to close the next day. So it's not very clear. Some are even suggesting, dapat may direct Viber group ng MSMEs kasama ang IATF. Now, I don't know if that's in existence, but the fact of the matter is, many of those MSMEs are not. Business owners are not really aware that there's going to be a lockdown the following day until the very last minute and they've already planned for the entire week. Remember, the weekend can make or break some businesses. And so, while they're in agreement that we should have some sort of a lockdown, a good lead time will be very important. And another thing is of course, in other countries they've already reached the herd immunity that is ideal. Of course, here in our country, we have not. But we should already have a roadmap. If we are nearing toward herd immunity, what would our policies be? And right now, we are seeing that some business owners are going above and beyond making sure that their employees are all vaccinated. I know that there are some restaurants, and I know the owners, who delay their opening until all of their employees, including the security guards, including the maintenance workers, are vaccinated, not just the chefs and the workers... So business owners are doing their best to be able to comply so it would be good for them to know also from the government what the policies would be moving forward, what the contingencies are in cases of surge, what lead time are they expecting, instead of some unpredictable and sometimes quite arbitrary policies. Constantino: Not to mention, Senator, most of these MSMEs that we're talking about are not connected online. Because some were able to turn around, some were able to evolve quite quickly that they were able to change their business into an online business. They have deliveries, they have fiber but most of these MSMEs that we are talking about really are not that connected. So 'yung sinasabi niyo po kanina na nasayang, 'yung pinamalengke, 'yung pinamili, that's really very real to them because they weren't able to turn things around as quickly as some businesses could. Poe: Of course, because there's really a difference even if let's say you've adapted and you do deliveries already like many restaurants. The fact is if you are anticipating at least 20-percent indoor dining and 50-percent outdoor dining, the logistics are different. How much are you going to buy? As opposed to, if you were only expecting deliveries. So that was a weekend where a lot of indoor dining were expected and at the very last minute they said, that's no longer possible. What they were really tuned in on was the ECQ that was going to follow which was August 6 to August 20.That's where their mindset was. They didn't expect that there would be an earlier lockdown for them, so they've already prepared for that weekend. So kahit sabihin mo na marami sa kanilang nag-dedelivery, siyempre dahil may at least 20 percent indoor dining, 50 percent outdoor dining, iba 'yung kanilang mga pinamili para sa mga araw na darating na 'yun. Kaya simple lang naman 'yung kanilang hinihingi, "Sana bigyan niyo naman kami ng kahit man lang isang linggong palugit para makapaghanda kami ng maayos". Hindi naman siguro masama 'yun na hingin sa ating mga namumuno at sa ehekutibo. Constantino: And Senator, we're just talking about the business owners here. We haven't talked about their workers yet. I mean, if you look at the numbers, Senator, the numbers are quite staggering.This is coming from Socio-economic planning Sec. Karl Chua, more than 600,000 workers will be affected by the lockdown right now. And some work for big businesses, some work for MSMEs, and a portion of these workers that we're looking at, Senator, are at risk of permanently losing their jobs. What can the government do at this point? Sabihin na nating hindi pa natin.. hindi pa nangyayari iyang probe po ninyo. What could government do at this point to salvage the situation? Poe: Of course, we at the Senate pushed for Bayanihan 1 and 2, now we're pushing for Bayanihan 3. At least to have some sort of direct financial assistance for those who've lost their jobs. Remember, I think we've had what, 16 months of lockdown? And if you were making, let's say P20,000 a month, that's on the high average end already. P20,000 would probably be about more than P300,000 for that lockdown. But those people only receive P16,000, so that's about five percent of what they usually make. Remember ang ayuda P16,000 lang kasi two months 'yun 'e, and this is NCR. It's in the lower end outside of NCR. So if you're making P350,000 in those 16 months, you're making less than five percent of what you used to make. Now restaurant owners, let's say their base is about P10,000 for their waiters, they rely on tips and service charges which is about P8,000. So even if let's say these restaurant owners, which is really difficult, let's say you have 2,000 employees. How can you pay them even a minimum of P4,000 a month even if you're not in operation? What could the government do? So we have the Bayanihan and hopefully now there will be more direct financial assistance. The government said that they're releasing through DBM P10 billion, that's well and good. But remember, P30 billion is lost in this two-week lockdown alone on wages so that's quite not enough... On the other hand, as committee chair of banks and financial institutions, we passed the Financial Institutions Strategic Transfer Act which will allow banks and financial institutions to sell their non-performing assets and loans so that it will free up capital and they will be able to loan it to MSMEs. Now, it's also important that the Landbank and the DBP actually act as a government bank and give to small enterprises as opposed to acting like a commercial bank. At this time, if we look at the loan portfolio of the Landbank and the DBP, we'd also like to explore where they used up the loans that they've given. Are they helping MSMEs? So these are the things that we can look into now. But moving forward, we need a more holistic and informed decision by including those in the MSMEs at the table of the decision-making process of the executive. Constantino: Senator, you said in your statement over the weekend, and I quote ' We need to be at least one step ahead because every lockdown can feel like taking two steps back.' Again, I go to the figures released by Socio-economic planning Sec. Karl Chua, in the lockdown this time around, ECQ season 3, we're looking at poor Filipinos increasing by 250,000. That's just not two-step backs, those figures are staggering. So I guess the question is, what is, you've conducted these hearings, you know what's going on, what is your assessment? What is preventing the government from being proactive, from looking at the future, what can possibly happen, Senator? Poe: If you say that I know what's going on, I'll admit to you we don't really know what's going on all the time. I mean we ourselves in the legislative branch are sometimes in the dark also as to what the current policies are of the executive. Now, this is new for everybody but we've already seen examples in other country. One of the things that I proposed when we were deliberating Bayanihan 2 and then we were tackling the funding for the vaccines was having a vaccine passport at that point. And I was saying it needs to be standardized because when our countrymen travel abroad, especially the OFWs, it's hard to show one from their munisipyo that's not been authenticated, if it's not standardized. Unfortunately, there was a hurdle amongst ourselves, those weighing the rights of people not to be discriminated upon. Anyway, fast forward, now when you travel abroad, let's say a friend of mine was travelling abroad and in some venues there they require an authenticated vaccine card. And you can only get that from the Bureau of Quarantine here in the Philippines because it's not standard yet. So it's difficult because you have to make an appointment, it takes weeks to get an appointment. What if your trip is already in the next two weeks? So it's not a very well-oiled machine that we have right now, and I don't know, I'm not really in the know because I don't have a seat at the table of the IATF. Even the Senate itself, yes we approved the budgets, we legislate but when it comes to executive decisions we are not consulted regularly about those things. Constantino: Should you be, Senator? What do you think? Should the Senate have a seat there? Should the Senate have a say? Poe: I don't want to add a layer of bureaucracy to anything but what I'm saying is the Senate can help within our purview, by conducting these hearings and submitting those recommendations to the executive. That's why that's what we are doing. We're not going to insist, 'Give us a seat at that table.' We have our own mandate, we will work within that mandate. But with them, I think it's incumbent upon them to be inclusive in their consultations. We don't have to have 100 people at the table, we just need to have a representative, let's say in the PCCI, a representative of the restaurant's group... with regard to the plight of the restaurant sector. I don't think it's too much to ask to have that. We're not even saying 'include the Senate there.' But definitely, the Senate, I feel it is incumbent upon us to include these stakeholders in a discussion so that we can have a comprehensive recommendation to give the IATF and hopefully, they will consider that... Lenin Sembo Oyuga is the Oracle Corporations Director and Business Leader for the Telecommunications Industry in Africa. Oyuga spoke to nation.africa about his journey to becoming a Global Technology, Strategy & Business Leader. ********************** Having a family and taking ownership is my most remarkable milestone. In my family, I found my why in life. Having a family, wife, and son has been a big eye-opener on recalibrating my purpose and finding the balance. Never forget your WHY in your journey. One of my other remarkable moments was heading the business and team for Thomson Reuters across 17 countries at the young age of 33. I also got to sit in the Africa leadership. I had been leading the public sector business across Africa when this leadership opportunity presented itself. I understood the African market and invested in people, and this translated into profit. I am intentional with every aspect of my career growth. It began with self-discovery. I had to understand who I am, my strengths, spikes, and barriers. I also had to get myself a tribe of mentors, who I refer to as my PBOD (Personal Board of Directors). I am a product of mentorship and guidance. I also wrote my goals, plans, and ambitions down. Writing it down is the first commitment one makes towards a goal. About ten years ago, I tried this model out; I decided to look at myself as a company. I was in need of perspective, guidance, challenge, and growth. I needed to grow from my techie expertise to commercial leadership. I am on a continuous learning and growth journey. As such, I think there is no magic secret to making it or progressing in any venture. Definition of making it may vary from person to person. The difference between who you are and who you want to be is what you do about it. Be aware of your strengths as its a key area of personal improvement; always remember learning is a continuous process. Get in the action! Brand yourself, network; build your self-worth in the process, and be authentic. Lastly, you must put in the work. I once bought some stock just because I had a feeling they would skyrocket. They did at some point, and I stayed put. Then they dipped, and I had to pick my losses. I learnt the essence of having an investment plan and sticking to it. It is prudent to seek expert advice on the dos and donts. Counting your losses is also part of the journey. It presents an opportunity to learn. With finances, diversification is essential. Invest in what you know. In 2017, Caroline Obala, 41, was diagnosed with Lupus, a chronic autoimmune condition caused when the immune system attacks its own tissues. By the time of her official diagnosis, the mother of five and a network engineerwas was in a wheelchair and her my muscles had collapsed. Obala, via Saturday Magazine, revealed what its really like to live with Lupus. ******************************* For me, something as simple as holding a cup of tea or water is a miracle. I cannot open a bottle of water using my hands, I cannot jog or walk for a long time without being short of breath, and I cannot cook ugali or knead the dough. Growing up I only had anaemia, which was not serious, so I never went to the hospital for any treatments. I sat for my Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) at Nairobi River primary school in 1993, then four years later, my Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) at St. Teresas Girls High school. At 19, just a year after completing high school, I got pregnant and gave birth to my first child without any complications. I was in college but had to stay home due to the pregnancy. My father had passed on in 1993, and my mother was alone raising five children with a teachers salary. But despite this burden, when I got pregnant, she wasnt upset or angry. She took great care of me. I would later on go back to school and study Advanced Diploma in Business Information Systems, where I graduated in 2000, before pursuing my Masters in Computer Science at the University of Hertfordshire in the United Kingdom. I graduated in 2013. Diagnosis with Lupus In that year, we relocated to Texas USA after my husband won a green card. This was the third country we had moved to after living for a while in Tanzania and the UK. It was quite difficult to explain my lupus condition. I did not understand it myself. I shut myself in and stopped communicating with people. Id see phone calls and ignore them, so I lost a few friends, but two or three kept in contact and visited me at home. My journey with lupus officially began in January 2017. I started feeling a tingling pain in my hands. My fingers were swollen, my limbs became so weak that I couldnt move them. It took time and further medical tests before I was officially diagnosed with lupus in August 2017. By that time, I was in a wheelchair and all my muscles had collapsed. They started me on Lupus medication for which I was afraid to take due to the severe side effects. I then went to the UK for a second diagnosis, and they reaffirmed the earlier results. My current boss physically saw me when I started experiencing pain. She even cut up my food for me when we were at the restaurant. This made it easier for me to explain what I was going through. With support from my employer, I was given ample time off for doctors visits and was approved to work from home where the environment was safe. I had contracted acute bronchitis while at work and I was admitted. After that, I was able to work remotely. In the USA we have FMLA (Family Medical Leave of Absence) which protects the employee if they must get treatment, which is quite different from Kenya where someone could easily be dismissed on medical grounds. I had to start on the medication. Meanwhile, my body was aching and frail. I could not eat anything due to depression, so I became malnourished. Disclosing to family members Then the unexpected happened. In July 2018 after going for my normal checkup, the doctor confirmed I was seven weeks pregnant. My current rheumatologist at that time was incredibly angry with me for being pregnant. She thought and rightfully so that I may have a lot more complications through the pregnancy. On the other hand, we (my husband and I) had not planned to have any more children because we had already two boys and two girls. However, the pregnancy went smoothly, and I was in remission all through. I was referred to a specialised fetal doctor by my Nephrologist. I gave birth to a healthy girl in March 2019 and she does not have lupus. It took me very long before I disclosed my condition to my family. My mother was with us in the USA when I started having symptoms. She was a great help to me and my household. In my second diagnostic opinion, my sister-in-law in the UK assisted me with doctors referrals and care while I was there. At work, some of my colleagues did not understand what I was going through. However, I exceeded my work expectations. Stigma was real. This was at the beginning, but now most of my colleagues understand. Coping with work I am not able to be physically present at the office because any bacteria and virus around, may cause me harm due to my compromised immune system. I use a computer for work, so my boss installed a dragon speech for my laptop which helped me to type when I had flares on my hands. Though drugs are readily available in chemists here in the US and at less prices with an insurance cover, medication for this condition is still very expensive. My husband and my children have been my biggest support. They cared for me at my worst and still do it to date. I was not able to do basic things like bathing or brushing my teeth, and they assisted me with almost everything. During the pandemic, we took extra care so no one could get sick and make me sick. The children studied virtually from March 2020, until the close of school this May. My husband and I worked from home. We cleaned and sanitised all groceries. We stayed indoors and did not allow the kids to go out and play with the others. They hated it but understood. I also make my own natural drink that has helped me through the years from taking 18 prescribed medications to only four now. The drink is a mixture of lemon, ginger, turmeric root, cardamoms, cloves, cinnamon sticks, baobab powder, black pepper, moringa seeds powdered, and sometimes I add flax seeds. Lupus medication has horrible side effects, thats why I researched alternatives. But I advise people to listen to their bodies while trying something new. If it works continue if it reacts then stop. But always check with your doctor. Cosmas Mutava, the president of the Kenya Private Security and Safety Federation, answers questions from the public via Sunday Nation. Private security guards are poorly remunerated yet the amount of work they do is a lot. With the onset of Covid-19, they now guard, offer sanitisers and take temperatures besides doing clerical duties of recording details of visitors. Is this something that concerns the federation? Clement Ongwae, Westlands Security guards are currently paid based on the structure outlined in the labour laws and as defined by open market forces. Our members adhere to lawful pay scales. We encourage the public to procure security services from members who follow labour laws. We demand the formation of the Private Security Wages Council to enforce minimum wage regulation. Whats your take on Nyumba Kumi initiative? Komen Moris, Eldoret Nyumba Kumi is a fantastic security concept if properly implemented. The States commitment to this idea has, however, been lacklustre. Nyumba Kumi is an important national activity and its implementation and impact can further be strengthened by enhancing a close working relationship between the public and private sector in enhancing it. Why dont you have a harmonious working relationship with Kenya National Private Security Workers Union (KNPSU) and Private Security Regulatory Authority (PSRA)? Kamau Mwangi, Thika It is normal for trade unions and employers to pull in opposite directions due to their competing interests. This is the case all over the world. Having said that, the public may need to understand that the federation comprises various private security companies that have created hundreds of jobs for Kenyans. Without creation of jobs, we might not have unions in place. We support employee rights and it is important for union officials to understand that it is not a fighting contest. Our key interest is job creation and support for the economy. How has Covid-19 affected the private security industry? And what measures has the federation taken to cushion members? Stephen Nchoe, Kitengela Our federation in conjunction with ministries of Interior and Health conducted training of trainers on Covid-19 with the hope of cascading the knowledge to 700,000 security guards and thousands of police officers, thus, raising awareness. Covid-19 has hit the security industry hard as some workers go unpaid. Further, security officers/guards have taken extra roles like taking the temperature of citizens and ensuring people keep social distances and wear masks. Why is your association fighting attempts by the government to streamline the sector? Dan Murugu, Nakuru We support reforms that will improve our sector. We have been fighting for the rights of our members as well as the welfare of our staff to ensure we have a balance in the current turbulent market. The government has a key role to regulate the sector and as a federation, we have been calling for an all-inclusive approach to finding lasting solutions. Is there a way to protect employers against private guards who leak information? Dan Murugu, Nakuru Diana Muriuki-Maina, the Chief Executive Officer at the Institute of Certified Investment and Financial Analysts, fields questions on Kenyas savings and investment culture. Kenyans have a very poor savings culture. What is ICIFA doing to reach out to young Kenyans to teach them to embrace a savings and investment culture? Are there investment clubs that ICIFA has established that can reach out to the common man, especially on the opportunities in the capital markets? Elizabeth N Karuga, Nyeri ICIFAs legal mandate is to regulate the investment and finance profession and to register and licence investment and financial analysts in Kenya. This is aimed at promoting and monitoring compliance with standards, professional competence and ethical practice, and enhancing professionalism in the sector. ICIFA has held many forums on promoting a savings and investment culture. Some of the forums held include the second annual conference held in March 2019, which was themed Promoting a high saving and investment culture in Kenya and the region and a live webinar held last year where we sensitised Kenyans on investment basics and what to consider before investing. The webinar recording, among other insightful videos on investing including opportunities in the capital markets, can be found on our YouTube channel Institute of Certified Investment and Financial Analysts. We also plan to launch an interactive investment show across all digital platforms very soon, which will spread the saving and investment culture gospel to the public. The government has embraced public-private partnerships to, among others, boost service delivery. Regarding your organisation, how can your members assist the government on critical matters of governance like foreign debt and prudent use of public funds to spur economic development in Kenya? Dan Murugu, Nakuru Part of the planning process of an economic system, which is critical for economic growth, involves investment decisions and financial evaluation of government financing and projects. Optimal investment and finance resource allocation calls for informed decisions and strategies. These evaluations are the expertise of investment and financial professionals, who are members of ICIFA. Our members have the skill to advise the government on ways to boost the countrys economic development with a focus on increasing both tax and non-tax revenues as well as revenue optimisation; perform tax and non-tax revenue and budget forecasting and performance tracking; analyse tax and non-tax revenue data and create financial models and forecasts to strengthen strategic planning. ICIFA members can also advise the government on financial planning and project monitoring and evaluation for the public sector by analysing trends of key financial performance indicators such as revenue, expenditures including public debt and margins. They can also conduct financial due diligence and sustainability analysis on projects and provide recommendations. I have noted that your services are concentrated in major towns, with a focus on big local and foreign corporates. How accessible and relevant are your services, for example, to informal traders, peasant farmers and pastoralists in far-flung areas? Dan Murugu, Nakuru ICIFA intends to have branches outside Nairobi in order to have a wider reach given that the services of investment and financial professionals are fundamental for all citizens of regardless of their occupation. Informal traders, peasant farmers and pastoralists are all involved in some form of financial transaction on a daily basis and would all desire to increase or grow their sources of income. ICIFA members with a focus on investment and financial advisory have the expertise to provide investment and financial advice and education to any person. They have knowledge of legitimate investment products and strategies that require minimal capital to earn a decent return thus contributing to the financial well-being of investors. What punitive measures, if any, has the institute put in place to deter unregistered members of the public from offering financial/investment advisory services? Malombe Alex, Machakos University In accordance with Section 20 of the Investment and Financial Analysts Act, 2015, unregistered persons who practice as investment and financial analysts, which includes offering investment/financial advice, are in contravention of the Act and are liable, on conviction, to a fine not exceeding Sh500,000 or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding two years, or both. There is no doubt that most of us are traumatised by the experiences brought about by the pandemic. Madam, what advice would you give to the young people who still want to invest despite the unrelenting risks therein? Komen Moris, Eldoret This is indeed an unprecedented time with the uncertainty of the financial markets heightened by the pandemic. However, it is not all doom and gloom in investing. For example, in the stock market, depressed or declining markets are more of an opportunity rather than an impediment for investing since market prices are low, the price of a stock with good fundamentals is considered to be at a discount and a good opportunity for entry. There are other investment opportunities in the capital markets with minimal risk profiles and low capital requirements, such as unit trusts licensed by the Capital Markets Authority, which the youth can explore given the uncertain times. It is also important to conduct due diligence before venturing into any investment, ensuring full understanding beforehand. I am a high school leaver. I am quite interested in the field of investment and financial analysis. Which courses, both undergraduate and professional, do I need to pursue? Celine Mukami Ireri The investment and financial analysis field is growing exponentially and brings many new career opportunities. The Certified Investment and Financial Analyst (CIFA) course offered by Kasneb is the professional course to pursue in order to progress in the career and to practise in the field in accordance with the Investment and Financial Analyst Act. The CIFA professional course can be completed after an undergraduate degree with a focus on finance or economics. Madam, I completed the CIFA exams in 2015. Sometime this year, I made an application to be registered as a member. To date, I have not heard a word from your offices. My number is ISP/2435. It would be good to indicate the date of application since the Registration Committee sits once every two months to approve applications. The applications must meet the membership registration requirements in order to be presented to the Registration Committee for approval. You can check on our website to ensure that you meet the requirements for the category of membership that you applied for. How can Kenyan investors seek redress if they are misled by investment professionals? Robert Mucangi Ndwiga, Embu It is important for Kenyan investors to always ensure that they seek advice from licensed investment professionals since there are individuals who may purport to be investment professionals but are not. If there any cases of investors being misled by ICIFA members, the institute has in place disciplinary mechanisms to investigate professional misconduct in accordance with Section 26 of the IFA Act. Members who are involved in professional misconduct risk deregistration and payment of fines of up to one million shillings. In the recent past, many Kenyans have lost their hard-earned money after falling prey to juicy investment promotions promising high returns. Are your members part of these cons that have left many investors poorer? How can the situation be rectified to avoid a repeat of the same? Komen Moris, Eldoret ICIFA members are required to comply with professional standards and ethical practice in accordance with the ICIFA code of ethics. Investors must be extremely cautious when investing in investment promotions managed by unregistered and unlicensed investment professionals due to the high risk of lack of accountability and integrity in managing investors funds. Your browser does not support the video tag. Welcome Guest! You Are Here: Welcome Guest! You Are Here: Home Regional News East [August 09, 2021] Richardson Wealth Adds Top Talent to Communications and Marketing Teams TORONTO, Aug. 9, 2021 /CNW/ - RF Capital Group Inc. (TSX: RCG) announced today the Communications Team and Marketing Team have been strategically broadened to include industry professionals possessing critical skills for brand promotion and development in multiple media formats. Recently onboarded, this roster of top talent includes a Vice-President of Digital Strategy, a Senior Content Writer, an additional French Translator with localization specialty, two Advisor Marketing Associates and a Manager of Corporate Communications. Kish Kapoor, President and Chief Executive Officer commented, "We said we would continue to add top talent to our company and we are keeping our promises. Our marketing and communications efforts are pivotal to setting us apart as the number one choice for Canada's top advisors and their clients. We are acutely aware that the name on our door means something. This team will help tell the remarkable Richardson Wealth story in new and exciting ways." Mike Belobradic is Vice-President, Digital Strategy. Michael will develop and execute an integrated approach to heighten our social media presence and promote the powerful Richardson brand. As a seasoned digital marketing leader, he will create growth opportunities from lead generation and important data analytics. Beatrice (Trixie) Baker is Senior Content Writer. In order to connect wth our audiences, a skillful writer like Trixie is crucial to developing relevant and insightful materials. Trixie has an extensive writing background in financial services. Dr. Sarah Parvaiz is our French Translator and Localization Specialist. She brings more than a decade of localization, translation and interpretation experience in various industries and will ensure the utmost attention to detail with our French content. Saleema Ali and Tina Sasso are Advisor Marketing Associates. They will provide customized consultation to our advisor teams leveraging their extensive marketing expertise. Saleema brings more than 15 years of industry experience with several years in marketing and communications. Tina is a bilingual professional based in Montreal. She has more than 20 years of experience in sales, marketing and event planning. Julia Teeluck is Manager, Corporate Communications. Julia will leverage her diverse storytelling and communications background, as well as a decade of wealth management experience, to solidify the company as the brand of choice for Canada's top advisors and their high-net-worth clientele. "Our new hires have the creative and technical skills necessary to effectively communicate our culture and brand value proposition to our key audiences," says Sarah Widmeyer, Director of Wealth Strategies at Richardson Wealth. "Their industry knowledge and extensive experience make them a powerhouse, and I am confident this dynamic team will strengthen our position in the market." About RF Capital Group Inc. RF Capital Group Inc. is a TSX-listed (TSX: RCG) wealth management-focused company. Operating under the Richardson Wealth brand, the Company is one of the largest independent wealth management firms in Canada with $34.1 billion in assets under administration (as at July 31, 2021) and 19 offices across the country. The firm's advisor teams are focused exclusively on providing strategic wealth advice and innovative investment solutions customized for high net worth or ultra-high net worth families and entrepreneurs. The Company is committed to maintaining exceptional fiduciary standards and has earned certification determined annually from the Center for Fiduciary Excellence for its Separately Managed and Portfolio Management Account platforms. Richardson Wealth has also been recognized as a Great Place to Work for the past three years, a Best Workplace for Women, a Best Workplace in Canada and Ontario and a Best Workplace for Mental Wellness. SOURCE RF Capital Group Inc. [ Back To SIP Trunking Home's Homepage ] [August 09, 2021] Avaya Acquires Contact Center Developer CTIntegrations, Further Strengthening the Avaya OneCloud Platform Avaya (NYSE:AVYA), a global leader in solutions to enhance and simplify communications and collaboration, today announced it has acquired CTIntegrations, a specialized contact center software development and system integration company based in Austin, Texas. CTIntegrations provides Avaya (News - Alert) with additional digital capabilities for its extensive contact center customer base and will further enhance the Avaya OneCloud AI-powered experience platform. CTIntegrations is the company behind CT Suite and its connectors, and has been part of the Avaya DevConnect (News - Alert) partner ecosystem, bringing deep expertise in the Avaya OneCloud platform and an understanding of its customers' evolving needs. Many current Avaya customers are currently benefitting from CT Suite capabilities that integrate into their Avaya contact centers today. "We are excited to have the CTIntegrations team join Avaya," said David Austin, GVP, Corporate Development, Avaya. "The tremendous talent they bring along with their deep domain expertise in Avaya's contact center platform will immediately add value to our innovation engine and super-charge our Avaya OneCloud CCaaS solution. This acquisition also plays a key role in supporting our overall Avaya OneCloud platform beyond CCaaS, so customers can take full advantage of our composable cloud platform with additional building blocks for solutions optimized to address their specific needs." "Avaya and CTIntegrations have been outstanding partners for a number of years, and I am confident our customers will benefit from increased synergies as an integrated team," said Ronny Flaatten, CEO and Founder, CTIntegrations. "We are committed to building an exceptional journey for Avaya customers to leverage the benefits of next-generation loud, including hybrid cloud, with Avaya OneCloud CCaaS solutions, and to further extend the capabilities of the composable Avaya OneCloud platform." The terms of the transaction were not disclosed. The transaction closed earlier in August 2021 and is not expected to have a material financial impact for the current quarter. About Avaya Businesses are built by the experiences they provide, and everyday millions of those experiences are delivered by Avaya Holdings Corp. (NYSE: AVYA). Avaya is shaping what's next for the future of work, with innovation and partnerships that deliver game-changing business benefits. Our cloud communications solutions and multi-cloud application ecosystem power personalized, intelligent, and effortless customer and employee experiences to help achieve strategic ambitions and desired outcomes. Together, we are committed to help grow your business by delivering Experiences that Matter. Learn more at http://www.avaya.com Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This document contains certain "forward-looking statements." All statements other than statements of historical fact are "forward-looking" statements for purposes of the U.S. federal and state securities laws. These statements may be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "anticipate," "believe," "continue," "could," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "might," "our vision," "plan," "potential," "preliminary," "predict," "should," "will," or "would" or the negative thereof or other variations thereof or comparable terminology. 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 its control. The factors are discussed in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K and subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the " SEC (News - Alert) ") available at www.sec.gov, and may cause the Company's actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. The Company cautions you that the list of important factors included in the Company's SEC filings may not contain all of the material factors that are important to you. In addition, in light of these risks and uncertainties, the matters referred to in the forward-looking statements contained in this press release may not in fact occur. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as otherwise required by law. All trademarks identified by , TM, or SM are registered marks, trademarks, and service marks, respectively, of Avaya Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Source (News - Alert) : Avaya Newsroom View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210809005153/en/ [ Back To SIP Trunking Home's Homepage ] A lot of power means a lot of heat. NASA's future missions to explore the Moon and Mars will require enormous amounts of electrical power and hardware to support astronauts and drive new technologies. This increase in power, however, also increases the amount of heat generated--and then that heat needs to be removed so all the spacecraft systems can function. To remove heat efficiently and reduce the mass of the cooling system, NASA is investigating new methods of transferring heat in space. One of the most effective methods for removing heat from its source is flow boiling, a two-phase process that uses the heat to boil a moving liquid until it changes it into a vapor and then flows that vapor away from the source. The heat can also be transferred by changing a moving vapor back into a liquid in a process called flow condensation. Two-phase heat transfer systems, such as refrigerators, are very effective here on Earth, but more research is needed to understand how they will function in microgravity. "Because a liquid/vapor mixture and interface behave differently in space, scientists need to investigate how boiling and condensation change in microgravity and obtain the data needed to apply what we've learned to design future heat transfer systems," said NASA Glenn Research Center Engineer Nancy Hall. Hall is the project manager for the Flow Boiling and Condensation Experiment, or FBCE, which will launch to the International Space Station in August, aboard Northrop Grumman's Cygnus on the company's 16th commercial resupply services mission for NASA. Built and tested at NASA Glenn in Cleveland, FBCE will conduct a variety of experiments on the space station to investigate flow boiling and condensation in microgravity conditions. This research is a joint effort between Glenn and the Purdue University Boiling and Two-Phase Flow Laboratory, funded by the NASA Science Mission Directorate's Biological and Physical Sciences Division. "When it comes to microgravity condensation and flow boiling heat transfer, data and models are extremely limited," said Monica Guzik, FBCE chief engineer. "This experiment is critical to future NASA missions that require increased efficiency beyond the current single-phase systems." The FBCE consists of seven boxes, or modules. These modules are connected by cables for data communication and electrical power. Five of the modules are connected with flexible hoses to allow circulation of the fluids upon final integration. Once the hardware is on the space station, astronauts will integrate the FBCE into the Fluids and Combustion Facility Fluids Integrated Rack. After passing operational readiness reviews, FBCE is expected to become functional later this year. The experiment will then be operated and monitored by staff in Glenn's Telescience Support Center. "Our team has dedicated 10 years to developing this experiment," said Hall. "FBCE is the first spaceflight hardware of this complexity built in-house at NASA Glenn in 20 years." Please follow SpaceRef on Twitter and Like us on Facebook. NEWS PROVIDED BY The Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights Aug. 9, 2021 NEW YORK, Aug. 9, 2021 /Standard Newswire/ -- Catholic League president Bill Donohue (photo) comments on how the media covered Simone Biles' religion: Everyone knows that Simone Biles may be the greatest gymnast of all time, and everyone knows she is black. But few know she is Catholic. Why is that? The Catholic media mentioned her religious affiliation but the big media did not. The following newspapers made no mention of her Catholic faith: New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Miami Herald, Chicago Tribune and the Atlanta Journal Constitution. The Associated Press also failed to cite her Catholicity. The following TV networks failed to mention her Catholic religion: ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox News, CNN, MSNBC and PBS. In her autobiography, Courage to Soar, Biles mentions the role her religion has played in her life and how it has helped her during times of adversity. She has spoken eloquently about her Confirmation experience, and why she chose St. Sebastian, the patron saint of athletes, as her confirmation name. She occasionally carries a statue of St. Sebastian and often carries her white rosary in her gym bag. So why the blackout? The media constantly tell us that President Biden carries a rosary, so why the reticence when it comes to Biles? Politics explains why. Biden's policies are at war with the teachings of the Catholic Church, alienating many Catholics, including the bishops. But the media want him to succeed, and their way of rescuing his religious status is to flag his rosary story. The situation with Biles is different. Having experienced mental stress at the Olympic games, forcing her to withdraw from a few events, some in the media exploited her racial status with tales of victimhood. None was more melodramatic than Politico. "Biles is part of a new, more subtle chapter of Black activism that is elevating personal reflection and self-care over the emotional stoicism and reliance that has long been a feature of Black struggle, and of Black success." Those words of wisdom belong to Erin Aubry Kaplan, an opinion writer for the New York Times. Simply because Biles was stressed out was enough to prove that she has earned a place in the Black Struggle Hall of Fame. The way the media frame things, to be black is to be a victim; to be a Catholic is to be a victimizer. Therefore citing Biles' religious affiliation gets in the way of their narrative, which is to cast her as a member of the oppressed class. All men and women share multiple status identities, and many have a master status. When it comes to public persons, however, the media are not interested in how they identify themselves--they do it for them. In the case of Biles, she is a black female. End of story. No other identities are allowed. Such is the sad state of identity politics these days. Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank (ADIB), a leading financial institution, has provided structured Islamic financing amounting to AED200 million ($54.4 million) for Middle East investors on two supermarket assets in the UK. The first transaction, supported the acquisition of a Tesco Extra store and ancillary retail parade in Oldham, Greater Manchester by Kuwait Business Town Real Estate Co. The property is prominently located on Huddersfield Road (Oldham) and has a 13-year unexpired lease term to Tesco Store Ltd. The second transaction comprises a purpose-built supermarket extending to over 34,000 sq/ft in Weston-super-Mare, Somerset owned by Capital Trust. The building is leased to Waitrose until May 2045. Olga Aburdene, CEO of Capital Trust, said: We are pleased to receive the continuous support of ADIB that has allowed us to maximise the shareholder returns while pursuing our strategy for this asset. Paul Maisfield, Head of UK Real Estate at ADIB, said: Our clients have a strong appetite to acquire UK assets, particularly those benefitting from long dated income with proven operational resilience offering good income visibility underpinned by strong tenant covenants, providing attractive cash on cash yields. Our expertise on the ground, ability to source, structure, provide competitive financing terms and efficiently execute transactions is proving an attractive proposition to our Middle East clients which is driving growth of the UK business and has established ADIB as a leading player in the UK Islamic commercial real estate financing sector. According to Savills, the UK supermarket sector saw investment volumes reach circa 1.5 billion ($2 billion) in 2020. The average prime achievable retail yield has moved out from 4.43% in 2019 to 4.75% at the end of 2020, while in contrast the average prime achievable yield for supermarkets moved in from 5.7% to 5.53% over the course of 2020. Kuwait Business Town Real Estate Co was advised by Keystone Law &Jade Merchant Bank. Capital Trust was advised by Dentons. ADIB was advised by CMS Cameron McKenna Nabarro Olswang LLP. ADIB has a strong track record in offering bespoke and competitive Sharia-compliant property financing solutions for its clients in the UK. This year alone, it has closed over AED 750 million in senior financing transactions including AED260 million financing for a major Saudi investor to acquire the PWC HQ in Belfast. TradeArabia News Service Performance across Saudi Arabias various real estate market asset classes remains mixed, however the residential market continues to outperform, according to global property consultants Knight Frank. The number of residential transactions in Riyadh have witnessed a 77% growth, year on year and a similar story is playing out on the Red Sea coastal city of Jeddah, where the number of homes sold is up 44% on this time last year, said Knight Frank in the latest quarterly Saudi Arabia Real Estate Market Review. Faisal Durrani, Partner and Head of Middle East Research, said: "The post-Covid recovery was never going to be smooth sailing, but we are seeing sustained growth in certain segments of the market. In the residential market for instance, the governments various initiatives, such as Sakani and Wafi are continuing to contribute to an acceleration in home ownership rates across the kingdom." "Furthermore, the governments efforts to support growth in the residential market are delivering an exceptionally active development market, with 155,000 new homes scheduled to complete before the end of 2023 across Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam; 100,000 of which are in Riyadh alone," explained Durrani. "In addition, home values are responding to the buoyancy in demand, with apartment values in the capital accelerating at the fastest rate in the Kingdom, growing by 7.6% year on year, the fastest pace of growth since at least 2017," he added. On the kingdoms office market, Knight Frank said with the exception of Riyadh, rental rates continue to ebb as demand remains muted. Durrani said: "Grade A office rents in Riyadh are being supported by a steady stream of requirements, mainly from newly created public and quasi-public sector entities; however, consolidation activity remains a key theme, echoing global occupier behaviour, which remains centred on rightsizing in the wake of the pandemic." "Looking ahead, burgeoning supply is quickly emerging as an area of concern. Were tracking nearly 1.8 million sqm due for completion by the end of 2023, 56% of which is planned for Riyadh," he added. According to him, domestic demand will help to soak up some of the new supply as economic reforms drive greater business activity, but questions remain on the impact of all the new stock. "Its likely that Grade B buildings will feel the greatest downward pressure on rents as the flight to quality intensifies, particularly in cities like Riyadh and Jeddah, which will see a 25% and 36% increase in total office supply in the next three years," he stated. Knight Frank expects total office stock in Riyadh and Jeddah to reach 5.3 million sqm and 1.8 million sqm by the end of 2023. The retail sector has been one of the most significant casualties of the pandemic, with headline lease rates in prime shopping malls across the country falling by between 1% and 5% over the last 18 months, according to Knight Frank. In fact, during Q2 alone, rents in the Kingdoms best shopping malls declined by between 1.5-3% in Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam. "Hugely reduced footfall as a result of the pandemic and repeated restrictions on international arrivals has been a double whammy for the retail market," stated Durrani. "That said, the reopening of the border to tourists from 49 nations this week, combined with revenge spending from surging domestic tourism may help to cushion the market from further sharp declines," he added. According to the Saudi Central Bank (Sama), consumer spending in Saudi Arabia increased by 2.1%, to around SR261 billion in Q1 2021, compared to SR256 billion over the same period last year. The food & beverages sector has enjoyed the most significant boost, with spending surging by 35% to SR17.4 billion, while spending in restaurants and cafes rose by 58.5% over the same period. This relative outperformance is linked in part to the slight easing of lockdown restrictions, which boosted footfall across the kingdoms food and beverage outlets. The 5th annual Global Tank Storage Awards returns to Rotterdam in 2022 with a new look, more opportunity to win, and a hotly contested league table. The prestigious awards highlight those that excel in a range of different categories relating to terminal achievements, equipment innovations, ports, and individual success. Since launching in 2017, the awards have been an opportunity to put an individual or company in the spotlight and reward those who excel in safety, innovation, and overall storage. For 2022, the awards team have listened to their community and evolved the awards to include gold, silver and bronze winners. A new awards league will rank the worlds most successful entrants, The judging panel is composed of a cross section of experts taken from across the terminal industry and around the globe. Selected from a wide mix of brands and cooperations, the awards have representatives from leading businesses such as Ineos, Stolthaven Terminals, Kinder Morgan, Navigator Terminals and more. Rikki Bhachu, Head of Marketing, commented: We continue to strive for a diverse mix within our judging panel, ensuring we have representatives from different nationalities, ages, genders, educations, skill sets, experiences, and knowledge bases. Those selected are committed to looking at each entry in detail and providing invaluable feedback on all winning entries. Any technology, terminal or individual related to the bulk liquid storage market is eligible to enter the Global Tank Storage Awards. Entries for the competition open on August 2, 2021, and the 2022 Shortlist will be revealed on January 10.-- TradeArabia News Service Air Arabia, the Middle East & North Africas first and largest low-cost carrier operator, has reported a profitable first half (January to June) 2021 despite Covid-19's continued impact on the aviations industry financial and operational performance. Air Arabia reported a net profit of AED44 million ($12 million) for the period, an increase of 126 percent compared to the corresponding first half 2020. In the same period, the airline posted a turnover of AED1 billion ($272 million), a 5 percent increase compared to the corresponding first half of last year. More than 2.3 million passengers flew with Air Arabia between January and June 2021 across the carriers five hubs while the airlines average seat load factor or passengers carried as a percentage of available seats during the first six months of 2021 stood an average at 73 per cent. Air Arabia managed to register a profitable second quarter despite Covid-19 pandemic continuous impact on the industrys bottom-line. This is the third consecutive profitable quarter that the company managed to register since the pandemic hit the aviation industry. During the second quarter ending June 30, 2021, Air Arabia registered a net profit of AED10 million, an increase of 104 per cent compared to the net loss reported for the same period last year. The companys turnover for the second quarter of 2021 increased by 313 per cent as gradual recovery continued and registered AED496 million, compared to AED120 million in the corresponding period last year. More than 940,000 passengers flew with Air Arabia between March and June 2021 across the carriers five hubs while the airlines average seat load factor during the second quarter of 2021 stood an average at 70 per cent. Sheikh Abdullah Bin Mohamed Al Thani, Chairman of Air Arabia, said: Air Arabias ability to post a profitable first half 2021, despite the continued impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the aviation industry worldwide, is a direct result of the cost control measures adopted by the management team and supported by the gradual resumption of operations witnessed in the first half. He added: While flights resumption compared to pre-pandemic are still subject to many restrictions, the second quarter of 2021 witnessed gradual improvement in comparison to same quarter last year, which was heavily impacted by the subsequent cancellation of scheduled flight operations. We remain optimistic that the gradual ease on travel restrictions and resumption of operations will continue to help the industry in its path to recovery. During the first half of the year, Air Arabia managed to also expand its route network by launching new flights from its hubs in the UAE and Egypt. The carrier also partnered with Etihad Guest, the loyalty program of Etihad Airways to allow members of both schemes to benefit from reciprocal points and miles transfers. In July this year, Air Arabia Group signed an agreement with The Armenian National Interests Fund (ANIF) to launch Armenias new national airline. Al Thani concluded: Air Arabia remains focused on adopting further measures to control costs and support business continuity during the second half of the year while we continue to resume operations where possible. -TradeArabia News Service While we typically publish stories about actual vintage military aviation in our articles, it is fair to say that such aircraft are well beyond the financial means of most individuals even acquiring authentic components from such flying machines has become a seriously expensive hobby. However, with the advent of inexpensive Computer Aided Design (CAD) software and 3D printers, there is now a way to accurately recreate inexpensively the flight controls and cockpit fittings of your favorite WWII fighter, so that almost anyone can recreate that part of the aircraft for their own enjoyment and even to hook up to your very own flight simulator. But the best part is that you dont need to know much about CAD nor even to own a 3D printer to pursue this hobby. This is where AuthentiKit comes in, as their description reveals If youve come here, you are almost certainly a passionate Warbird fanatic. How many of us have ever wished we had been around when our beloved Spit, Mustang, Mossie, et al, were plentiful, and roaring overhead, and dreamed of the chance to fly one of these magnificent birds ourselves? Now imagine the immersion of flying a mission in a Mk.IX Spitfire, over occupied France in 1943, or an earlier variant during the Battle of Britain, in front of your computer screen, or better yet, with your Virtual Reality headset on, using controls that have the identical, authentic look and feel of the actual Mk.IX Spitfire, or something similar in a P-40B, P-51D, DH 98 Mosquito FB.VI, or other classic fighting machines? Now, add being able to do this with 3D components printed from freeware files, incorporating inexpensive, readily available electronics and other items, with accompanying detailed videos and instructions. Welcome to the world of AuthentiKit. AuthentiKit is a freeware project seeking to capitalize on the rapidly increasing availability and price reductions of 3D printing to bring a wide range of premium quality, replica flight controls to the flight sim community. AuthentiKit products occupy a middle ground between commercial fully assembled controls and DIY projects that require tools and dedication. They use a proprietary assembly method aimed at the kind of person who would be comfortable with Lego Technic, or assembling most any other build-it-yourself product. AuthentiKit was started by Phil Hulme, out of the UK, and there is now a substantial community of people building these controls, with some having started to work with on the design side, generating systems for additional classic aircraft. Quite a few members of the community participate in the #community-print-services channel on AuthentiKits Discord server, printing 3d parts for those who dont have access to a 3D printer. The first warbird design generated by AuthentiKit was the much beloved Spitfire Mk.IX, with a big assist from Flying Iron Simulations, an approved developer for Eagle Dynamics, whose Digital Combat Simulator (DCS) is a leading warbird simulation program. Other relationships with simulator developers, and even warbird restoration firms, have evolved. In addition to Flying Iron Simulations, these include, but arent limited to Aeroplane Heaven, who partnered with AuthentiKit in developing Spitfire Mk1A controls, Big Radials, who were instrumental in assisting with the development of the P-40B controls, and AVspecs out of New Zealand, a preeminent restorer of classic warbirds, who is consulting as they can with AuthentiKit on an upcoming release of cockpit controls for the Mosquito FB VI. Typical control sets are comprised of control stick/column, with associated switches and triggers for weapons, and other control stick actuators seen on the original planes; throttle, mixture, prop control, trim wheels (elevator, rudder and ailerons, as appropriate), flap levers, landing gear (undercarriage), and radiator cowl controls. In many cases, visual annunciators are also provided, for users not flying in VR. In none of these relationships are there any commercial dimensions. AuthentiKit does not sell anything since all designs, bills of materials, and assembly guides are free to the community. This is the ultimate labor of love, with community members investing their time, know-how, and skills to provide an experience that is as close to flying these historic airplanes in real life as current day technology allows, accessible to as many people as possible. Flight simulations in VR are immersive, to be sure, but when you see control in your headset, reach out for it, and not only is it physically where you would expect it to be, but it feels identical to what you are seeing, and functions just like the controls that are represented in your field of view, it can be an amazing experience. This connection between visual and tactile greatly enhances the feeling that you are in the actual cockpit, flying the actual aircraft. Thats what total immersion in simulations is all about. Another great aspect of the designs being developed by AuthentiKit is they will work with any flight simulation program, such as DCS, Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020, FSX, X-Plane, P3D, and IL-2. This is the result of the wide compatibility designed into the common hub that interfaces between the controls and the users PC. The connection requires nothing more than a single USB port on a PC, and even the mounting scheme for the controls utilizes widely available computer monitor mounts, and a commonly employed dovetail, used by all designs. This allows users to quickly switch from one aircraft to another, often in less than 5 minutes, so flight simmers can have complete sets of controls for many warbirds, extending the immersion and the experience, with minimal effort and expense. Hardware this awesome must be experienced to be appreciated, so if you would like to get your hands on a set or two of these flight controls for your favorite warbird, dont be put off by the DIY aspect. These are simple self-assembly kits that you can put together at your kitchen table without workshop tools and involving no soldering. Visit authentikit.org where youll find more information, videos, and links for sourcing the kits. There are basically two options and the website has links for both approaches. Red Cross Needs Blood Donors, Shelter Volunteers By West Kentucky Star Staff WESTERN KENTUCKY - The American Red Cross is asking blood and platelet donors to roll up a sleeve to maintain a stable blood supply, and they're looking for volunteers to staff its disaster shelters.Local disaster action teams provide 24-hour emergency response to local disasters, particularly home fires, ensuring that those affected have access to resources for basic necessities such as food, shelter and clothing.Last year, the Tennessee Region provided immediate emergency assistance to 2,781 families after 2,019 home fires and other disasters.If you are interested in helping should a disaster occur here at home or across the country, please apply online at redcross.org/volunteer.You can also make an appointment to donate blood by using the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org, calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or enabling the Blood Donor Skill on any Alexa Echo device.Those who come to donate throughout the month of August will get a free 4-month special offer to Apple Music by email (new subscribers only). Details are available at RedCrossBlood.org/FeelTheBeat.To donate blood, you need to bring a blood donor card or driver's license or two other forms of identification that are required at check-in. You must be 17 years of age in most states (16 with parental consent where allowed by state law), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also must meet certain height and weight requirements.Here are upcoming blood donation opportunities in August:Ullin:8/30 2 - 6 p.m., Cross Road United Methodist ChurchFredonia:8/20 1 - 5 p.m., Fredonia First Baptist Church8/23 2 - 7 p.m., Fredonia Mennonite ChurchMurray:8/25-26 10 - 4 p.m., Murray State UniversityMarion:8/30 1 - 6 p.m., Saint William Catholic ChurchMayfield:8/20 11 - 4 p.m., Graves County Public Library8/24 11 - 5 p.m., American LegionWingo:8/31 1 - 6 p.m., Wingo Elementary SchoolSalem:8/31 11 a.m. - 4 p.m., Christian Life CenterEddyville:8/27 10:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m., Lyon County Convention CenterBenton:8/16 2 p.m. - 6 p.m., First Christian Church8/19 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Marshall County Hospital8/31 11 a.m. - 4 p.m., Central Elementary School Marshall CountyCalvert City:8/26 12:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m., Calvert City Church of ChristPaducah:8/18/2021: 2:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m., Lone Oak Church of Christ, 2960 Lone Oak RoadDaily at the Paducah Blood Donation Center, 4635 Falconcrest Drive A batch of China-donated Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccines arrives at Wattay International Airport in Vientiane, Laos, Aug. 7, 2021. (Photo by Kaikeo Saiyasane/Xinhua) BEIJING, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping attaches great importance to the fair and reasonable distribution of COVID-19 vaccines across the globe as they are crucial to the fight against the pandemic still raging worldwide. Xi has been leading China to fulfill its responsibility as a major country and promoting global vaccine cooperation. China has been donating vaccines to more than 100 countries and exporting vaccines to more than 60 countries, with the total amount exceeding 770 million doses, ranking first in the world. Xi has, on various bilateral and multilateral occasions, called for closer international vaccine cooperation. The following are some highlights of his remarks in this regard. Workers transfer a batch of China's Sinopharm vaccines at the Kenneth Kaunda International Airport in Lusaka, Zambia, on Aug. 7, 2021. (Xinhua/Zhao Yupeng) May 18, 2020 When addressing the opening of the 73rd session of the World Health Assembly via video link, Xi said "COVID-19 vaccine development and deployment in China, when available, will be made a global public good." "This will be China's contribution to ensuring vaccine accessibility and affordability in developing countries," he added. A UN staff member checks out the new batch of COVID-19 vaccines at the Carthage International Airport in Tunis, Tunisia, May 16, 2021. (Photo by Adel Ezzine/Xinhua) Nov. 21, 2020 Addressing the Group of 20 (G20) Riyadh Summit via video link, Xi said that China actively supports and participates in international cooperation on COVID-19 vaccines, has joined the COVAX facility and stands ready to step up cooperation with other countries on the research and development, production and distribution of vaccines. "We will honor our commitment of giving assistance and support to other developing countries, and work to make vaccines a global public good accessible and affordable to people around the world," he said. A health worker shows a box of locally produced Chinese CanSino COVID-19 vaccine in Islamabad, capital of Pakistan on June 1, 2021. (Xinhua/Ahmad Kamal) May 21, 2021 In a speech delivered at the Global Health Summit via video in Beijing, Xi said, "A year ago, I proposed that vaccines should be made a global public good. Today, the problem of uneven vaccination has become more acute." "It is imperative for us to reject vaccine nationalism and find solutions to issues concerning the production capacity and distribution of vaccines, in order to make vaccines more accessible and affordable in developing countries," he added. A nurse shows a vial of Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals in Harare, capital of Zimbabwe, July 8, 2021. (Photo by Shaun Jusa/Xinhua) July 16, 2021 Addressing the Informal Economic Leaders' Retreat of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation via video link in Beijing, Xi said that overcoming the challenges of its own mass vaccination program, China has provided more than 500 million doses of vaccines to other developing countries, and will provide another 3 billion U.S. dollars in international aid over the next three years to support COVID-19 response and economic and social recovery in other developing countries. A staff member checks tags on vials of COVID-19 vaccine at a packing line of Sinovac Life Sciences Co., Ltd. in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 23, 2020. (Xinhua/Zhang Yuwei) Aug. 5, 2021 In a written message to the first meeting of the International Forum on COVID-19 Vaccine Cooperation, Xi said that China will strive to provide 2 billion COVID-19 vaccine doses to the world throughout this year and offer 100 million U.S. dollars to COVAX, the global COVID-19 vaccine equity scheme, for the distribution of vaccines to developing countries. "We are willing to work with the international community to promote international vaccine cooperation and build a community with a shared future for humanity," he said. Videos Sorry, there are no recent results for popular videos. According to Chinese Human Rights Defenders, Liu risks an unfair trial and torture once at home where he was already penalised for ties with human rights lawyer Xu Zhiyong. Angela Merkel is the main backer of an EU-China investment agreement, held up by the European Parliament. Beijing (AsiaNews) Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD), a human rights organisation, is calling on Germany not to deport activist Liu Bing to China. Liu is currently held in an immigration centre in Buren, in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia, and is schedule for repatriation on 26 August. CHRD notes that under international law no one can be deported to a country that practices torture or other inhumane treatment. Because of his protest activity and criticism of the Chinese Communist Party, Liu risks persecution at home, starting with an unfair trial. Hailing from Heilongjiang, the 31-year-old activist was targeted by Chinese authorities as early as 2012 when he set up an NGO that helped marginalised people. Due to his links with human rights lawyer Xu Zhiyong (now in jail for subversion), Chinese authorities have hindered the activity of his organisation, forcing Liu to leave Fujian, where he lived. According to CHRD, police arrested and mistreated Liu for taking part in the commemorations of Lin Zhao, a young woman persecuted during the Maoist era. Critical of the Party, before she was executed Lin wrote poems of resistance in prison with her own blood. Liu was jailed for joining protests in Guangzhou (Guangdong) in 2013 against corruption and for press freedom as part of the "Southern Street Movement", In 2019 Liu was photographed with a group of activists commemorating the Tiananmen massacre of 4 June 1989. One of the demonstrators in the photo, Yin Xuan, received a four-year prison sentence on 21 July; if Liu is sent back, he faces the same fate for the same reason, CHRD points out. Reinhard Butikofer, a leader of the European Greens and head of the EU Parliaments Delegation for Relations with China, repeated the CHRDs request on Twitter. Butikofer is one of the MEPs sanctioned by China after the European Union imposed punitive measures in March on four senior officials and a Chinese government body, accused of repressing Uyghurs in Xinjiang. Due to Chinese countermeasures, the European Parliament in May put on hold the ratification process of the EU-China investment agreement until Beijing withdraws sanctions against European officials and institutions. Under pressure from German exporters, German Chancellor Angela Merkel led the efforts to finalise the agreement with the Chinese last December. Negotiations began in 2013. (Photo CHRD) by Steve Suwannarat The prime minister of the city-state released a video message on Independence Day. The pandemic has widened the fault lines in society. Plans are being drawn up to help migrant workers and low-income groups. Singapore (AsiaNews) Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong delivered his National Day message marking the founding of the Republic of Singapore in 1965. Previously, the city-state had been part of the Federation of Malaysia, created after the end of British colonial rule. In his address, the prime minister focused on social cohesion, support for the most disadvantaged groups, more sustainable development, and concern for ethnic and religious relations strained by the pandemic. Such a vision requires constant work. The COVID-19 pandemic has deeply marked the city-state of 5.7 million, straining the fault lines in society. The formidable enemy, the virus responsible for the pandemic, took the country by surprise, but now seems to be under control. Fortunately, Singaporeans have worked together, looked out for others, and relied on one another throughout this crisis, Lee said. The last wave, which began in July, has forced the authorities to raise the alert level, arousing a feeling of hostility towards the government and its policies, which have always aimed at protecting lives and livelihoods. There are certainly areas where we could have done better. But ultimately, we have kept everyone in Singapore, including migrant workers, safe, Lee said. The prime minister noted that that only 42 people have died out of almost 66,000 coronavirus cases. More than two-thirds of residents are fully vaccinated, and over 85 per cent of the elderly have received at least one dose. Although social cohesion has held, Lee is conscious that we cannot take it for granted, a reference to the large immigrant population which has been disproportionately impacted by the loss of jobs and economic contraction caused by the pandemic. For this group of residents, the government is proposing support, part of a larger project to help low-income, often discriminated groups. At the same time, for Lee discrimination is not inherent. Recent racist incidents are worrying, but they are not the norm, he explained. Instead, working together and showing understanding can boost social cohesion among Singaporeans, which is a cornerstone of their society. by Vladimir Rozanskij Armenian Prime Minister Pashinyan met Raisi, Irans newly elected president. The two sides want to work for peace in the region. They did not discuss the Nagorno Karabakh conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan. The Iranians are careful not to irritate the Azerbaijanis. Moscow (AsiaNews) Armenia Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan made a state visit to Iran on the day Irans recently elected President Ebrahim Raisi took office. Mr Pashinyan was also recently re-elected after two years of troubled leadership. Raisi welcomed Pashinyan, telling his guest that Iran attaches importance to the continuous development of relations in the political, economic and humanitarian sectors with friendly Armenia, the Prime Ministers Office said. The new Iranian president stressed that peacekeeping in the region is of crucial importance for his country, and that Iran considers it essential to resolve all issues through dialogue. Pashinyan reiterated his willingness to continue the bilateral dialogue in order to ensure that cooperation with Iran at the highest level is even more effective. The two parties discussed various issues in order to improve economic and trade ties, including Armenias Meghri Free Trade Zone set up in 2017 to attract foreign companies, starting with Russias. Yerevan also backs Tehrans participation in the Eurasian Economic Union. Set up in 2015, the latter includes Armenia, Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. The two countries are looking at ways to boost energy cooperation linking the Persian Gulf to the Black Sea, including building a north-south motorway, a third high-voltage power line, and the exchange of electricity and gas between the two countries. According to Rubik Minasyan of Radio Svoboda (Liberty), Iran's policy towards Armenia has remained unchanged since the former Soviet republic gained independence in 1991, this even during the "44-Day War", i.e., the war in Nagorno Karabakh in the fall of 2020. [W]e understand that Iran's interests are closer to Armenia than to Azerbaijan, but this is not yet visible, Minasyan said. Some associate this with the lobbying of Turkic-speaking circles in Iranian government circles. In their meeting last Thursday, Raisi and Pashinyan referred to "regional peace, without naming Nagorno Karabakh and the critical situation on the Armenian-Azeri border, nor the fate of Armenian prisoners of war still held by Azerbaijan. On 3 November 2020, during the war in the Caucasus, Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei issued a statement. [A]ll Azerbaijani territories occupied by Armenia should be freed, Khamenei said. The Republic of Azerbaijan is entitled to be in control of its territory, and therefore, all of them should be freed," he added. President Raisi reiterated this position on 14 July, in response to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyevs wishes ahead of the 18 July election. Nevertheless, Iran has tried to maintain a balancing act between supporting Azerbaijan, a fellow Muslim majority country, and reassuring its Armenian neighbour. Neither Raisi nor his predecessor Hassan Rouhani congratulated Pashinyan when he was re-elected on 20 July nor when he was sworn in as prime minister on 2 August. Pashinyan's visit to Tehran is designed to overcome any existing misunderstandings between the two countries and revive their friendship in order to support Armenia's role in the region. The federal agency calculates community transmission by examining the new cases per capita over the past week and the seven-day average testing positivity rate. It recommends masking indoors in jurisdictions that recorded at least 50 new cases per 100,000 people over the past week or where the percentage of COVID-19 tests returned positive over the past seven days eclipses 8%. Authorities say David Boyd Thompson, who was scheduled to be evicted after being told he could not smoke in the building set a small one-alarm fire in his eighth-floor apartment at the Essex Co-Op Apartment Complex in the 1000 block of Franklin Ave. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Austins decision reflects similar moves by governments and companies around the world, as nations struggle with the highly contagious delta variant that has sent new U.S. cases, hospitalizations and deaths surging to heights not seen since last winter. The concerns are especially acute in the military, where service members live and work closely together in barracks and on ships, increasing the risks of rapid spreading. Any large virus outbreak in the military could affect Americas ability to defend itself in any security crisis. Haley was born Aug. 11, 1921, in Ithaca, New York. After serving in the U.S. Coast Guard for two decades, he began a career in journalism which led him to interview Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Miles Davis, Muhammad Ali and other notable figures of the era. In 1965, Haley ghost-wrote The Autobiography of Malcolm X, which to this day is celebrated as one of the most important works of nonfiction ever. An Empowerment spokesman said Barnes, who took the helm of the Northwest Baltimore megachurch in 2019, failed this year to complete an annual financial audit on time, an issue that could place Empowerment in danger of foreclosure. The audit was submitted late last year, as well, the spokesman said, leading to fines for the church. The practice is a long-standing one in Baltimore County, but some community groups question whether it could withstand a legal challenge. Opponents say the bills are akin to spot zoning a practice that generally benefits the owner of a single piece of land by allowing it to be used in a way surrounding properties cant be. But Douglas Berrich has been able to help his daughter navigate through the complications. Hes also trying to prepare her for training. When he enlisted, there was no internet, no way to look up the materials he should study, he said. Actors Aditya Roy Kapoor and Sanjana Sanghi are gearing up for the next shooting schedule of their upcoming film 'Om- The Battle Within'. Taking to Instagram, Sanjana posted a picture of a photo of her and co-star Aditya Roy Kapur from what appears to be an airport. "Onto our next leg," she captioned the post. In the image, Sanjana is seen wearing ripped jeans and paired with the same colour denim jacket over a white tee. On the other hand, Aditya chose to wear a grey T-shirt and paired it with loose tracks. According to several reports, the team is in Qatar for the shoot of 'Om', which is being directed by action director Tinu Verma's son Kapil Verma. The film is touted as an action thriller. (ANI) Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. That was not the plan for many businesses, which until recently targeted September as the consensus point of return to the office for at least some of their remote workforce. But the rise of the more transmissible delta variant has changed those plans, with companies large and small moving the office return date back to the fall, and in some cases, next year. Still, Sebrina Robinson, 54, who stopped at the Chatham Walgreens to pick up medication for her brother, said she missed having access to the rest of the store, where she often stopped to get a sandwich or other items on her way to work. The requirement comes as the delta variant spreads and case numbers continue to grow in Illinois. In recent weeks, the number of children being hospitalized with COVID-19 across the U.S. has been growing. Chicago-area childrens hospitals have said they, so far, have not seen a large influx of kids needing to be hospitalized with COVID-19. Unlike Bidens bigger $3.5 trillion package, which would be paid for by higher tax rates for corporations and the wealthy, the bipartisan package is to be funded by repurposing other money, and with other spending cuts and revenue streams. The bills backers argue that the budget offices analysis was unable to take into account certain revenue streams including from future economic growth. But as each night ruptures with rocket strikes and gunfire, he knows his family will be forced to leave if the bombardment gets any closer. They will be able to spend a few nights at most at his relatives already-cramped house before ending up in one of the half-dozen or so refugee camps that have sprung up around the city, barren, devoid of enough water and food and oppressively hot. The estates executors decided to establish a restitution fund to allow accusers to seek compensation, including those who had reached settlements with Epstein after his 2008 conviction in Florida on a charge of soliciting prostitution from an underage girl. As part of his plea agreement in that case, Epstein avoided more serious federal charges but was required to register as a sex offender. He was arrested again in July 2019, after years of trying to rehabilitate his image, on charges of sex trafficking of teenage girls. He died a month later in his New York City jail cell. Although Lightfoots encounter with police officers at the hospital is noteworthy, it isnt the first time a big-city mayor has been greeted that way by cops. Several New York City police officers turned their back on Mayor Bill DeBlasio when he delivered a eulogy for NYPD Officer Miosotis Familia who was shot and killed in 2017. Other officers also turned their back on DeBlasio in 2014 following the deaths of NYPD Officers Rafael Ramos and Wenjian Liu. Agents showed him the paperwork from the dealer, and at first, he claimed to have bought the gun for himself, the complaint states. But after further questioning, he admitted he instead had bought it for someone in Chicago, Individual A, who had a felony record and could not buy a gun for himself. We designed the Social Studies Knowledge Map to address a gap in the field about the quality, coherence and viewpoint-diverse nature of different social studies materials. We conduct the analysis by mapping the domains of knowledge and topics that a curriculum opens up for students and those it omits, grade by grade, and by assessing the quality of each resource on its own terms and in relationship to other unit texts. We also ask whether a given unit includes more than one perspective, and whether the teacher-facing materials encourage deliberation and disagreement. This is a one-of-a-kind instrument. So. The judge has spoken a second time and its time for Chicago to get behind the Obama Presidential Center in Jackson Park. Certainly, there are avenues of appeal open to Protect Our Parks and other interested parties. They have the right to pursue them and they have said that they will. But just as when Lucas declared his intent to abandon his project, the practical side of the debate is over. The appeals should not be pursued once the ground is broken. The verdict should be accepted, even by the reluctant. I am encouraged by the progress were seeing now to move ahead with new casinos and bring in more gaming dollars, but we have much more work to do, Rita said. I want to see a vibrant racetrack and a new casino in the south suburbs, and use those new dollars to inject life into our cities and neighborhoods. The family held the news conference outside the Lake County courthouse and delivered a copy of Badens report to the states attorneys office. In a statement, States Attorney Eric Rinehart said he has met with the family more than once to hear their views, but declined to release further information about the case. Report Description A recent market intelligence report that is published by Data Insights Partner on the global Aquaculture Market makes an offering of in-depth analysis of segments and sub-segments in the regional and international Aquaculture Market. The research also emphasizes on the impact of restraints, drivers, and macro indicators on the regional and global Aquaculture Market over the short as well as long period of time. A detailed presentation of forecast, trends, and dollar values of global Aquaculture Market is offered. In accordance with the report, the global Aquaculture Market is projected to expand by healthy CAGR over the period of forecast. Market Insight, Drivers, Restraints& Opportunity of the Market: The aquaculture market is anticipated to grow from USD xx.x billion in 2020 to USD xx.x billion by 2028, recording a CAGR of x.x% during the forecast period. This is accredited to the growing intake of fish for its nutritious value. Asia Pacific has accounted for the largest share in the aquaculture market. This is accredited to a rise in the demand for the advanced & latest aquaculture products which help in producing more class output with available land for the aquafarming & enhance the efficiency of the aquaculture operations. Further, aquaculture segments in countries like China, Vietnam, India, Indonesia, & Thailand are majorly export-oriented; aquafarming sector is of major importance in these nations, as players here are concentrating on the technology adoption & automation which is estimated to have a very positive impact on the market in this particular region. Request for Report Sample: https://datainsightspartner.com/request-for-sample?ref=559 Segment Covered: This market intelligence report on the global Aquaculture Market encompasses market segments based on culture, species, production type, rearing product type and country. By Culture the global Aquaculture Market has been divided into: Freshwater Marine Brackishwater By Species the global Aquaculture Market has been divided into: Aquatic Animals Finfishes Mollusks Crustaceans Others Aquatic Plants Seaweeds Microalgae and Other Aquatic Plants By Culture the global Aquaculture Market has been divided into: Equipment Containment Equipment Water pumps & Filters Water Circulating & Aerating Equipment Cleaning Equipment Feeders Others Chemicals Fertilizers Pharmaceuticals By Production Type the global Aquaculture Market has been divided into: Small Scale Medium & Large Scale By country/region, the global Aquaculture Market has been divided into: North America (the U.S., Canada), Latin America (Brazil, Mexico, Argentina and other countries), Europe (Germany, France, the U.K., Spain, Italy, Russia, and other countries), Asia Pacific (India, Japan, China, Australia and New Zealand and other countries), Middle East and Africa (GCC, South Africa, Israel and Other countries). Get Request for Table of Contents: https://datainsightspartner.com/report/aquaculture-market/559#content Profiling of Market Players: This business intelligence report offers profiling of reputed companies that are operating in the market. Companies such as: Pentair plc. (US) AKVA Group (Norway) Xylem Inc. (US) Aquaculture Equipment Ltd. (UK) Aquaculture System Technologies, LLC, (US) Luxsol (Belgium) Pioneer Group (Taiwan) CPI Equipment Inc. (Canada) Asakua (Turkey) FREA Aquaculture Solutions (Denmark) Lifegard Aquatics (US) Tan International Ltd (UK) Reef Industries, Inc. (US) Aquafarm Equipment AS (Norway) Aquaculture of Texas, Inc. (US). Huvepharma NV BERNAQUA Inve Aquaculture SyAqua Neovia Group Seagull NV others have been profiled into detail so as to offer a glimpse of the market leaders. Moreover, parameters such as Aquaculture Market related investment & spending and developments by major players of the market are tracked in this global report. Report Highlights: In-depth analysis of the micro and macro indicators, market trends, and forecasts of demand is offered by this business intelligence report. Furthermore, the report offers a vivid picture of the factors that are steering and restraining the growth of this market across all geographical segments. In addition to that, IGR-Growth Matrix analysis is also provided in the report so as to share insight of the investment areas that new or existing market players can take into consideration. Various analytical tools such as DRO analysis, Porter's five forces analysis has been used in this report to present a clear picture of the market. The study focuses on the present market trends and provides market forecast from the year 2020-2028. Emerging trends that would shape the market demand in the years to come have been highlighted in this report. A competitive analysis in each of the geographical segments gives an insight into market share of the global players. Salient Features: This study offers comprehensive yet detailed analysis of the Aquaculture Market, size of the market (US$ Mn ), and Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR (%)) for the period of forecast: 2020-2028, taking into account 2019 as the base year It explains upcoming revenue opportunities across various market segments and attractive matrix of investment proposition for the said market This market intelligence report also offers pivotal insights about various market opportunities, restraints, drivers, competitive market strategies of leading market players, emerging market trends, and regional outlook Profiling of key market players in the world Aquaculture Market is done by taking into account various parameters such as company strategies, distribution strategies, product portfolio, financial performance, key developments, geographical presence, and company overview The data of this report would allow management authorities and marketers of companies alike to take informed decision when it comes to launch of Type of models, government initiatives, marketing tactics and expansion, and technical up gradation The world market for Aquaculture caters to the needs of various stakeholders pertaining to this industry, namely suppliers, manufacturers, investors, and distributors for Aquaculture Market. The research also caters to the rising needs of consulting and research firms, financial analysts, and new market entrants Research methodologies that have been adopted for the purpose of this study have been clearly elaborated so as to facilitate better understanding of the reports Reports have been made based on the guidelines as mandated by General Data Protection Regulation Ample number of examples and case studies have been taken into consideration before coming to a conclusion Reasons to buy: v Identify opportunities and plan strategies by having a strong understanding of the investment opportunities in the Aquaculture Market v Identification of key factors driving investment opportunities in the Aquaculture Market v Facilitate decision-making based on strong historic and forecast data v Position yourself to gain the maximum advantage of the industrys growth potential v Develop strategies based on the latest regulatory events v Identify key partners and business development avenues v Respond to your competitors business structure, strategy and prospects v Identify key strengths and weaknesses of important market participants Full View of Report Description: https://datainsightspartner.com/report/aquaculture-market/559 The reshaping of the workplace at Stanley Black & Decker was largely drawn from employee surveys in May of this year and the previous May. Most said they were as productive at home, if not more. Some, Lapierre said, did miss in-person interaction with colleagues. Employees with young children, however, appreciated the flexibility to work remotely because child care has been difficult to find. Its more than just a plate, Williams, 46, said. Whatever it is you might need I could go in there and say, Im coming apart dealing with my grandmother with dementia, do you know someone I could go to? The intimacy and connection of being able to walk into a building and ask for help means so much to a community that hasnt been able to. It is in the interests of the city to deploy the tools at its disposal to support the development of a robust and vibrant restaurant sector in Hartford, the proposal states. And in his letter to the council says, A vibrant restaurant industry creates job, activates commercial corridors, and attracts people to our city. Giving restauranteurs a little bit of breathing room by allowing the City to enter into tax-fixing agreements will go a long way to bringing this vital industry back in our community, he writes. In Hartford, the number of cases on the trial list have doubled since the beginning of the pandemic to more than 100, said Vicki Melchiorre, the supervisory assistant states attorney for the district who tried one in-person case before a judge but no jury earlier this summer. The district picked one jury of six and two alternates this summer, but that case was ultimately settled just before the trial began, so there has yet to be any jury trial in Hartford so far as the trial list grows month by month, she said. The Chrysler Museum of Art recently received $225,000 in grants for the show, Black Orpheus: Jacob Lawrence & the Mbari Club, which will open in fall 2022 and will travel to the New Orleans Museum of Art and the Toledo Museum of Art in Ohio in 2023, the Chrysler stated in a news release. The museum received $100,000 from The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, $100,000 from the Getty Foundation and $25,000 from the Wyeth Foundation for American Art. The compromise bill restores temporary rules for college athletes who want to make money off their name, image and likeness that the Senate took out last week. The U.S. Supreme Court decided this summer that the NCAA cant stop schools from providing some benefits to players, and this year, a number of states have passed laws to allow student athletes to license their image. London: A High Court judge in London on Monday granted fugitive diamond merchant Nirav Modi permission to appeal against a magistrates' court order in favour of extradition to India to face charges of fraud and money laundering before the Indian courts on mental health and human rights grounds. Justice Martin Chamberlain delivered his verdict remotely under COVID-19 rules to conclude that the arguments presented by the 50-year-old diamond merchant's legal team concerning his severe depression and high risk of suicide were arguable at a substantial hearing. He also noted that the adequacy of the measures capable of preventing successful suicide attempts at Arthur Road Jail in Mumbai, where Nirav Modi is to be detained upon extradition, also fall within the arguable ambit. At this stage, the question for me is simply whether the appellant's case on these grounds is reasonably arguable. In my judgment, it is. I will grant permission to appeal on Grounds 3 and 4, Justice Chamberlain's ruling notes. Grounds 3 and 4 relate to Article 3 of the European Convention of Human Rights (ECHR), or the right to life, liberty and security, and Section 91 of the UK's Criminal Justice Act 2003 related to fitness to plead. The judge noted that the arguments made under both grounds overlap in this case as they both rely principally on the appellant, Nirav Modi's mental ill health. I will not restrict the basis on which those grounds can be argued, though it seems to me that there should be a particular focus on whether the judge was wrong to reach the conclusion he did, given the evidence as to the severity of the appellant's [Nirav Modi's] depression, the high risk of suicide and the adequacy of any measures capable of preventing successful suicide attempts in Arthur Road prison, the ruling notes. Permission to appeal on all other grounds was declined and the case will now proceed for a substantive hearing before the High Court in London under Grounds 3 and 4. The diamond merchant, wanted in India to face charges of fraud and money laundering in the estimated USD 2-billion Punjab National Bank (PNB) scam case, meanwhile remains at Wandsworth Prison in south-west London. Nirav Modi is the subject of two sets of criminal proceedings, with the CBI case relating to a large-scale fraud upon PNB through the fraudulent obtaining of letters of undertaking (LoUs) or loan agreements, and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) case relating to the laundering of the proceeds of that fraud. He also faces two additional charges of "causing the disappearance of evidence" and intimidating witnesses or criminal intimidation to cause death, which were added to the CBI case. India is a designated Part 2 country by virtue of the Extradition Act 2003, which means it is the UK Cabinet minister who has the authority to order a requested person's extradition after all legal issues are dealt with in the courts. The action by Twitter was condemned at a meeting of party general secretaries on Sunday evening, where the leaders decided to take up this matter at all levels. (AFP Photo) New Delhi: After Rahul Gandhi's account was temporarily suspended and a tweet deleted, the Congress on Monday accused Twitter of adopting "double standards" and violating the freedom of expression "under the diktat of the Modi Government". The action by Twitter was condemned at a meeting of party general secretaries on Sunday evening, where the leaders decided to take up this matter at all levels. Congress general secretary, Organisation, K C Venugopal said the issue of temporary suspension of Rahul Gandhi's Twitter account was discussed at the meeting of general secretaries, in-charges and PCC presidents. The party also claimed that the Twitter handle of INC-TV was also suspended this morning. "The atrocious stance is nothing but another instance of anti-SC and anti-women mindset and inherent prejudice of the Modi Government as also a violation of freedom of expression by the Twitter India under the diktat of Modi Government. All present universally condemned this prejudicial mindset of BJP and decided to take up this matter at all levels," he said in a statement later. The opposition party had on Sunday alleged that Twitter acted in haste due to "pressure" from the Indian government and was "selective" in removing Rahul Gandhi's tweet and "suspending" his account for putting up pictures of the nine-year-old Dalit rape victim's family after he met them in Delhi as no action was taken against some other handles which carried the similar pictures. "The double standard of Twitter is too obvious as statutory commissions, BJP leaders and those holding statutory offices had put up similar pictures on Twitter on 2nd and 3rd August, two days before Rahulji's visit," Venugopal said on Monday. The Congress leader said it was resolved that we will continue the fight undeterred until securing justice for the family. "Instead of curtailing atrocities against Dalits across the country, the prime minister and the government are up to suppress the voice of leaders like Rahul Gandhi who are in the forefront to fight for justice," he said. The Indian Youth Congress also staged a protest in the national capital against Twitter India for blocking Rahul Gandhi's account. "The double standards of Twitter India continue. Even as accounts raising a voice for justice continue getting blocked, Twitter handles related to the govt like @NCSC_GoI & @anjubalabjp face no action for posting the same images," the Congress said on its official Twitter handle. Remember, truth and justice always prevail," the party said while showing a picture of the blocked account of INC-TV. "To Twitter India, we say, 'Daro Mat'," the Congress tweeted on Sunday with an image alleging that the Modi government is "intimidating" Twitter to lock Rahul Gandhi's account "for demanding justice for Delhi rape victim". Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala Assembly on Monday congratulated Neeraj Chopra for bagging the first ever gold medal for India in the track and field events at the Tokyo Olympics. Speaker M B Rajesh, while reading out the congratulatory message in the Assembly, said Chopra, who won India's first gold medal in Olympic track and field with a throw of 87.58 metres, realised the dreams of numerous generations of Indians. "The House congratulates Neeraj Chopra, who brought glorious victory for the country," Rajesh said. The Kerala Assembly also congratulated Bajrang Punia on winning a bronze medal in the 65 Kg freestyle wrestling event. The Assembly wished both more success in the future. The House also congratulated all the sportspersons who won medals for the country in the Tokyo Olympics, which concluded on Sunday. Union Minister Arjun Munda speaks in the Lok Sabha during the Monsoon Session of Parliament, in New Delhi. (Photo:PTI) Hyderabad: The two Telugu states are witnessing larger numbers of cases of atrocities on Scheduled Tribes communities, data released by the Centre in Parliament on Monday showed. The pendency of cases is huge and conviction rate very low in both Telangana state and Andhra Pradesh, said Union tribal welfare minister Arjun Munda. The minister was replying to the questions raised by MPs in Lok Sabha on the issue of atrocities on STs across the country. The data gathered during the last three years from 2017 to 2019 showed that, in Andhra Pradesh, 341 such cases were registered in 2017 and 330 cases each in 2018 and 2019. The corresponding figures for Telangana state were 435, 419 and 530. While the cases filed were in hundreds in TS and AP each year, the number of persons convicted in these cases was in single digits. Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha and Rajashtan witnessed more cases than the two Telugu states. Out of 341 cases registered in AP in 2017, chargesheets were filed in 196 cases, but the accused were convicted in only two cases. The number of persons arrested was 540, those charge-sheeted were 423 and those convicted were just 3. In Telangana state, 435 cases were registered in 2017. Of these, 293 cases were charge-sheeted and convictions came in respect of seven cases. The persons arrested were 582, those charge-sheeted in these cases were 399 and those convicted were just 8. In AP, 330 cases of such atrocities were registered in 2018. Of these, 252 cases saw the accused being charge-sheeted, leading to convictions in 11 cases. Some 589 persons were arrested, 566 persons charge-sheeted and 32 persons convicted. In TS, 419 cases were registered in 2018. Of these, the cases charge-sheeted were of 298, the cases convicted were six, the persons arrested were 629, those charge-sheeted were 512 and those convicted were just 8. In AP, 330 cases were registered in 2019. Of these, 193 cases were charge-sheeted, two cases saw convictions, while 511 persons were arrested, 454 persons charge-sheeted and just four persons convicted. In TS, 530 cases were registered in 2019. Of these, 420 cases were charge-sheeted, convictions came in 31 cases, while the arrests were of 869 persons, charge-sheeting was done on 710 persons and convictions came for 33 persons. The minister stated: "Police and Public Order are state subjects under the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution. The state governments/ Union Territory administrations are primarily responsible for prevention, detection, registration, investigation and prosecution of crimes within their jurisdiction including crimes against members of Scheduled Castes(SCs) and Scheduled Tribes(STs), as also for implementation of the Protection of Civil Rights(PCR) Act, 1955 and the Scheduled Caste and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) {PoA} Act, 1989." Munda said the Centre has been reviewing the situations with the law implementing agencies of the state governments for ensuring prompt registration of atrocities cases, speedy investigation of the offences and timely dispensing of cases by the courts. Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman would perhaps explain that the Modi government did not move the amendment to the retrospective tax amendment as it wanted it to be proved how wrong the Mukherjee move was in terms of legality. (PTI) There has been a sigh of relief and a sense of exultation as finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman had moved the Taxation Laws (Amendment) Bill 2021 and the Lok Sabha had passed it. Everyone felt that it was curtains at last for what is considered Pranab Mukherjees policy folly as finance minister in 2012, before he became President in July of that year. As Pranab Mukherjee went to Rashtrapati Bhavan, Pal-aniappan Chidambaram went back as finance minister, and he did not really hide his displeasure at Mukherjees stint at the finance ministry. But as member of the Congress Party and of the Manm-ohan Singh government he could not have openly criticised his predecessor though he let out enough hints of it to the media. Mukherjees amendment was specifically used against Vodafone which purchased 67 per cent of the shares in the mobile services firm Hutch-Essar from Hong Kongs Hutchison Whampoa in the Cayman Islands, a tax haven, through an intermediate company. The tax department issued a showcause notice to Vodafone. Vodafone appealed in the Bombay high court and the appeal was rejected in December 2008. The Supreme Court rejected Vodafones appeal against the high court in January 2009 and asked the income-tax department to determine if it had jurisdiction over the overseas transaction and said that Vodafone could challenge the income-tax departments decision. The I-T department said in May 2010 that it had jurisdiction. Vodafone challenged it in the Bombay high court. The high court rejected Vodafones plea in September 2010. Voda-fone appealed to the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court refused to stay the high court order and asked Vodafone to deposit `2,500 crores and a bank guarantee of `8,500 crores before it could hear the case. The case was heard in late 2010 and the judgment was delivered on January 20, 2012. It ruled that Vodafone was not liable to pay the capital gains tax as the transaction took place in foreign territory involving foreign companies. The lawyer for Vodafone argued that there was no intention to evade tax through the transaction. The amendment came on February 1, 2012. Mukherjee in his reply to the discussion on the Budget in the Lok Sabha in March 2012 had explained that India was not a tax haven nor was it a tax-free country. He clarified that he had nothing personal against Vodafone. The BJP pounced on Mukherjees amendment as being unreasonable and unfair. A highly placed economic pundit in the Manmohan Singh government at the time did not think the tax demand made on Vodafone was not right, but he said the timing was wrong and that it sent out the wrong message. The Narendra Modi government took seven years to move the amendment to annul the retrospective tax amendment. Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman would perhaps explain that the Modi government did not move the amendment to the retrospective tax amendment as it wanted it to be proved how wrong the Mukherjee move was in terms of legality. This was described as a legacy issue, and it wanted the law to run its course. And like a good BJP minister, Ms Sitharaman did say that by removing the retrospective tax provision, the BJP was fulfilling its promise of not making unfair and arbitrary tax demands. But the Modi government seems to have spent large amounts of money just to score a brownie point against the Congress government as the international arbitrator in Singapore had ruled that India should share the costs with Vodafone. The government went in appeal against the arbitration, and Ms Sitharaman said that the government was contesting the issue of the sovereign right of the State to tax. Around the same the Indian government was making the tax demands, Vodafone had paid the British tax authorities 1.2 billion pounds sterling when media reports showed the company had evaded tax on 6 billion pounds when the company had invested profits in Luxembourg in 2000 and in 2009 earned 6 billion pounds. But the matter was settled in 2010 when a man, John Connors, working for the revenue and customs in the British government, had joined Vodafone and sealed the compromise. The National Audit Office approved the deal in its report to the parliamentary committee saying that the government would have lost money if it had pursued litigation. Vodafones head argued that the company did not invest its profits in Luxembourg to evade taxes, but it was intended to give greater dividends to shareholders in Britain, which included pensioners. The other case is that of Cairn Energy, which transferred its shares to Cairn India before listing on the market, and the Indian authorities demanded capital gains tax, and confiscated Cairns shares. Here too, the government had lost the arbitration battle, and it has been asked to pay back the shares of Cairn Energy that it had confiscated and sold, the dividend it had confiscated, and the tax refunds it had withheld. The government has agreed to pay Cairn Energy `7,900 crores. The problem of retrospective taxation will not really end with the new amendment because the generally accepted principle behind the retrospective tax is that a transaction is carried out in a third country with the intention of tax evasion. The explanation that Vodafone offered to the British tax authorities is that by investing the profits in Luxembourg it has increased the dividends of British shareholders and this is not tax evasion. Vodafone is indeed skating on thin ice. The shareholders interests cannot be used as a cover of tax evasion per se. Governments anywhere, including those in India, will be forced to reckon with transnational transactions which will free corporations from paying taxes in a host country. The government cannot turn away from this corporate sleight-of-hand. The recent consensus on the global minimum corporate tax of 15 per cent that was reached at the G-7 summit a few months ago can perhaps be seen as a solution because it is intended to marginalise tax havens by making some tax payment mandatory. India has nodded its acquiescence to the new tax arrangement, though it will take a long time before it is formalised and legislated in every country. But to think that removing retrospective taxation will bring in greater foreign investment into India is economic naivete of the sublime kind. We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form Get 25% off of the regular $65 annual All Access rate. With this subscription you will get: Digital access to ElPasoInc.com and archives (value $45) Print subscription home or business delivered (value $65) Book of Lists (annual rate only, value $50) El Paso Inc. Magazine (value $20) El Paso Kids Inc. Special sections - OR - Get 15% off of the regular $45 annual Digital-only rate. With this subscription you will get: Complete digital access to ElPasoInc.com. Users of Google Duo will might experience seeing a new user interface as Google's video calling software is receiving an overhaul for their home screen. This user interface overhaul, according to News18.com, will also feature the addition of the "New Call" button as well as other tweaks for the video calling service. How Does the New UI Works The said "New Call" button in Google Duo's new user interface, according to 9to5Google.com, will serve as a starting point for any key actions in the Duo, which includes starting calls to its other users and contact groups. This also includes their connected Assistant/Home devices, like smart screens and speakers. #Google Duo added a "New call" button as well as some UI tweaks. pic.twitter.com/hWesK9nf9H (@SaadhJawwadh) August 9, 2021 It is also able to see, and invite, said contacts and create said contact groups by simply tapping the "New Call" button and clicking the "Create Group" tab. According to Indian Express, users may also discover other existing contacts and groups either through Search or via the "New Call" entry point. READ ALSO: Snap Camera 'Cartoon Style' Filter: How to Use it to Turn Your Face into a Cartoon Character They can also invite others to Google Duo by tapping the same button then searching for its details either in the contact list or through the search bar. If they are not on Duo, users can also invite them by tapping the blue invite button next to their name. Aside from the new button, another featured in Good Duo that was tweaked is the one regarding sending video messages. According to PhoneArena.com, with just a tap of the "New Call" button, users can now select the person or the contact group that they want to receive their video message and then record it instead of painstakingly record the video first then selecting the recipient(s) after. With the integration of all of the Google Duo's functions in one button, its new user interface was redesigned, removing the few functionalities that was integrated in the said button, and making it look better organized and cleaner than before. Other Google Services Tweaked Aside from Google Duo, Google Podcasts is also receiving a major design refresh. This is after several usability complaints from its users regarding the podcasting service. According to Technosports, the userface for Podcasts will have revamped names to begin with. The "Home" tab becomes the "Subscriptions" tab, in which Google was allowed to add a "More" tab that open a grid view, revealing the shows and podcasts the service's users are following. Also, a show or podcast's episode card was seen, but with an overflow menu in the bottom right corner, where it has a "Share" and "Mark as played" tabs. Its "Explore" tab remains unchanged, however the Podcasts watermark that is in the tab replaced the red "Beta" tag for all of its users, while the "Activity" tab is replaced with "Librtary," removing the former's four subtabs - "Your Queue," "Downloads," "History," and "Subscriptions." According to News18.com, Google is now focused on improving productivity and communication capabilities with their video-based apps and services, especially in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic. Google is pushing its Google Meet as its primary software for video conferences while it reworked its G-Suite professional and productivity tools into Google Workspace, interlinking them in a more practical and user-friendly matter. READ ALSO: 5 Things to Look for in an Identity Theft Service What's Included With a Digital Only subscription, you'll receive unlimited access to our website and e-edition. Our digital products are available 24/7 and are accessible anywhere, anytime. If you have any questions or need further assistance, please call our customer service team at 574-583-5121 or email cgrace@thehj.com. Meghan Markle's half-brother, Thomas Markle Jr., labels the Duchess of Sussex, 40, "shallow" in the first teaser for Australia's "Big Brother VIP," where he is one of 12 "celebrity" participants. Thomas will reside in the Big Brother "hotel" with a star-studded roster of contestants, including Omarosa Manigault Newman and Caitlyn Jenner. In a teaser published on Twitter on Sunday, Thomas boasts of advising Prince Harry not to marry Meghan Markle and portrays himself as "the biggest brother of them all." Prince Harry was "warned" about Meghan Markle by her estranged brother before their wedding. Meghan's half-brother and Thomas Markle Sr.'s son, Thomas Markle Jr., has previously said that he last saw Meghan in 2011, telling the German newspaper Bild that his family believed she already changed. Thomas previously described Meghan Markle as "fake" Meghan lived with her father, sister Samantha Grant, better known as Samantha Markle, and stepmother Doria Ragland when she was born in 1981. Before divorcing in 2001, the window fitter was married to Tracy Dooley for 11 years, and the pair had two children, Thomas and Tyler Dooley. Thomas is estranged from his famous younger sister and was not invited to the Sussexes' wedding in May 2018, as per Daily Mail. He has previously referred to his half-sister as a "phony" and a "jaded, shallow, arrogant lady" in the press. Meghan, 40, has also been chastised by their estranged brother for cutting off their father, Thomas Markle Sr., when he was found cooperating with US paparazzi. Prior to the couple's royal wedding in May 2018, Thomas shared that he sent Prince Harry a scathing handwritten letter in which he cautioned the prince that it was "not too late" to back out, Fox News reported. He further said that Meghan was "clearly not the right woman" for Prince Harry and that she was portraying a princess "like a below C average Hollywood actress." Thomas Jr. was not invited to the wedding, and neither was his sister, Samantha Markle, who has been vocal about her feud with Meghan. In 2019, he appeared in a beer commercial with a Meghan lookalike. The commercial showed him attempting to steal Queen Elizabeth II's crown from Buckingham Palace but instead opting for a case of beer. Read Also: Queen Elizabeth Decides to Hand Prince Harry's Royal Responsibility to Kate Middleton; Here Are 2 Major Roles She Will Get Meghan Markle's dispute with her family Per The Sun, Meghan Markle is bracing herself for more embarrassment and scandal as her outspoken elder brother competes in Celebrity Big Brother Australia. On January 12, 2017, Thomas was arrested in Oregon for reportedly putting a gun to the head of a lady following a drunken dispute. As a result of her May 2018 wedding to Prince Harry, the Duchess of Sussex had a strained relationship with her father, Thomas Markle Sr., and step-brother. Thomas Jr. was not invited to the wedding, and he claimed that he hadn't seen his sister in seven years at that time. Despite having pleaded with Prince Harry to put off the event, he previously spoke out about being left off the guest list. Meghan Markle's father was supposed to accompany her down the aisle, but he reportedly declined, then stated his willingness to go before ultimately admitting he couldn't because of heart surgery. The Suits actress has a strained relationship with her half-brother, who left the family home when Meghan was a child, although he has previously spoken out about their disagreement and the royal family's role in it. Thomas also stated that Kensington Palace should have backed their father, Thomas Markle Sr., prior to the royal wedding in 2018. Related Article: Meghan Markle's Father Vows to File Lawsuit Against Her and Prince Harry to See Grandchildren @YouTube @ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Thousands of Oklahomans have lost their jobs as a result of the pandemic, and an Oklahoma County district judge has ordered the state to start paying $300 per week in extra unemployment payments. Reinstatement of Unemployment Benefits In a recently published article in MSN News, District Judge Anthony Bonner Jr., granted a preliminary injunction directing the state to inform the Labor Department about the reinstatement and administration of federal unemployment benefits authorized by Congress as part of its coronavirus relief efforts. Judge Bonner ordered the state to stay in the program until he makes his final ruling in the lawsuit or until the federal program ends on Sept. 6, whichever comes first. On Monday, Bonner indicated he would issue a more comprehensive order with findings and conclusions. Chad Smith, Brendan McHugh, and Dana Jim, lawyers of the petitioners said, "We are thankful for the careful consideration by the Court today and are pleased by the order for the OESC to resume federal unemployment benefits to the Petitioners and all other hard-working Oklahomans required to be on unemployment," according to a published article in FOX 25. Read Also: Fourth Stimulus Check Starts to Roll Out in Some States; Child Tax Credit Payment May Be Released on August 13: Are You Eligible? Other Federal Benefits that Will Be Restored The judge's ruling includes the restoration of the following federal benefits that were stopped, according to a published article in The Hill: Unemployment payments are extended beyond the usual 26-week limit under the Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation program. Workers who do not otherwise qualify, such as self-employed and gig workers, are eligible for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance. Individuals who earned at least $5,000 in self-employment income in the previous taxable year and were not receiving Pandemic Unemployment Assistance payments were eligible for an extra $100 per week in benefits under Mixed Earner Unemployment Compensation. Meanwhile, The Oklahoma Supreme Court will hear a dispute involving the suspension of unemployment benefits next week. The hearing will take place on August 11th. It is unclear when individuals will be able to get federal unemployment benefits again. In June, the state ended the program. Why the State Governor Stopped the Unemployment Assistance? Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt (R) ended the coronavirus-related federal unemployment benefits in June. Like many Republicans, he was claiming that the payments were discouraging jobless individuals from returning to work, a position that Democrats and a number of experts disputed. Stitt also promised a one-time $1,200 return-to-work incentive payout at the time of his decision. Stitt said when he announced the state's withdrawal from the federal program in May that the real challenge is not getting back the businesses to open but getting back the people to work. He also emphasized that one of the reasons why this happened is due to the extension of federal benefits, according to a published article in The Oklahoman. Stitt and Shelley Zumwalt, executive director of the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission, were challenged by many employees for their right to withdraw from federal unemployment benefits. In a similar case filed in the Oklahoma Supreme Court last month, ten jobless Oklahomans claim Stitt went too far by shutting off access to pandemic-related unemployment benefits that should have been accessible until September. Related Article: $2,000 Extra Stimulus Checks Will Be Given to Americans, Will You Qualify? @ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Elon Musk's SpaceX, along with a Canadian startup company, aims to launch satellites into space that will beam adverts that people on Earth could pay for using Dogecoin to acquire pixels. SpaceX is partnering with Geometric Energy Corporation (GEC), a Candian startup company that provides technology services. The latter revealed the deal during an interview where it would make space advertising possible with the help of Musk's space company. Space Advertisements In a statement, Samuel Reid, the CEO and co-founder of GEC, said they are currently working on a prototype of a satellite, called a CubeSat. One of the satellite's sides will have a pixelated display screen where ads, logos, and art will be shown. GEC officials plan to transport the CubeSat using one of SpaceX's Falcon 9 rockets, taking it into orbit, and releasing it before the rocket reaches the moon. Once the CubeSat is set up in orbit, a selfie stick attached to its side will film the display screen. The footage could then be used to Livestream on YouTube or Twitch for anyone who wishes to watch what's being shown on the satellite's screen, Business Insider reported. Read Also: 28,000 Years Old Cave Lion Cub Found Perfectly Preserved in Permafrost in Siberia Reid said that there would be many companies that want to display their logo on the satellite in space. He noted that the space could also be used for more personal or artistic agendas. Reid jokingly said that Coca-cola and Pepsi might fight over priority in displaying their logo. While complex, the process of purchasing advertising space on GEC's CubeSat is relatively interesting. Anyone will be allowed to buy a slot on the satellite ad as long as they are able to pay more than what someone else is bidding. The company's CEO said they were aiming to democratize access to space and allow for decentralized participation. However, Reid said he hoped that no one would waste money on buying advertising space on something that is considered insulting or offensive, Futurism reported. Buying Tokens with Dogecoin Potential buyers will be able to purchase tokens to claim designated pixels on the satellite's display. Customers will also be able to select what the pixels would like and set how long the ads would run. There are five tokens up for grabs, Beta for the X coordinate, Rhoe for the Y coordinate, Gamma for the brightness, Kappa for the color, and XI for the amount of time. Cryptocurrencies can also be used to purchase any of the tokens on GEC's CubeSat. The company also said it hoped to provide a channel for Dogecoin to be used in the future. While Reid said he was not allowed to disclose how much each CubeSat token would cost once it is fully running, many believe the cost would be astronomical given the amount of time, effort, and money spent just to get the display in space, to begin with. When asked, SpaceX and GEC did not immediately respond for comments on the matter and their joint endeavor, Gizmodo reported. Related Article: Stonehenge Durability Amaze the World, What Is Its Secret That Made It Last for 5,000-Years in Pristine Condition? @ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Bill Gates, the co-founder of Microsoft Corp., allegedly said during an interview with CNN's Anderson Cooper on Wednesday that his meeting with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein was a "huge mistake." According to the discussion, Gates revealed he met with Epstein on several occasions to discuss global health philanthropy over dinner. The meetings were conducted in the hopes of raising billions for charity. Regretting the Meetings During the "Anderson Cooper 360" program, Gates said that when he realized the meetings with Epstein would not bear fruit to what he hoped, their relationship quickly faded. He noted that it was a "huge mistake" that he spent time with the convicted sex offender and giving him the credibility of being there. In 2019, a spokeswoman for Gates said he regretted his meeting with Epstein, who was found dead inside his jail cell in August 2019 as he waited for trial on federal charges of sex trafficking. A month after, Gate said during an interview with the Wall Street Journal that he met Epstein but did not have a business relationship or friendship with him, adding he was not aware of any donations from the convicted felon, the Wall Street Journal reported. Gates' interview with CNN came two days after his divorce with his ex-wife, Melinda French Gates, was completed. It was revealed that Melinda previously expressed her concerns about her ex-husband's dealings with Epstein, with some dating as far back as 2013. Read Also: Cuomo's Executive Assistant Speaks Out About the Governor's Alleged Sexual Harassment Crimes Epstein was convicted in 2008, three years before he even met Gates, for crimes of soliciting prostitution from a minor. In an article, it the claims of the Microsoft co-founder regretting his meetings with Epstein over an interview was confirmed, Snopes reported. The New York financier was also accused of having operated a sex trafficking ring by federal prosecutors in July 2019. The complaint alleged that Epstein sexually abused dozens of underage girls; talks have been circulating around the individual for years. Convicted of Sexual Crimes Epstein pleaded guilty to two state prostitution charges and was jailed for only 13 months instead of facing federal charges. The FBI also registered the philanthropist as a sex offender and he was forced to pay restitution to the victims the agency disclosed. The New York City Office of the Chief Medical Examiner said that Epstein's cause of death in August 2019 was determined to be suicide by hanging. Gates also refused to answer whether or not his social connection with Epstein played a factor in his divorce from his ex-wife. During an interview, the Microsoft co-founder said the completion of their divorce was a time of reflection and that he needed to move forward. In recent years, Gates focused his attention on tackling global health issues through his joint Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The foundation's leader said that the Gates family would discuss whether or not it would be possible to continue their operations despite the divorce. If they decide not to, Gates would have to pay Melinda using his own personal funds, 9News reported. Related Article: NY Gov. Andrew Cuomo's Top Aide Resigns Amid Sexual Harassment Allegations; Ex-Colleagues Slam Her as "Evil Human Being" @ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Living on Mars may not be in the distant future any longer. NASA's Crew Health and Performance Exploration Analog, or CHAPEA, is a series of analog missions that will simulate one-year stays on the Martian surface. Find out if you have what it takes to apply for the mission. NASA Mars Simulation Mission NASA explained that each mission consists of four crew members living on the Red Planet's Dune Alpha, a unique 3D printed 1,700 square-foot habitat. The analog mission will include simulated spacewalks and provide data on a variety of factors like physical and behavioral health and performance. Crew on this mission can enjoy the amenities the 3D printed habitat has to offer, such as: private crew quarters, a kitchen, and dedicated areas for recreation, medical, fitness, work and crop growth activities. A technical work area is also included, as well as two bathrooms. The goal of this mission is to obtain the most accurate data during the analog mission. To do this, the habitat will be set up to be as Mars-realistic as feasible with environmental stressors such as resource limitations, isolation, equipment failure, and significant workloads included in the simulation. Besides simulated spacewalks, the crew must perform other activities like crop growth, meal preparation and consumption, communications, exercise, hygiene activities, maintenance work, science work, personal time and sleep. All of this will be monitored to get the best picture of what living on Mars would be like. Ever wondered what it would be like to live and work in deep space? Heres your chance! @NASA is seeking participants for a 1-year Mars surface mission simulation. This unique opportunity will help us prepare to send astronauts to the Red Planet: https://t.co/0OCV75U9rJ pic.twitter.com/oZVWxl99G8 NASA Artemis (@NASAArtemis) August 6, 2021 Read Also: SpaceX Jupiter Mission After $178 Million Contract: 2024 Launch Date and Mission Details How to Apply for NASA CHAPEA and Live in the 3D-Printed Martian Home NASA has begun accepting applications for CHAPEA since August 6. Interested applicants can send in their application until September 17, 2021 by 5pm CST. The one-year analog mission is scheduled to begin by Fall of 2022. Crew application and selection will follow the standard NASA criteria for Astronaut Candidate applicants. This includes needing to be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident that is within the ages of 30 to 55. The applicant must possess a master's degree in a STEM field from an accredited institution. If the applicant does not have a master's degree but does have two years of work towards a doctoral program in a related STEM field, the application is still accepted. If the applicant has obtained a completed Doctor of Medicine or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree or completed or is in the process of completing a nationally recognized test pilot school program by June 2021, those are also accepted by NASA. Applicants must also have at least two years of related professional experience in a STEM field. If not, they must at least have 1,000 hours of pilot-in-command time on a jet aircraft, NASA said. The applicant must also be able to pass the NASA long-duration flight astronaut physical examination. Finalists of the application process will have to undergo evaluation, testing, and screening to determine their physical and mental suitability for the long-duration isolation mission. Candidates who participate in the finalists' protocol are not guaranteed selection. The selection process may take up to 13 months, NASA said. If you are interested in applying, you can learn more by visiting the CHAPEA Mission 1 website: https://external.jsc.nasa.gov/chapea/. Related Article: New Discovery: Mars Might Not be the Only Planet Aside from Earth that's Habitable, How About Jupiter's Moon? gettyimagesbank By Anna J. Park As a series of big-name companies are announcing their plans to make their debuts on the country's stock markets in the near future later this year or early next year local brokerage firms have become more selective than ever over the role of underwriting the IPO process. The signs of such selective attitudes are the most evident in the IPO plans of e-commerce companies. Currently, Market Kurly, Oasis, SSG.com and Tmon are all aiming to go public sometime early next year. As the four e-commerce companies are targeting similar timelines for going public, major brokerage houses here have the upper hand in the IPO process. They're able to select and focus on one of the companies' underwriting processes, rather than competing fiercely to be selected by the e-commerce companies. Oasis Market has partnered with NH Investment & Securities and Korea Investment & Securities for its IPO plan, as its corporate value was recently estimated at over 700 billion won ($611 million) after attracting its latest investment. With its latest corporate value from a Series F round standing at 2.5 trillion won, Market Kurly was supposed to finish selecting its lead manager and underwriters for the IPO. However, only KB Securities is said to have responded to its request for the underwriting bidding, which was sent to diverse brokerage houses, including Mirae Asset Securities, Samsung Securities and KB Securities. The de facto refusal by big players like Samsung and Mirae Asset is interpreted as their focus on the IPO of SSG.com, which seeks to go public following a similar timeline as Market Kurly. Against this backdrop, Market Kurly did not select its underwriters at this time. Market insiders say that if the e-commerce companies' IPO timelines had been well-aligned, brokerage firms would've competed fiercely to be selected as the underwriters. Yet the current bottleneck schedule hindered them from competing for the bids. So, the securities firms each decided to focus on just one of the companies that they will partner with. Besides the e-commerce market, a series of big-name companies, like Krafton, LG Energy Solution, Kakao Pay and Lotte Rental, are all aiming to go public this summer or early autumn. Mirae Asset Securities is expected to continue its leading position in the local underwriting market during the second half of this year, as it is scheduled to participate in 16 companies' IPO processes, including: Krafton, Hyundai Heavy Industries, Netmarble Neo and Aju Steel. Mirae Asset Securities was also the top brokerage house in the first half of this year, participating in 12 major IPOs, including those of SK Bioscience and SK IET. NH Investment & Securities is following Mirae Asset's lead, as it is involved in 14 IPO schedules during the second half of this year. The company is facing the imminent IPOs of Lotte Rental and K Car. KB Securities is cited as one of the top beneficiaries from its IPO management of LG Energy Solution as well as the successful Kakao Bank IPO. Samsung Securities' Kakao Pay IPO is also another big-name IPO that is drawing a lot of interest from investors. A digital signboard on the floor of the Korea Exchange shows the stock market debut of internet-only bank KakaoBank on the KOSPI in Seoul, Aug. 6. Yonhap By Kim Yoo-chul Buoyed by an announcement to put KakaoBank on the MSCI Emerging Markets Index list later this month, the online bank operator extended its heavy gains on the country's bourse. KakaoBank's shares rose 12.46 percent, closing at 78,500 won on the KOSPI, Monday, after rising to the daily limit of 30 percent during the first day of trading last week, according to data provided by the Korea Exchange (KRX), the top bourse operator. Investors are betting heavily on the growth potential of KakaoBank's business expansion from mobile banking to retail. Plus, inclusion on the MSCI will be a major positive factor in terms of attracting more foreign "passive money," because the MSCI index is widely used as a barometer to gauge the finances of fast-growing companies in emerging economies. KakaoBank's inclusion in the index is expected on Aug. 20. "No challenging factors are in sight, and that means I am positive over KakaoBank's additional extension. Its shares should reach the 100,000 won level within the next few days of trading," a senior fund manager at a U.S.-based investment bank in Seoul said by telephone. KakaoBank is the country's first digital bank to go public. It was the country's largest initial public offering (IPO) since 2017, when local game company Netmarble went public. Monday's 12.36 percent addition elevated KakaoBank to Korea's ninth-largest company in terms of assets, as its total capitalization is 37.29 trillion won. Even retail investors and the national pension fund held off on selling their portions of the shares, despite retail investors having the tendency to sell stocks on the first day of trading for immediate profit-taking. "Retail investors should be aware that concerns still exist about the stock's steep decline, but its overall business outlook remains strong," BNK Securities analyst Kim In said. Founded in 2016, KakaoBank was one of the first companies to snap up one of the online banking permits offered by the government the year before. User numbers grew quickly thanks to KakaoTalk, a messenger service also under Kakao that currently has 46 million active users out of South Korea's population of around 51 million. Painter Park Dae-sung poses at his solo exhibition "Insight" at the Insa Art Center in Jongno District, central Seoul. Courtesy of Gana Art By Park Han-sol One day in March, a child, seeing a 20-meter-long calligraphy work on display at ground level at Solgeo Art Museum in Gyeongju City, North Gyeongsang Province, began stepping on it, lying down and rubbing his knees against the piece. It wasn't long before damage occurred to the artwork, with some of the Chinese characters written in ink smudged and partially erased. A security guard was nowhere to be seen. It was later observed through the surveillance camera footage that the child's father, who was present at the scene, simply took photos of his son playing on the artwork, without making efforts to stop him. Park Dae-sung, a 76-year-old artist who created the calligraphy, was unusually cool about what happened to his piece valued approximately at 100 million won ($87,000). "Let's look past it and not blow it out of proportion," he uttered upon hearing the news, adding that he had no intention of holding the child accountable for the damage. "In a way, my work now bears a footprint similar to that left by a phoenix," he said during an interview with the local Chosun Ilbo newspaper, even crediting the young visitor with drawing renewed public attention to his pieces. Park's name has long been associated with Korean ink-and-wash paintings of the modern era. He is renowned for continuing the traditional styles of landscape paintings that date back to Joseon-era court artist Jeong Seon (1676-1759), while adding a daring, creative touch. For example, in some of his works, the mountainous valleys, rocky cliffs, waterfalls and pine trees all familiar aspects of ancient landscape painting have been captured in a dynamic bird's-eye view or even fisheye perspective. Park Dae-sung's "Geumgangsan Mountain" (2021), left, painted in a bird's-eye view and "Baekdu Waterfall" (2021) on display / Courtesy of Gana Art Park Dae-sung's "Land of Beautiful Scenery" (2020), right, drawn in fisheye perspective and "Snowscape of Geumgangsan Mountain" (2019) on display / Courtesy of Gana Art "I have been to the same mountains and rivers at least a dozen times, and could easily envision the features of their peaks as if they were right before my eyes. I was thinking of a new composition for my painting, and realized that the scenery would look distortedly round in the eyes of the fish," the artist said, commenting on his thought process before completing "Land of Beautiful Scenery." "I went on to draw the landscape while imagining the way it would be seen by the creature." More than 70 of his works from the tranquil, panoramic snowscape of Bulguk Temple (Buddhist temple in Gyeongju City) to the spirited blue bull somewhat reminiscent of Lee Jung-seop's "White Ox" (1953-54) are on display at his solo exhibition "Insight" at the Insa Art Center in Jongno District, central Seoul. The show is, in fact, the artist's last exhibition in Korea before his works are sent to the United States next year for a touring exhibition at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), Harvard University's Korea Institute, Dartmouth College's Hood Museum, the State University of New York at Stony Brook and the University of Mary Washington. Park Dae-sung's "Willow" (2021), left, and "Pine Tree III" (2021) / Courtesy of Gana Art Born in 1945, the year of Korea's liberation from Japanese colonial rule, the artist lost both parents as well as half of his left arm in the tumultuous ideological conflict that preceded the 1950-53 Korean War. Living at his relative's home, he began repeatedly copying the ink-and-wash paintings and calligraphy he saw in classic texts and folding screens, soon discovering his artistic talent. He drew and drew without receiving any formal art education. In fact, he stopped going to school after middle school a decision he made after being subject to years of cruel mockery of his physical disability. It was only when he turned 18 that he began to study under other painters and masters. Park's unending passion was eventually noticed by the Samsung family, providing him with a nickname as "the Korean artist loved by Lee Kun-hee." In 1988, he was able to hold a large-scale solo exhibition at the Ho-am Art Museum, the private art gallery established by the founder of Samsung Conglomerate Lee Byung-chul. Most of the 100 paintings that were displayed at the event were subsequently purchased by Lee Kun-hee himself. In fact, the recently announced massive art trove of the late Samsung Chairman contains three of Park's landscape pieces, which were donated to the Jeonnam Museum of Art in South Jeolla Province. His tranquil scenery brought to life via delicate brushstrokes bears both a real and dreamlike quality. They are the amalgamation of the images of nature the artist witnessed and observed since childhood that are creatively interpreted and expressed on canvas. "The painting should not be exactly like a photograph. If I try to draw too realistically, then I end up missing out a lot more," he said at the gallery. The exhibition "Insight" runs through Aug. 23 at the Insa Art Center. The national flags of South and North Korea fly at the Demilitarized Zone separating the two Koreas, Monday. Yonhap By Nam Hyun-woo Seoul is resorting to an ambiguous approach to Pyongyang over its upcoming combined military exercises with the U.S., by consulting with Washington on offering humanitarian aid to the North. This is interpreted as the Moon Jae-in government's compromise plan in which the administration can show its willingness for talks with Pyongyang while dodging domestic criticism that it is letting the North take the lead in the inter-Korean tug-of-war over the summertime military drills. Foreign Affairs Minister Chung Eui-yong had a telephone conversation with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Friday in which the two discussed ways to "cooperate with the DPRK in areas such as humanitarian cooperation, and agreed to make continued efforts to engage with the DPRK," his ministry said. The DPRK is an acronym for North Korea's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. The U.S. State Department also said the two sides "agreed to explore humanitarian initiatives on the Korean Peninsula." Following the agreement, South Korea and the U.S. are expected to consult on the list of humanitarian aid, such as foods, vaccines, drugs and medical devices. Since July 30, the Ministry of Unification has been approving private organizations to send humanitarian aid to the North. The moves come as North Korea is suffering from a food crisis, natural disasters and the COVID-19 pandemic. The U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and World Food Programme (WFP) forecast that the North is expected to face a food shortage of around 860,000 tons of grain this year, equivalent to approximately 2.3 months' worth of food consumption. Adding more concerns, the North's Rodong Sinmun newspaper reported last week that the regime is taking "emergency steps" to prevent damage from flooding, after a heavy rain resulted in more than 1,170 homes being flooded in the eastern coastal South Hamgyong Province. South Korea and the United States are extending their hands to the North amid the Kim Jong-un regime's resistance to engage in talks. Last month, the two Koreas restored their communication lines, signaling a breakthrough in inter-Korean relations, but again reached a stalemate as Kim's sister, Kim Yo-jong, called for the suspension of the South Korea-U.S. combined military drills as a precondition for talks. Suspending the military exercises is a tough choice for the Moon administration, due to concerns over national security and criticisms that Seoul is letting Pyongyang call the shots. Helicopters are parked at United States Army Garrison Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, Monday, a day before the South Korean military and U.S. Forces Korea are set to conduct Crisis Management Staff Training, which is a run-up to the regular summertime drills. Yonhap This combined photo shows four South Korean activists entering the Cheongju District Court, about 140 kilometers south of Seoul, to attend an arrest warrant hearing on Aug. 2 for allegedly taking orders from North Korea to stage anti-weapons protests. Yonhap Four South Korean activists charged with espionage were found to have used a local online newspaper to disseminate N. Korean propaganda and to update Pyongyang about investigations against them, sources said Monday. According to the sources, the activists used an online media website owned by one of them, a 47-year-old man surnamed Son, as a channel to glorify the regime. The activists were recently arrested on espionage charges for allegedly taking orders from Pyongyang and staging a series of protests opposing Seoul's plan to procure U.S.-built F-35A stealth fighter jets. They were allegedly ordered to promote the "greatness of the chairman," referring to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, to different South Korean groups, especially the youth, through the newspaper. The National Intelligence Service (NIS) and the National Police Agency (NPA) confirmed those orders in the USB flash drives seized during the raid in the activists' residences and offices in Cheongju, about 140 kilometers south of Seoul, in May. The NIS reportedly identified 45 articles idolizing Kim Jong-un and North Korea published on the site up until June. The evidence also showed that the activists swore their loyalty to Kim in 2018, promising to become "faithful warriors" for Kim who, they said, was working for the "unification of the Korean peninsula" and the "absolute victory of socialism." After the NIS and NPA launched the investigation, the activists also reportedly used the local media to update the North of any developments. According to the Cheongju District Prosecutors Office, the suspects were unable to use an encrypted program to communicate with Pyongyang after the May raid and seemed to have used newspaper articles to update the North with the ongoing investigation. In June, the newspaper carried an article titled "North Korean agent Lee Gwang-jin is a ghost created by South Korean intelligence officials," apparently tipping off the North's United Front Department (UFD) that their illicit operation had been exposed. The UFD is known to be in charge of handling inter-Korean affairs and Pyongyang's espionage operations in the South. Last Monday, prosecutors asked the Cheongju District Court to grant arrest warrants for the suspects, saying they were highly likely to keep informing the North of the investigation to help Pyongyang destroy evidence unless they are detained. The court allowed the authorities to arrest three of the activists. One of the activists, only identified as a 57-year-old, reportedly started working for North Korea in 2004, while Son began in 2010. When the other two allegedly became North Korea sympathizers remained unknown. They, according to the investigators, have traveled often to China to meet North Korean agents and report their activities to benefit Pyongyang, such as anti-weapons movements, talks with ruling Democratic Party affiliates on inter-Korean affairs and the establishment of an underground organization to spread North Korean ideology here. On Monday, Son reportedly claimed there is no underground organization and the NIS and the police manipulated the case to stage an anti-communism campaign. (Yonhap) gettyimagesbank Experts advise stronger monitoring of workplace safety, proper and timely treatment By Lee Hyo-jin A 24-year-old Uzbek worker at a waste disposal company in Pocheon, Gyeonggi Province, died after getting stuck in a shredding machine, July 29. In the same month, a 33-year-old Sri Lankan worker at a plastic manufacturing factory in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, was found dead after he was caught in a compressor. These cases are among many tragic deaths of workers of foreign nationality who have fallen victim to occupational accidents in Korea. Data from the Ministry of Employment and Labor submitted to Rep. Kang Eun-mi of the social democratic minor opposition Justice Party showed that one in eight or 12 percent of the victims of fatal occupational accidents that have occurred over the past 18 months were workers of foreign nationality. A total of 1,113 workers died between January 2020 and June this year, 135 of whom were foreign national workers. Given that workers of foreign nationality hold only some 4 percent of the total 24 million salaried employee positions in the country, the fatality rate is higher for foreign nationals than for Korean nationals. "As migrant workers often take jobs shunned by Koreans, such as in agriculture, fisheries and the so-called 3D (dirty, difficult, dangerous) sectors, they are exposed to a higher risk of industrial or workplace disasters," Rep. Kang said, stressing the need to increase preventive measures to ensure workplace safety. Experts insist that the government and employers put efforts into rectifying this problem by strengthening the monitoring of workplace safety and guaranteeing proper treatment and compensation for those suffering from injuries due to occupational accidents. "Occupational accidents occur more frequently among new foreign workers who are unfamiliar with the working process and less fluent in Korean. Employers should make more efforts to ensure that those workers get proper safety training," Sul Dong-hoon, a professor of sociology at Chonbuk University, told The Korea Times. Sul pointed out that workplace discrimination may also be one of the reasons for the high fatality rate among people of foreign nationality working in Korea. "In some cases, crucial safety equipment, such as gas masks and helmets, is provided (in discriminatory fashion) only to Korean nationals. Employers should adhere fully to safety measures and recognize that the lives and safety of their workers are the top priority irrespective of the nationality of the workers." Kim Dal-sung, head of the Pocheon Migrant Welfare Center, said that in addition to efforts to prevent work-related accidents, the labor authorities should come up with ways to ensure proper treatment for the victims of such accidents. "Many migrant workers at factories, construction sites or farms are not registered for employment or industrial accident insurance," he said. "Workers who fail to receive proper and timely hospital treatment can then be left with lifelong disabilities." But it's the same even for workers who have been registered for insurance, as many employers refuse to report occupational accidents and instead hide them from the authorities in order to avoid facing liability and penalties, according to Kim. "The government should make sure that every victim of workplace accidents receives proper treatment in time, while guaranteeing foreign national workers a fully safe environment." A medical official holds a vial of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine in Quimper, western France, in this photo taken on June 29. AFP-Yonhap Moderna's production problem slashes August shipment to Korea By Jun Ji-hye Moderna will supply less than half of the vaccines planned for this month to Korea, causing concerns that the government's plan to speed up vaccinations in the third quarter could face a major setback. This comes amid the ongoing fourth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, largely comprised of infections caused by the highly contagious Delta variant of the coronavirus. The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) announced Monday that the U.S. pharmaceutical and biotechnology company had notified officials here that it will supply less than half of the 8.5 million doses for this month due to problems at its labs related to vaccine production. "Moderna said the problems were delaying its global vaccine supply and apologized, vowing to do its best to supply the vaccines that were promised," KDCA Commissioner Jeong Eun-kyeong said during a press briefing. The government signed a deal for 40 million doses from Moderna to cover complete vaccination for 20 million people. The company sent 112,000 doses in the first half of the year, and an additional 2.34 million doses since July. The KDCA said it will immediately lodge a complaint about the supply shortage with Moderna, and dispatch a delegation led by Vice Health Minister Kang Do-tae to urge the company to come up with ways to promptly supply the vaccine. The supply shortage has already appeared to have affected the country's vaccination plan for August and September as the government decided to readjust the gap between the first and second doses of mRNA vaccines from the current four weeks to six weeks. "Those who are scheduled to receive second doses of the mRNA vaccines will be given them six weeks after the first dose, starting Aug. 16," Jeong said. "This measure will be applied temporarily. The four-week gap will be maintained for high school seniors and other applicants for the College Scholastic Ability Test as well as high school teachers, so there is no setback in the test schedule." Teachers working at kindergartens and elementary and middle schools will receive their second shots after a five-week gap so they can be vaccinated ahead of the beginning of the fall semester. Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) Commissioner Jeong Eun-kyeong speaks during a media briefing at the KDCA office in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province, Monday. Yonhap Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong (top) takes part in the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) held virtually, Friday, in this photo provided by his office the next day. The screen below shows North Korean Ambassador to Indonesia An Kwang-il delivering his remarks during the multilateral session, known as the rare regional security forum that involves Pyongyang. Yonhap The joint military exercises between South Korea and the United States are purely defensive and a matter to be decided by the allies, the foreign ministry said Monday, after China expressed objections at a regional forum last week. The remarks came after Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said during the ASEAN Regional Forum on Friday that the upcoming exercise between South Korea and the U.S. is not "constructive" and called for Washington to avoid any action that would cause tension with the North. "The South Korea-U.S. combined exercise is an annual exercise of a defensive nature, and it is an issue that South Korea and the United States decide at the alliance level," the ministry said in a statement to media. Regarding Wang's remarks, a foreign ministry official said they were "unusual." "We believe that most of the international community fully understands that the South Korea-U.S. combined exercises are an annually-held and defensive exercise and therefore, it does not pose a threat to any particular country, including North Korea," the official said. South Korean Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong, who delivered his remarks at the ARF session after Wang, did not make any particular comments about what the Chinese diplomat had said, given the circumstance that the meeting took place online, the official added. An Kwang-il, the North's ambassador to Indonesia who attended the conference, reportedly did not make any remarks about the exercise either, only saying that his country hopes for peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula, according to a source with knowledge of the matter. Whether and how to conduct the drill set for next week has drawn keen attention after Kim Yo-jong, sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un warned against staging it, saying the drill will cloud the future of inter-Korean relations. Despite the warning, South Korea has decided to conduct the exercise in a scaled-back manner, sources said. (Yonhap) Former President Chun Doo-hwan leaves the Gwangju District Court after attending an appellate court hearing in a defamation case, Monday. The 90-year-old was earlier sentenced to eight months in prison suspended for two years by a lower court last November on charges of defaming the late Catholic priest Cho Pius in his memoir by denying his eyewitness account of the military's brutal suppression of the May 1980 Gwangju pro-democracy movement, and calling him a liar. Yonhap By Jung Da-min Former President Chun Doo-hwan attended an appellate court hearing on a defamation case at the Gwangju District Court in Gwangju, Monday, after having failed to show up for two previous hearings since June. Chun's lawyers had earlier told the court that he would not attend another hearing but later said he had changed his mind after the court warned that there could be consequences in future proceedings if he continued refusing to attend. During his lower court trial, he appeared only three times, citing health reasons. Chun left his house in Seoul in the morning wearing a gray suit. He looked thinner than he had appeared nine months earlier when he attended the hearing at the lower court for sentencing. Some YouTubers waiting in front of the house asked him when he would apologize to the public for his brutal suppression of pro-democracy protesters in Gwangju, but he did not respond, just getting into a car. Last November when he was heading for Gwangju for a lower court hearing, he responded to such questions by yelling at people in front of his house, "Watch your mouth!" At the latest hearing, he dozed off, just as he had done in a lower court hearing in April last year. The hearing finished after only 25 minutes when his wife, who accompanied him, told the judge that Chun was having difficulty breathing, so the judge allowed him to leave. The next hearing is scheduled to be held Aug. 30. The 90-year-old, who served as president from 1980 to 1988, was indicted in May 2018 on charges that his controversial memoir, published in April 2017, defamed the late Catholic priest Cho Pius, also known as Cho Chul-hyun, by denying his eyewitness account of the military's brutal suppression of the May 1980 Gwangju pro-democracy movement. Cho's family members filed the suit. In the memoir, Chun described Cho as a "shameless liar" and "Satan wearing a mask" for describing gunfire from helicopters on pro-democracy demonstrators in the city in May 1980. The lower court found that there were reasonable grounds to conclude that Chun was aware of the helicopter attacks on May 21 and 27 of that year during the bloody military suppression of pro-democracy demonstrators in the city. It sentenced Chun to eight months in prison suspended for two years. The prosecution appealed, saying the sentence was "too light," and Chun also lodged an appeal. Before the hearing, members of May 18 Memorial Foundation, as well as other organizations of surviving victims and family members of dead victims, held a protest in front of the court, demanding stern punishment for Chun. They said Chun keeps refusing to reflect on his atrocities, barely attending any of the court hearings on the libel case and not attending hearings in a separate civil case. "The court should not guarantee Chun's right to defend himself too much. We can't tolerate the hearings being carried out according to his wishes," they said during the protest. Feasibility, sustainability of cash handout promises in question By Jung Da-min Amid increasing competition in the race for the presidency, presidential hopefuls are coming up with a multitude of promises, including providing cash handouts for all citizens, or certain specific groups such as young people or those with low income levels, in a bid to boost their popularity. This is raising concerns among political watchers as to whether the nation will have sufficient funds to meet all their pledges, whether the measures will really help and whether offering money can ensure policy sustainability. Gyeonggi Provincial Governor Lee Jae-myung, the leading presidential contender of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), has promised to hand out 250,000 won ($218) per year to every citizen as a basic income starting from 2023, with the goal of increasing the amount to 1 million won during his term, which will be until May 2027 if he is elected. In addition to the universal basic income, he plans to provide an additional allowance of 1 million won annually to about 7 million young people aged between 19 and 29. His rivals form the ruling party have also pledged to hand out money to young people to help jumpstart their careers former DPK Chairman Lee Nak-yon vowed to provide 30 million won to every man who finishes his mandatory military service; former Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun suggested the government set aside 5 million won every year for each child and providing the accumulated 100 million won to them when they turn 20 years old; while Rep. Kim Du-kwan proposed the administration save 30 million won for each newborn and then double the amount to give 60 million won to each when they are 20. Presidential contenders of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) participate in a live TV debate at local broadcaster YTN's headquarters in Seoul's Mapo District, Wednesday. From left are former Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun, former DPK Chairman Rep. Lee Nak-yon, former Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae, Rep. Kim Du-kwan, Gyeonggi Province Governor Lee Jae-myung and Rep. Park Yong-jin. Joint Press Corps Among the conservative opposition, former four-term lawmaker Yoo Seong-min of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP), who also ran in the 2017 presidential election, has come up with a "fair income" concept, under which people in the higher income brackets pay more tax while those with a lower income at a specific threshold receive subsidies. Former four-term lawmaker Yoo Seong-min, a presidential hopeful of the main opposition People Power Party, talks during an online press conference, Thursday. / Screenshot from Yoo Seong-min TV Political watchers said that such promises to hand out money to citizens are reflecting changes in the country's economic structure and an altered paradigm for the government's role in boosting the economy. "The times have changed. In the past, we believed only those in extreme poverty were in a difficult situation, but today those in the middle class are also having difficulties, with many of them in irregular jobs," said Kang Nam-hoon, a professor at Hansin University. "Such promises of handing out money, especially Governor Lee's basic income policy pledge, are reflecting the changes." Cha Jae-won, a professor of special affairs at the Catholic University of Pusan, said the country focused on economic growth in the 1960s and 1970s and most of the people, not just economic bureaucrats, put their priority on growing the whole pie of the economy rather than on distribution. But he said this tendency started to change following the country's democratization in the late 1980s, and the change has been accelerated since the inauguration of the Moon Jae-in government. "While the business sector previously led economic growth, the government is seeking to take the lead under the Moon administration," Cha said, citing Moon's income-led growth policy which aims to increase household incomes through increased spending under the belief that this will lead to increased consumption and business growth. "So the fiscal paradigm has changed and this trend has been further accelerated since last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic." Cha said Governor Lee's basic income policy is also reflecting the changing times embodied by the Fourth Industrial Revolution, as many conventional jobs have been replaced or will disappear in the near future due to advanced technologies. President Moon Jae-in salutes the national flag before a Cabinet meeting at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul, Tuesday. Courtesy of Cheong Wa Dae By Arthur I. Cyr Infrastructure is now barreling down the political highways of Washington, D.C. Bipartisanship clearly is working in current negotiations, which is not surprising, since the subject is of fundamental importance. Enormous sums of money are involved, exceptional even amidst today's aggressive government spending. However, what is the significance for the average American? The answer is this initiative is of universal importance, whether or not you realize it. The current legislation will have a major impact on everyone, and not just as taxpayers. Think of our infrastructure as reinforcing and strengthening, literally, the foundations of the American economy, which is the largest, richest and most influential on our planet. Please keep that in mind. Today's nonstop media and almost-nonstop politicians talk constantly about our alleged weakness, and even decline. In specific terms, the important bill just agreed upon by both parties in the United States Senate as well as the White House will substantially strengthen and modernize the nation's bridges and roads, highways and waterways, railroads and ports. There is sensible inclusion of communications infrastructure, and in particular, the important area of cybersecurity. The physical transportation infrastructure of the nation is sadly in need of repair and upgrade. The other side of this situation is that in the 1950s and 1960s our federal government wisely, indeed brilliantly, greatly expanded our national transportation capabilities. The centerpiece of the grid is the Interstate Highway System. Think of what your life would be like if you could not take long trips on this remarkable nationwide network, as well as hop on and off at will. Please thank President (and General) Dwight D. Eisenhower. In the 1950s, with characteristic foresight and thoroughness, he launched and carried through this enormous national project. Ike outflanked opposition, especially in rural areas among parochial interests, by emphasizing national security during the height of the Cold War. Americans knew Nazi Germany built an extraordinary highway system, central to their integrated defense. That resonated in 1950s America, a decade after World War II. Defense justification helped reinforce the vision, and pay for the work. In those years, national defense accounted for more than half of the entire federal budget, far more than today. Eisenhower emphasized defense to secure highway funds, and support education and research. In the future, former Vice President Mike Pence could lead here. Early in 2015, Governor Pence of Indiana proposed a $1 billion highway improvement program. The state was relatively strong fiscally. Democrats made even more ambitious transportation proposals. By contrast, in nearby Wisconsin and Illinois, transportation efforts were mired in vexing political difficulties. Both states also had Republican governors. However, Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker faced severe criticism for trying to fund substantial new highway work through bonds rather than revenue. Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner faced a destructive stalemate with the Democratic state legislature. Pence's effectiveness probably helped him become Trump's running mate. The Midwest is a swing region in presidential elections, and a central region in infrastructure. An extremely large share of long-distance truck traffic in the United States travels along the Chicago interstate highway corridors. Chicago is a world-class container port. The Great Lakes provide Atlantic Ocean access through the St. Lawrence Seaway, while vast shipments move through the metropolitan area via intermodal containers. Intermodal employs various means to transport a single shipment: train, truck, ships and barges, even airfreight. Any 2024 presidential aspirant should think strategically, like Ike. Arthur I. Cyr(acyr@carthage.edu) is Clausen distinguished professor at Carthage College and author of "After the Cold War" (NYU and Palgrave/Macmillan). By Paul Tyson Is there likely to be a summit between U.S. President Joe Biden and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un along the lines of those former President Donald Trump held with Kim? Not likely anytime soon from Washington's perspective. Why? For Biden and his advisors, a summit so soon after the defeat of Trump represents a potential trap and embarrassment. Trump's boast of having achieved successful relationships built on his own personality has proven to be a negative factor and overshadowed Biden's meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin for example. How could a Biden summit with Kim match such Trumpian theatrical elements as floral arrangements and love letters? Stepping over the line in Panmunjom? A meeting in Singapore? Nice for some but not really Joe Biden's style. Many in America thought that the Kim-Trump theatrics were tacky (and they were) and that they would look even worse with Biden, who could commit his own gaffes. To be sure, there were benefits produced by the Trump-Kim summits. The threat of war receded. There were no more nuclear or ballistic missiles tests. For what it's worth, the Trump-Kim love fest stopped a juggernaut that had been moving towards a confrontation. The Trump summits also gave the Kim family the global attention that they have been seeking for decades. Trump provided Kim with the Manhattan and Mar A Lago glitz that he craved, while Trump in return got glad-handing photos, love notes and publicity. Nuclear disarmament? Well, the agreed-upon definitions in the Singapore Declaration were not really agreed to, so that remains a major fudge factor. But Trump offered some concessions and there is no going back in some ways. There is a problem, however, that resulted from the Trump-Kim summits. Kim is not likely to put himself in the position of negotiating with anyone except the U.S. president in the future. Anyone with less status is a lackey being sent, and an insult. If any Biden-Kim summit materializes, it would have to begin with other high-level meetings between the two sides. An act of outreach by Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman or Special Representative Sung Kim would be a start, to be later followed by moves from Secretary of State Tony Blinken and North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong-ho. Such a sequence would follow normal diplomatic protocol. Although Blinken enjoys the confidence of Biden, with the two men having worked together for years, I would like to make another "out-of-the-box" suggestion in terms of getting negotiations going again. Vice President Kamala Harris could meet with a delegation headed by Kim Yo-jong, the North Korean leader's sister. Both women have close ties with their countries' top leaders. The two could lay their cards on the table and see what is possible. Kim Yo-jong already has had experience in dealing with American vice presidents. The shadow she cast on then-vice president Mike Pence at the PyeongChang Olympics generated headlines around the world. The Pyongyang Ice Queen made her mark. Since she is a descendant of the "Mount Paektu bloodline," claiming direct lineage to the country's founder Kim Il-sung, she has an extraordinary sense of self that gives her great confidence. She appears to play a major behind-the-scenes role in Pyongyang, although the extent of the influence she wields is keeping a whole array of worldwide intelligence agencies busy. But it is a fact that she has taken the lead in commenting on relations between Washington and Pyongyang, so her declarations are closely watched. Kim Yo-jong's evolution into Pyongyang's top de facto diplomat offers other advantages to North Korea. In a world where there are more female heads of state and senior officials, it is useful for North Korea to have one of their own to show off. Vice President Harris also has a strong sense of self and a very diverse background. The daughter of highly-educated immigrants from Jamaica and India, she has made a successful career in law and politics and is a quintessential example of the American success story. Having been born and spent much of her life in California, where she represented the state in the U.S. Senate, Harris is also familiar with the Korean-American community, while her political career has given her insights into defense and diplomatic issues, including those with Korea. Assuming the role of a negotiator with Kim Yo-jong would enhance her status and could very well fit with her plans to run for president again once Biden departs from the scene. Harris also has the chops to deal with Kim Yo-jong that Pence clearly lacked in his brief encounter with her. Indeed, the two might have a wary respect for each other. The photo op of two powerful women of color meeting and negotiating is a good one for both. Tea at the DMZ or a Singapore redux? Stay tuned. Just maybe. Paul Tyson is a retired U.S. diplomat teaching diplomacy and government at New England College. Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong shows up for a hearing in his appeal against a bribery conviction involving former President Park Geun-hye in this photo taken in January. The Ministry of Justice announced Monday Lee will be released on parole Friday. Korea Times file Justice Minister Park could lift travel restrictions on Lee By Yi Whan-woo, Kim Yoo-chul Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong will be released from prison on parole Friday, however, there are uncertainties as to his role at the country's largest conglomerate as he will not immediately be allowed to officially return to running the group. "Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong has been included on the parole list in consideration of the country's economic situation due to the continued pandemic, as well as the global economic environment," the Ministry of Justice said in a briefing, Monday evening. The ministry's nine-member parole commission approved of Lee's release, which Justice Minister Park Beom-kye later confirmed. "The ministry took into consideration the estimated economic impact of the continued COVID situation," Park told reporters, in explaining the decision. Lee has been in prison since January of this year after a guilty verdict on charges of bribery and embezzlement involving impeached and jailed former President Park Geun-hye back in 2017 was upheld by a high court. In July, the ministry lowered its time-served regulation for parole eligibility from the previous 80 percent to 60 percent; with some sources familiar with the ministry saying the revision was solely intended to benefit Lee amid growing pressure from his advocates. The Samsung chief has served more than 60 percent of his sentence so far, and under these circumstances, there have been repeated calls from business, religious and political leaders to free him through a presidential pardon. Several polls also showed the public in general were supportive of his release. Given Lee's position as head of the family that owns Samsung, his release is expected to help the group fix and announce strategic investment decisions and future strategies for corporate sustainability, most of which have been put on hold as major decisions required his approval. Although the ministry's move will ease investor concerns over a vacuum in the top conglomerate's leadership, his resumption of work as the group leader remains problematic. Under Korean law, individuals found guilty of "economic crimes" are not allowed to return to positions of responsibility for five years following their release. In addition, people who have been paroled can't travel overseas. Unfortunately for Samsung, the ministry has decided to enforce the five-year ban on Lee, but it's highly likely that Minister Park will allow him to make scheduled international business trips, as he has the authority to do so. Employees walk past a Samsung Electronics logo at one of its offices in Seoul In this file photo. AP-Yonhap Do you thrive in a fast-paced environment where change is the only constant? Sodexo School Services is looking for energetic individuals that would like to come to work in K-12 Schools in Ohio. Our Resource General Manager will provide operational/financial oversite to our accounts. Come join a dynamic team where our purpose is Quality of Life for students in public schools. We manage partnerships with local school districts to provide high quality food service programs. Knowledge of USDA Federal and State Child Nutrition Programs and previous K-12 experience is preferred. Must be willing to travel. If you are looking for a rewarding career with lots of growth opportunities with a national and global company, then this job may be for you! Careers in Schools: Working for Sodexo in Schools allows you to support students on their path to adulthood and academic success. From preschool through high school, in public schools and independent schools, Sodexo creates clean, safe living and learning environments that inspire and drive success. Student success depends upon so many conditions. When children are well fed, safe, comfortable and learning in a clean, well maintained school they are more likely to succeed. Is this opportunity right for you? At Sodexo, you will find the ingredients for a great career in food service management. With benefits including schedules that encourage work-life balance and continuing education opportunities, you'll enjoy an improved quality of life that's unique in the hospitality industry. Location: East Setauket - New York Job Description The Commercial Engineer is knowledgeable in assigned groups of products/technologies and their use. This position will specifically focus on Rockwell Automation's Independent Cart Technology including iTRAK and MagneMotion. Experience with RA Motion Control products and architectures is a plus. Position Summary Provide technical support to new and existing customers for the Rockwell Automation Independent Cart Technology including iTRAK and MagneMotion. Pre-sales support includes proof of concepts, system architecture review and recommendations, and the creation of application notes and white papers. Post-sales support includes providing technical training, diagnosing issues with hardware, application, and system software as well as providing corrective actions. The Commercial Engineer is knowledgeable in assigned groups of products/technologies and their use. Complexity Works on issues of moderate scope where analysis of situations or data requires a review of relevant factors. Exercises judgment within defined procedures and practices to determine appropriate action. Supervision Normally receives general instructions on routine work, detailed instructions on new projects or assignments. Knowledge/Skill Developing professional expertise. Applies company policies and procedures to resolve variety of issues. Minimum Requirements Requires a minimum of 1 to 2 years of demonstrated experience in an industrial technical field. Bachelor of Science in Engineering or equivalent combination of skills and education. BSEE or BSME preferred. Knowledge in automation equipment and motion is a plus. Capable of using of personal computers and the appropriate applications, including but not limited to Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Visio, Project and OneNote. Solidworks or AutoCad experience is a plus. Familiarity with test equipment such as oscilloscopes and other related test software. Solid business writing skills. Able to perform multiple tasks simultaneously and prioritize accordingly. Systems troubleshooting ability, potentially utilizing telephone skills. Ability to travel domestically and/or internationally 40-50% of the time. Fluent in English Desired Qualifications Proficient in design tools including: Pro Engineer or equivalent CAD System, Matlab, Simulink, Microsoft Office. Prior knowledge or experience with: - Analysis or Design of linear or rotary motion automation systems - Analysis, Design or Use of Robotic systems - Providing customer support, interaction and communication - Working in an Engineer to Order environment - Analysis or Design of linear or rotary motion automation systems - Analysis, Design or Use of Robotic systems - Providing customer support, interaction and communication - Working in an Engineer to Order environment Ability to solve complex system problems Engineering Master's degree a plus. Good presentation and communication skills with internal & external customers. Passionate for results Working knowledge of Rockwell Automation core products (i.e. PLCs, PACs, Motion Control, Drives, Operator Interface, Networking, and I/O) and PLC/PAC programming languages. Career Band C EEO Statement Rockwell Automation is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, or veteran status. If you are an individual with a disability and you need assistance or an accommodation during the application process, email our Talent Acquisition representative at (see application details). We are an Equal Opportunity Employer including disability and veterans. If you are an individual with a disability and you need assistance or a reasonable accommodation during the application process, please contact our services team at +1 (see application details). Cardinal Health seeks Engineer, Cloud Engineering in Dublin, OH to design, develop, implement and support applications, systems, and IT products required to achieve the company's business objectives. Requires a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Info Systems Security or related with 4 years' experience with Spunk Administration. Demonstrated ability with the following: Coding (JSON, Python, or other) Linux OS management Linux OS Deployment/Configuration Data analytics Directory services Principle of Least Privilege Security deployment process as it pertains to Tanium Splunk product release and deployment processes ServiceNow management Cloud Compute Cloud cost factor as it pertains to AWS and GCP compute engine recblid 2k4m6xidtf0q3fgqb99uwnghdwv3om Ace Dental Studio PLLC (Arlington, TX) needs Dentist: Examine teeth, gums & related tissues; Counsel & advise patients. Position requires, at a minimum, a Doctor of Medicine in Dentistry, or Doctor of Dental Surgery in Dentistry, 1 year exp. as Dentist or rltd. & License from State of Texas. Mail resume to Attn: HR 3100 Matlock Road, Ste. 101, Arlington, TX 76015. recblid 6bz5hluq7enugf2187r1eg8q4ioeaw Open Rank Extension Educator - Beef Systems (Webster County) University of Nebraska-Lincoln Do you have the drive to help make a positive difference in beef cattle production in Nebraska? Can you develop, deliver, and determine the impact of comprehensive programming that includes integrating current technologies in ruminant nutrition, beef genetics, and reproduction? Do you have experience in planning resiliency to drought into grass and forage-based beef systems? The University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension is an organization that values individuals who excel, adapt easily, exhibit passion for helping others, and are excellent communicators. As a member of the UNL Extension team you will collaborate with research and extension faculty who are leaders in their field. You will work with high performing teams to create and deliver world class, innovative learning experiences that empower Nebraskans to improve their lives around critical issues. We have an excellent opportunity for a full-time faculty position located in Red Cloud, Nebraska. The focus of this position will be Beef Systems with an emphasis in Range, Pasture and Grazing Systems; Ruminant Nutrition; or Beef Cattle Reproduction. This position will be an active participant in the Nebraska Integrated Beef Systems Team within a geographic area that includes Webster, Kearney, Adams, Franklin, Clay, Fillmore, Nuckolls, and Thayer counties located in southcentral Nebraska. We are seeking individuals who are self-directed and able to work in a flexible environment. Recognizing that diversity within a context of inclusivity enhances creativity, innovation, impact, and a sense of belonging, the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources (IANR) and Extension are committed to creating learning, research, Extension programming, and work environments that are inclusive of all forms of human diversity. We actively encourage applications from and nominations of individuals from underrepresented groups. Required Qualifications: Master's degree required in animal science or agronomy with an emphasis in Pasture, Range, Forage and Grazing Systems; Ruminant Nutrition; Beef Cattle Reproduction; or closely related field. Master's degree must be completed by start date. Successful experience teaching beef and grassland systems topics in a formal or non-formal setting. Demonstrated ability to communicate (i.e. publications, presentations, web, and social media). Experience in beef systems - integrating livestock with pasture/range, forages, crop residues. Preferred Qualifications: Experience in working with individuals, coworkers, and teams to accomplish individual and/or group goals, as evidenced by college, career, and/or community activities. Outstanding leadership skills as demonstrated by roles in college, career, and/or community activities. Ability to utilize electronic and online technologies for educational program delivery. As an EO/AA employer, qualified applicants are considered for employment without regard to race, color, ethnicity, national origin, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, disability, age, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, and/or political affiliation. See http://www.unl.edu/equity/notice-nondiscrimination. recblid ajdgwzi2v51rfoehbxyws5paizx6ee Location: Mequon - Wisconsin Job Description Rockwell Automation is looking for an Innovative New Product Introduction Embedded Software Quality Engineer to join our global Quality organization. In this role you will be working with a dedicated team to lead the organization in establishing world class Embedded Software Quality Management processes and tools. The ideal candidate will be highly collaborative, partnering with multi-discipline teams leveraging Agile Methodologies to establish and drive quality goals and objectives throughout the development lifecycle. The Ability to effectively engage in a dynamic environment and leverage lessons learned is critical. Excellent interpersonal skills are a must to build effective working relationships across product management, program management engineering and operation stakeholders. You will provide ongoing visibility of progress to established goals through the collection, organization, and analysis of project data. This position requires experience in Embedded Software development and testing environments and an understanding of Software Quality Management. In this role you will: Develop and implement a quality management strategy to build quality into design across New Product Introductions (NPI). Contributes to requirements specification and documentation for feature development. Demonstrate collaborative partnerships with peers, leaders, and stakeholders. Implement metrics and dashboards to provide ongoing visibility to quality goals and objectives. Works effectively both independently and in a team environment to deliver solutions in a fast-paced environment. Work with product development teams to create standard processes and methods to develop embedded software with high levels of quality. Lead Root Cause Failure Analysis (RCFA) to ensure corrective and preventive actions address systemic root causals and eliminates repeats. Apply structured analytical and problem-solving techniques to resolve complex issues and drive performance results. Facilitate and participate in retrospectives for continuous improvement of products and processes. Promote development and tracking of action items. Share best practices throughout the organization. Minimum Qualifications: Bachelor's in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering with a quality emphasis, or an equivalent technical degree. At least 2 years' experience in Software Quality Management / Quality Assurance. At least 4 years working in a Software Development Environment. Desired Qualifications: At least 2 years working in an Embedded Software Development Environment (requirements analysis, design, testing, and documentation). Experience with requirements management tools and managing traceability between requirements and test cases. Familiarity with Agile Development Methodologies (i.e., Scrum, SAFe, Lean Startup, etc.). Familiarity with Lean, Six Sigma, CMMI and/or ISO. Familiarity with Rockwell Automation products a plus. Awareness / experience with cybersecurity standards and testing highly integrated software products. Experience analyzing and solving complex problems which involve both firmware and hardware. Quality Engineer certification a plus. Travel: Potential for up to 10% global travel. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer including disability and veterans. If you are an individual with a disability and you need assistance or a reasonable accommodation during the application process, please contact our services team at +1 (see application details). EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY PUBLIC WORKS SUPERVISOR (Streets, Parks, Drainage, Buildings and Grounds) Department: Public Works Salary Range: $98,892 to $112,392/year, plus excellent benefits Closes: Monday, August 30, 2021 Position Summary: Responsible for planning, supervising, organizing and managing the maintenance, repair and field operation work of the Public Works Department including streets, parks, drainage, buildings and grounds and fleet assets. Essential Job Duties: Supervises public works divisions in a wide variety of tasks, such as maintenance and repair of streets, fleet, facilities, conveyance systems, pumps, motors, and valves. Establishes, maintains and ensures the timely and regular execution of maintenance schedules. Assigns work activities, projects and programs to employees in the department and monitors workflow. Provides technical expertise and leadership in assigned functional area; provides expertise for solving complex electrical, maintenance and system problems as appropriate to position; assists with, performs or directs more complicated repairs and projects. Writes scopes of work and assists the Public Works Director and City Engineer with bid documents; contract and vendor selection for public works maintenance projects. Reviews all work orders and allocates resources; determines work priorities and schedules, and assigns work crew, equipment and materials; trains crew on proper work methods and techniques. Requisitions necessary supplies and services for operations in an efficient and effective manner; ensures compliance with City purchasing policies and manages costs within allowable budgets. Provides on-site direction and guidance to employees during assignments and inspects work in progress and upon completion to ensure compliance with work standards, local codes and proper safety techniques. Analyzes and troubleshoots problems such as street and sidewalk failures, building systems, drainage systems, and fleet repairs. Works with employees to correct deficiencies and set performance goals; includes training employees, planning, assigning and directing work, appraising performance, approving timesheets, and granting time off. Develops, plans, and implements department goals, objectives and work standards; recommends and administers adopted policies, procedures and agreements. Prepares periodic work progress reports, maintains required records, logs, maps, blueprints and charts. Develops and implements internal policies and standard operating procedures. Coordinates activities with other departments, and outside agencies and organizations. Prepares and presents reports and other correspondence. Directs, continuously evaluates, oversees and participates in the development of the department work plan. Assists in the development of the departments operating and capital budgets, including the forecasting of staffing, equipment, materials and supply needs for annual operations. In cooperation with the City Administrator, Public Works Director and the Human Resources Manager, works to resolves union grievances within the department. Oversees all customer service aspects of department services and related functions by working closely with other employees to respond and resolve citizen inquiries and complaints in a timely and effective manner. Provides focused leadership to staff to foster a cooperative working relationship within the organization and with outside agencies, such as State/Federal agencies and provides highly responsible administrative support to the Public Works Director. Provides assistance to the Public Works Director as necessary. Provides back up support to employees as necessary. Performs other duties as assigned by the Public Works Director. Minimum Qualifications: Equivalent to the completion of the twelfth grade, including one (1) year of vocational or apprenticeship training in construction or industrial trades; five (5) or more years of experience in the field of public works maintenance, or a related field; and at least two (2) years of supervisory experience; or any combination of education and experience. Valid Washington State Drivers License and clean driving record required Commercial Drivers License desired Flagger Certification desired First Aid/CPR Certification desired Ability to respond to emergency call-out within forty (40) minutes Successfully pass pre-employment screening, including reference check, criminal background and drivers records check The City of Stanwood is an Equal Opportunity Employer and values diversity at all levels of its workforce. recblid u9354m4doq4g7w84r1bndl5mqrk2tb Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading. Spokesperson Art George said later Monday that construction on Air Products new corporate home is progressing and the company is beginning preparations to move employees. He said no timeline has been set as to when employees will move into the nine-story structure, which sits on 53 acres in Upper Macungie and Lower Macungie townships. Back then, there were around 40 ski areas in Pennsylvania and 735 nationwide, according to a Blue Mountain news release from 2017 in advance of its 40th anniversary Dec. 22, 2017. During the 2019-20 season, according to the National Ski Areas Association, there were 470 ski areas across 37 U.S. states, a number that has stabilized over the last couple of decades. The Morning Call also asked a public adjuster, Michael Capilli, to review the homeowners documents. He said sinkhole insurance typically kicks in when a house is totally collapsed as a result of the hole. However, he said, since the city deemed the house uninhabitable, Allstate could provide assistance to the homeowners. A public adjuster such as Capilli, who is with Metro Public Adjustment in Bensalem, Bucks County, is an independent insurance professional a consumer can hire to help settle a disputed insurance claim. Jessica M. Rivera, 41, was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident, according to Daniel A. Buglio, Lehigh County first deputy coroner. An autopsy is scheduled for Tuesday to determine her cause of death. Burley, ID (83318) Today A few clouds. Low 63F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight A few clouds. Low 63F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. As a current print subscriber, you receive 24/7 access to our website and online e-edition at no additional charge. All you have to do is activate your access. To activate digital access, you will need your account number. You can find your account number on any recent subscription notice or bill. Sayre, PA (18840) Today Isolated thunderstorms this evening becoming more widespread overnight. Low 67F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Isolated thunderstorms this evening becoming more widespread overnight. Low 67F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%. Transmedia Corporation has completed the installation of US$125 million digital TV transmission equipment enabling traditionally remote Chiredzi to access local and radio television signals for the first time in history. Transmedia Corporation Chief Executive Officer, Rufaro Zaranyika said this during a tour of Chiredzi this week. Chiredzi and several other parts of the country that have not been able to access local radio and television stations will be able to do so anytime beginning this month. He said transmission is on the ready to go once the television stations that were given licences by Government are ready with content. To access those television and radio stations, the audience must acquire decoders, said Zaranyika. The capital intensive project by Government to migrate from analogue to digital will see 48 digital transmission television boosters being installed throughout the country and so far the process has been completed in 18 different areas. Before this installation many parts of Chiredzi had to listen to radio and television stations from South Africa and Mozambique. Zaranyika said the 18 areas that are covered were chosen because they were the worst in terms of signal reception and access. Each digital booster covers a radius of between 50 and 60km and hence 48 are needed to cover the whole country. Chiredzi South MP Kalisto Gwanetsa said the move was long overdue. Chiredzi West legislator Farai Musikavanhu welcomed the move citing that it will put Chiredzi on the map since people would be able to gain access to what is happening in the country. The Zimbabwe Union of Journalists president Michael Chideme could not be reached for a comment. MISA Zimbabwe chairman Golden Maunganidze applauded the milestone and encouraged the incoming media players to provide balanced content. We are happy as Misa Zimbabwe when marginalised districts are given such priority because they spent many years without frequency. We hope the media which would be broadcasted via the radio and TV would be balanced and not partisan, said Maunganidze. Chiredzi Rural District Council chairperson, Edward Matsilele welcomed the development and said this will allow the people to enjoy their right to access information. Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe (BAZ) acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Mathis Chakanyuka also commended the development. The other area where installation of the equipment is complete are Harare, Mutare, Nyanga, Chimanimani , Mudzi; Mutorashanga, Karoi, Gweru, Gokwe, Kadoma Bulawayo, Lupane, Kamativi, Binga, Chivhu, Gwanda, Kotwa and Chiredzi. Masvingo Mirror Live Herald blog 1139: After laying wreaths at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, the President is now conferring medals to 16 outstanding Zimbabweans as part of the Second Republics recognition of civil servants and civilians who are impacting lives across the country through their positive works. 1107: The President concludes his speech by urging all Zimbabweans to display the resilient spirit we are known for by acting responsibly and safeguarding the health and well-being of the nation. 1101: He says the Second Republic will continue with its fight against corruption. 1059: President Mnangagwa notes the progress that is being made in the development of infrastructure with special mention of the Beitbridge-Harare road. 1054: This years celebrations are coming at a time when the country is now realising gains coming from the implementation of the NDS1. The economy is expected to grow by 7.8 percent this year, surpassing the 2021 budget expectations. 1051: The President says that the various awards that will be awarded today reaffirm the nations appreciation of liberation luminaries. 1045: President Mnangagwa says citizens should continue observing WHO guidelines in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic. President Mnangagwa assures the nation that Government will continue to acquire more Covid-19 vaccines. 1044: The President says that the war of liberation was won through support from friendly countries. He says that his Government will continue with the engagement and re-engagement drive and urges the international community to accept Zimbabwe as it is. 1034: President Mnangagwa is now addressing the gathering. He starts by saluting all departed heroes and heroines who sacrificed their lives for the liberation of the country. 1003: President Mnangagwa and First Lady Amai Auxillia Mnangagwa have arrived. The President proceeds to inspect the Half-Guard. 0945: Vice President and Zanu-PF second secretary Dr Constantino Chiwenga has arrived at the Heroes Acre for the Heroes Day Celebrations. Vice President Chiwenga arrives 0940: Zanu-PF vice president and second secretary Kembo Mohadi has arrived. 0900: Welcome to the Live Coverage of the Heroes Day celebrations that are being held at the Heroes Acre. Only 200 people are expected at the National Shrine as the event is being held in strict adherence to Covid-19 regulations. The CDC updated its list of countries experiencing Level 4: Very High COVID cases on Monday to include several new countries, such as Aruba and French Polynesia. Greece, Iran and Ireland were among the countries previously classified as Level 4. The health and safety of our guests, crew and the communities we visit is our number one priority, today, tomorrow and forever. Its not a slogan or a tagline, we fiercely mean it and our commitment to these principles is demonstrated by the lengths our Company has gone through to provide the safest possible cruise experience from Florida, CEO Frank Del Rio said in a statement Sunday after Williams ruling. Im just a judge, not a doctor, but I think the vaccines a lot safer than fentanyl, which is what you had in your pocket, Hamilton County Judge Christopher Wagner told Rutherford during sentencing. Youre going to maintain employment. Youre not going to be around a firearm. Im going to order you, within the next two months, to get a vaccine and show that to the probation office. The third member of their team is the pilot, Javier (John Gabriel Rodriquez), who shepherds the guests to and from the island but is also keeping his own secrets. Where Ruby and Elena form a burgeoning friendship, Javier and Elena are more antagonistic, a push-and-pull of two headstrong people, one who wants to help and one who wont accept any. Teachers serve as trusted figures to their students as they work to educate and prepare them for the future, said FBI Acting Assistant Director Jacqueline Maguire. As alleged, Mr. Concepcion egregiously breached that trust as he abused his position to coerce students some as young as 12 years old into having sex with him. I am holding Prince Andrew accountable for what he did to me. The powerful and the rich are not exempt from being held responsible for their actions. I hope that other victims will see that it is possible not to live in silence and fear, but one can reclaim her life by speaking out and demanding justice, Giuffre said in a statement. I feel fantastic, I feel great, Roman, 59, told reporters as the air of freedom filled his elated lungs. Absolutely fabulous. Its been 31 years. Anybody here can imagine what it feels like to be literally in hell, and this is my first 10 minutes out. Im at a loss for words. Im not technically like a shy person, I have nothing prepared to say to you all. But let me say one thing: The justice system, everybody knows, is broken. The mortally wounded victim was shot once in the chest outside a two-story brick building on Pennsylvania Ave. near Riverdale Ave. in East New York about 11:20 p.m. on Aug. 7, police said. (Theodore Parisienne/for New York Daily News) He does maintenance work at the Philip Howard Apartments in Brooklyn, and said he and his wife were both on their way to work. They left their East Harlem apartment about midnight, he said, and had just exited a nearby subway before heading to the bus stop. I didnt hit him but I wanted to so badly, he told a detective, according to the criminal complaint. I was so angry but I didnt. I grabbed him and I said I need your information, and then he ran. A man and two women have been arrested for the shooting death of a man who refused to give up his jewelry during a mugging outside his Manhattan home, police said Monday. On July 4 of last year she got into a fight with Ninedee Gang members Maliek Miller, 27, and Chayanne Fernandez, 21, prosecutors said. The argument began over fireworks but escalated to Miller firing a shot into the air, calling her a snitch, according to an indictment. Carserino, 53, was named a person of interest in Keenes death and police searched for her for almost a week before tracking her to a hospital more than 100 miles away. Jackson County deputies arrested her on outstanding warrants for vehicle larceny, identity theft and financial card theft charges. Where theres reason to believe a crime has been committed, we will seek justice, California Attorney General Rob Bonta said. Thats exactly what these charges are about: pursuing justice after an independent and thorough review of the evidence and the law. Ultimately, any loss of life is a tragedy and being licensed to carry a gun doesnt mean youre not accountable for how you use it. No matter who you are, nobody is above the law. The Harris County Sheriffs Office said it was still investigating whether Derrick Johnson, who was pronounced dead at the scene, was involved in the brawl or was just a bystander at the private party in Houston. The shooting happened around 2 a.m. Sunday after an argument turned violent inside the Visions nightclub, according to Sheriff Ed Gonzalez and local news reports. Shinneman eventually was carried out of the intake area in what his attorneys described as a hog-tied manner and taken to Eskenazi Hospital, where he was diagnosed with a fractured and dislocated spinal cord, resulting in paralysis. The 49-year-old remains paralyzed from the neck down and requires around-the-clock care, his attorneys said, noting its similarity to the case of Freddie Gray, a 25-year-old Black man who died in 2015 after his neck was broken while he was handcuffed and shackled in a Baltimore police van. Im of the mindset that God is the one who gives the wisdom to scientists and medical personnel to be able to come up with a vaccine, Davis said. There are some diseases that there is no cure for there is no vaccine that can help you give you a buffer, a protection. So when there is one, I just choose to believe that theyre not smart enough to come up with that on their own. Douglas Durst is lying, Durst said, referring to his estranged brother who now runs the familys billion-dollar real estate empire in New York and previously testified during the California trial that there was no way Durst saw their mother on the roof of their Scarsdale home before she fell and died when they were young, as he has claimed. These were not hugs that he would give his mother or, you know, his brother, these were hugs with the intention of getting some personal sexual satisfaction out of, and they started to be hugs with kisses on the cheek, and then there was at one point a hug and then we he went to go kiss me on the cheek he quickly turned his head and he kissed me on the lips, she said. Like Kaplan, David, Cuomos former counsel, advised the governors team about the Boylan letter in late 2020, James investigators found. He also agreed to seek out former Cuomo staffers who would be willing to put their names on the statement after he himself declined to do so, according to the AG report. Progressives led by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) say they will not vote to pass the bipartisan bill unless fellow Democrats go along with the bigger bill, too. That raises the possibility of another political tightrope walk for Democratic leaders seeking to shepherd the complicated bills to passage with nearly no votes to spare. Postal workers intercepted the suspicious package overnight at a mail sorting facility in the Milan suburb of Peschiera Borromeo, according to local officials. The envelope had been sent from France and was addressed in handwriting to The Pope, Vatican City, St. Peters Square, Rome, police said. The strength of Ariana Grandes music got her through alongside her Dad who was with her at the time and guided her out, the page reads. This was an event so close to Eves heart, which, anyone would know as she spoke of Ariana Grande so highly to everyone she came across. This may be a long shot, but we hope it works and perhaps it can. The gun makers liability protections arent bulletproof. State and federal courts allowed nine families of victims of the Sandy Hook grade-school massacre to proceed against Remington Arms, which made the killers assault weapon. That case made it because the 2005 immunity statute does permit lawsuits against a manufacturer or seller that knowingly violates state or federal laws covering sales and marketing. And its getting results, as the now-bankrupt Remington has just offered families almost $33 million to settle their lawsuit. Beginning today, our nice northern neighbor opens its road crossings and airports to fully vaccinated Americans who have tested negative for COVID in the prior 72 hours, an appropriate relaxation of far-too-rigid rules that forced people of the two deeply intertwined countries apart for no good reason. Now, the U.S. should reciprocate. The explosion of the delta variant, and the rise in hospitalizations and deaths that followed, is a huge public health problem but the orderly entry of inoculated, virus-free people poses no risk. On the other hand, the most serious allegation that Cuomo committed outright sexual assault toward an executive assistant, reaching under her blouse to grope her breast and grabbing her buttocks on another occasion rests on the claim of an accuser who admits that she never told anyone about these alleged assaults until other women came forward. Many have treated this allegation as fact. Yet it is so much more extreme than the conduct described by the other accusers that, at the very least, reasonable doubt should remain. (In her press conference on Friday, Cuomos attorney Rita Glavin said that the executive assistants account is refuted by records from the day of the alleged incident; more generally, she claimed that the report repeatedly omits evidence favorable to the governor.) They explained to me that the guide who was with the them, saw me fall forward splat on my face, she continued later in the post. My glasses broke my fall flat down, hitting my head on the flat rock breaking my skin on various areas near my nose. They had everything to clean up my wounds and set me up. Garbutt said Barnes & Noble is looking for opportunities for employees who want to transfer to other area stores, but he did not say how many people work at the store. With both the wheelhouse and bow as part of the front half of the ships construction, the next step is to join it with what the industry refers to as the gigablock so that the aft blocks can be assembled and a full ship is created. Officials with the Florida Department of Corrections did not respond when asked how the agency is responding to the recent spike in COVID-19 cases, which experts attribute to the highly contagious delta variant, or for facility-level testing data. FDC spokesperson Molly Best said that as of last Monday, 69 people in prison were COVID-19 positive across 16 facilities, including Avon Park CI. She said no facilities are on lockdown, but movement may be restricted for quarantines. The car owner took out a gun and began firing at the man inside, who was in the process of stealing the vehicle, Becton said. The suspect in the car took out his gun and returned fire, Becton said. Then, the suspect drove the victims car away from the scene. This fall UCF will offer more of the in-person classes, services and experiences that contribute so much to student success, the message said. We want this to be a good and successful experience for you, and we strongly encourage you to get vaccinated as soon as possible if you have not done so already. Doing so is critical for your health and for the good of our campus community. The movement calling for pop star Britney Spears to be released from her conservator, the term used in California for court-appointed decision-makers, has attracted nationwide attention and the interest of state lawmakers, said Pinellas County Clerk of the Court and Comptroller Ken Burke, who chairs the task force. Federal lawmakers, including U.S. Rep. Charlie Crist, D-St. Petersburg, are pushing bipartisan legislation that would provide more protections for people under guardianships. Mr. Browns long life is a testament to the care and compassion of Naples Zoos animal care staff and veterinary team, said Jack Mulvena, Naples Zoo President and CEO. Our teams are dedicated to our animals for all stages of life, and they have done an incredible job over the years treating Mr. Brown and keeping him comfortable. What we do know is that Hashida, an 18-year veteran of the D.C. police force, is the fourth cop to die by his own hand after responding to the Jan. 6 insurrection by Trump supporters at the U.S. Capitol. What we do know, having heard testimony from four of Hashidas colleagues before a House select committee, is that the cost of defending the Capitol was high, both in physical terms bones broken, eyes gouged, skin split and in emotional ones. We come from a proud country of diversity, and each of us should do what we can within our own communities. Every positive action, including individual scholarships, makes a meaningful difference. While we do not pretend to have all the answers, and this scholarship program cannot change our entire community, there can be no doubt that gun violence has to be addressed. The status quo simply cannot be allowed to continue. But I submit to you that your compromise is not enough. You are one of the largest school districts in the country, and you should be setting a role model for other districts by daring to insist on a safe return to school for our children and staff. Instead, you waited to see what other districts were doing, and then you joined the queue as they followed the mandate of a governor who cares only for his stance among his base. Oswego, NY (13126) Today Partly cloudy skies this evening will give way to occasional showers overnight. Low 67F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies this evening will give way to occasional showers overnight. Low 67F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%. Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (PANA) - The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) delivered food to over a million people in the northwest and parts of southern Tigray region of Ethiopia in June and July under the second round of distributions, despite numerous challenges, the agency said on Monday in a press release ( ) ( ), the pawnbroking business, said daily pledge levels are back to roughly 90% of pre-pandemic levels and continue to rise. The group has traded well since the lockdown restrictions started to be lifted in the UK in April, the company said in its results statement covering the first half of 2021. H&T believes it is very much on track to rebuild pledge lending to pre-pandemic levels while continuing to invest in its online and store-based retail offering. Underlying earnings (EBITDA) were steady at 9.6mln compared to the same period of last year, while profit before tax eased 6% to 4.7mln from 5.0mln. The Australian-based mineral exploration company, which is focused on two emerging gold camps in northeast Tasmania and WAs Pilbara region has also started reviewing tin exploration potential at its Cameron Project in Tasmania. Its immediate exploration focus is the Golden Ridge project, where it is targeting potential IRGS-style mineralisation. ( ) Ltd has had a very busy quarter, with diamond drilling starting at its flagship Golden Ridge Intrusive Related Gold System (IRGS) Project in Tasmania, boosted by successfully raising $10 million from an oversubscribed Initial Public Offer in June. The Australian-based mineral exploration company, which is focused on two emerging gold camps in northeast Tasmania and WAs Pilbara region has also started reviewing tin exploration potential at its ( ) Tin Project in Tasmania. Brilliant Prospect diamond drilling Flynn Golds immediate exploration focus is the Golden Ridge Project, where it is targeting potential IRGS-style mineralisation. The Golden Ridge Project is 75 kilometres east of Launceston in northeast Tasmania, under a single exploration licence, EL17/2018. Since acquiring Golden Ridge in 2019, extensive data review and reconnaissance mapping and sampling programs have been undertaken. Positive results from surface rock chip sampling have indicated that the gold mineralisation system at Golden Ridge is significantly more extensive than previously recognised and the company has defined a number of prospects over an 8km long zone, which it plans to test. Drilling to the end of June 2021 has been completed on two drill holes (BRDD-001 and 002) with drill hole BRDD-003 in progress. Core logging, processing and sampling are in progress with first assay results anticipated in coming weeks subject to completion of the logging and sampling, and the workloads at the assay laboratories. Golden Ridge gravity survey Flynn Gold is expecting detailed gravity data, which is being processed and modelled, will provide improved mapping of the highly prospective intrusive-hornfels contact zone underlying Golden Ridge. A detailed gravity survey over the Golden Ridge project grid was completed by Fender Geophysics to infill existing open-source regional gravity coverage and assist in the interpretation of the granodiorite-hornfels contact. Trafalgar Prospect Flynn Gold was offered an Exploration Drilling Grant Initiative (EDGI) Program Grant to the value of up to $50,000, for a proposed 600 metres diamond drill hole at the Trafalgar prospect, Golden Ridge with Mineral Resources Tasmania. The drill hole is planned to intersect the granodiorite-sediment contact below the only other previous diamond drill hole at the prospect. The historic hole, which did not reach the sediment contact, intersected quartz veining in altered granodiorite, with a zone containing visible gold assayed 5.0 metres at 12.56 g/t gold from 202 metres, and a lower interval closer to the granite-hornfels contact of 6.0 metres at 1.68 g/t gold from 217.0 square metres. Unsampled portions of the altered granodiorite above the known gold mineralisation have since been sampled by Flynn Gold and submitted for assay to determine if the intrusive contains low-level gold mineralisation over broader intervals. Assay results are anticipated in the coming weeks. Cameron Tin Project review Flynn Gold has commenced a review of the tin exploration potential within its Cameron Tin Project, in the Gladstone area in northeast Tasmania, which has seen historical tin exploration and mining. The companys predecessor completed limited tin exploration in the area, including reconnaissance sampling at Star Hill and soil surveys at Hardens Ravine, which returned encouraging results with sheeted quartz-tin-tungsten veining identified at Star Hill and tin-tungsten bearing greisen mineralisation at Hardens Ravine. Follow-up reconnaissance mapping and sampling was recently commenced by Flynn Gold with initial assays anticipated to be received in the coming quarter. Flynn Gold holds the Cameron Tin project (EL 18/2016), which also incorporates the southern extension of the Portland orogenic gold system (EL 11/2012). The group also announced positive final-stage trial results for Enhertu on breast cancer patients ( ) ( ) announced that Forxiga has been approved in the EU for the treatment of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in adults with and without type-2 diabetes. CKD is a serious, progressive condition defined by decreased kidney function and is often associated with an increased risk of heart disease or stroke. It affects 840mln people worldwide and 47mln in the EU, although diagnosis rates remain low and up to 90% of patients dont know they have the disease. The decision by the European Commission is based on positive results from a phase III trial and follows a positive recommendation by the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use of the European Medicines Agency. The candidate cut the risk of worsening of kidney function by 39% compared to placebo and risk of death from any cause by 31%. It has already been approved in the US under the name Farxiga and is currently under review in Japan and several other countries around the world. "Today's approval is an important milestone for Forxiga and has the potential to transform treatment for the millions of people living with chronic kidney disease in the EU, said Mene Pangalos, executive vice president of BioPharmaceuticals R&D. While new medicines like Forxiga advance the standard of care, we are also committed to the prevention and early detection of this often debilitating and life-threatening disease." The FTSE 100 firm also unveiled positive results from a phase III trial on the Enhertu candidate used to help breast cancer patients. The drug, developed with Daiichi Sankyo, showed a better outcome compared to the standard of care, trastuzumab emtansine (T-DM1). The study demonstrates the strong capabilities of the Parsortix system in isolating intact cancer cells from a simple blood test at high purity for downstream analysis using widely available methods ( , , ) ( ), the liquid biopsy specialist, said its Parsortix system has performed favourably in an independent study of metastatic breast cancer (MBC) patients. The preliminary study by the Institute of Oncology, Ljubljana, Slovenia compared ANGLE's Parsortix system to an alternative antibody-based approach for the isolation of circulating tumour cells (CTCs) to determine whether these systems could be integrated into routine laboratory use. Results from this study showed that the Parsortix system was able to harvest CTCs in a greater proportion of MBC patients (64%), compared to the antibody-based system (57%), and 99% of the cancer cells recovered by the Parsortix system had preserved morphology (size, shape and structure), allowing morphological analysis, whereas less than 1% of the cells recovered by the antibody-based system had preserved morphology. In addition, samples processed using the Parsortix system were also found to be of higher purity, with fewer blood cells present in the harvest. The proportion of MBC patients where cancer cells could be harvested for analysis using the Parsortix system also significantly exceeded the proportion of patients where cancer cells could be recovered from metastatic sites using tissue biopsy as less than 50% of MBC patients receive a successful tissue biopsy in accordance with US National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) clinical practice guidelines due to being too sick for the invasive procedure, inaccessibility of the tumour or failed procedures. The authors concluded that these results, combined with its ease of use, position the Parsortix system as the optimal system for integration into a routine cytopathology laboratory. "This study, aimed to identify which of the two separation methods is more appropriate for integration into our routine clinical cytopathology laboratory, explained Professor Veronika Kloboves-Prevodnik, the head of the department of cytopathology at the Institute of Oncology in Ljubliana. In our metastatic breast cancer cohort, we found that the Parsortix system was in general superior to the antibody-based system in terms of purity, quality, and quantity of CTCs. The advantage of the size-based Parsortix system is its ability to harvest cells with a range of phenotypes. The approach is promising and might be integrated into routine cytopathology laboratory practice in the near future. To achieve that, more data about immunocytochemical determination of CTC phenotypes and correlation with clinical data are needed," the professor said. Andrew Newland, the founder and chief executive of ANGLE, said the company was pleased by such promising results. This is key to our aim of establishing the Parsortix system as the global standard for liquid biopsy from CTCs, Newland said. The partners expect to see ample opportunities as the exploration market cycles upward again ( ) ( ) has entered into a new cooperation agreement with Schlumberger subsidiary ( ) which envisages a return to renting jack-up exploration (adjustable) wellhead technologies. Alongside ( ), the plan is to re-enter the market with Exact, an adjustable system, along with Centric and Fontus, a mudline suspension wellhead system and a configurable exploration wellhead system respectively. Cameron will licence from Plexus the Exact technology in return for royalty fees. "I am excited that Plexus is re-entering the Jack-up Exploration Wellhead Rental Market with technology that we pioneered years ago, said chief executive Ben van Bilderbeek. I believe that this will be a win-win-win for ourselves, for Cameron and for the oil and gas industry. "For Plexus, this initiative provides an excellent opportunity to add an important revenue stream to our portfolio, alongside our own organic business, the surface production wellhead licencing agreement with Cameron, and the agreement with Gusar, which covers our POS-GRIP technology for the Russian and CIS markets. "Unlike our previous jack-up exploration rental business, where we were able to establish a reputation as the go-to supplier from a standing start, we will now be competing against our historic POS-GRIP systems, which of course is a technology we know very well. Ben van Bilderbeek said the partners expect ample opportunities as the exploration market cycles upward again. He added: We anticipate that there will be ample opportunities to support our growth, and we believe that the agility and flexibility that our customers know us for will help to capture a healthy share of this market. "We have already identified exploration opportunities that we can now go after with our latest jack-up exploration offering, and we look forward to updating the market as these opportunities develop." A bit of everything on the oil price this week, after Covid cases worried, the geopolitical situation got worse with ships being hijacked and further missiles between Israel and the Lebanon. Rystad Energy are predicting further stock draws at Cushing maybe reaching lows of 20m barrels by the autumn which be a 10 year low. WTI $69.09 +94c, Brent $71.29 +91c, Diff -$2.20 -3c, NG $4.14 -2c, UKNG 110.24p +5.24p Oil price A bit of everything on the oil price this week, after Covid cases worried, the geopolitical situation got worse with ships being hijacked and further missiles between Israel and the Lebanon. Rystad Energy are predicting further stock draws at Cushing maybe reaching lows of 20m barrels by the autumn which be a 10 year low. Sound Energy Sound has announced that it has received a written notification by the Moroccan General Tax Administration of a re-assessment in respect of Moroccan taxes pursuant to a tax audit undertaken on Sound Energy Morocco East Limited (SEME), the Companys wholly owned subsidiary, by the Moroccan Tax Administration during 2020 and related to the fiscal periods 2016 to 2018. According to the Administrations original assessment, the historical licensing changes detailed in the Notification related to the Tendrara Lakbir Exploration Permits and the transfer of Operatorship from Sound Energy Morocco SARL AU (SEMS) to SEME raised taxation claims against SEME. The Moroccan Tax Administration sought to justify this tax claim asserting a so-called acquisition of intangible assets from SEMS by SEME. In the Notification, the Moroccan Tax Administration has conveyed the decision of the Local Tax committee (LTC) that, after several hearings being held, the LTC has found that the charges of SEME relating to the free acquisition of intangible assets be dropped. The LTC reasoning offered was that, as a claim had also been brought by the Moroccan Tax Administration against SEMS, the LTC considers that taxing the same operation twice would be redundant. The LTC has not dropped the charges relating to the Moroccan Tax Administrations assessment of a purported disposal of assets by SEME to Schlumberger in relation to the entry of a brand-new petroleum agreement for exploration at Greater Tendrara. The Company remains clear that the assessments by the Moroccan Tax Administration, as previously announced, arise from a fundamental misunderstanding of the historical licensing changes (relinquishing old licences and entering new licences covering revised acreage with revised terms with no continuation or transfer of the original licence) and inter-group ownership outside of Morocco. The dropping of the main tax charge against SEME is a welcome development, however the remaining charge against SEME related to the signing of a brand-new petroleum agreement for Greater Tendrara in October 2018, with its own exploration work commitment negotiated with ONHYM and fully approved by the State of Morocco (represented by the Ministries of Energy and Finance) is still due according to the Moroccan Tax Administration and the tax claims against SEMS remain in due process. The Company has 60 days from the receipt of the LTC decision to accept or challenge the decision related SEME tax claim in court. Sound Energy remains of the strong opinion that the remaining charges, including that against SEME in respect of entry of the new Greater Tendrara petroleum agreement, have been wrongly interpreted by the Moroccan Tax Administration. The Company, together with its advisors, continues to seek to engage constructively with the authorities. So, where does this leave SOU as a result of this? As I see it its a good news, bad news type of situation whereby the Moroccan tax authorities are trying to have two bites at the same cherry but from differing sides. It is a perfectly visible ruse so I cant imagine they think that it will be given any more credibility as a result of this, as Sound have noted they strongly believe that they are on the right side of this case even with the major claim having been dropped. With so much going on in Morocco at the moment it seems strange that the authorities are making it look like the country is not welcoming international oil companies which I am sure could not be further from the truth. More like it is as I have said before that different Government departments are not talking to each other, maybe this is a chance for ONHYM to step in? Cairn Energy The Cairn announcement slipped through the net earlier this week but it is good news and the market are right to applaud it. The news that the well in the Sayulita exploration area in Block 10 offshore Mexico where Cairn has a 15% WI in which ENI as operator has said according to preliminary estimates may contain 150-200Mboe in place. Good work by the team at Cairn that has justified the share rise and of course I make no comment on India Gran Tierra Ive been looking at Gran Tierra recently after suffering from Colombia withdrawal symptoms after the passing of Amerisur. They announced 2Q Colombian production of 23,035 b/d which is up 14% y/y. They have kept FY 2021 guidance at 27.5-28.5/- b/d, a capital programme of $130-150m and a 2H FCF of $100-120m. If I get any interest I may delve a little deeper Gary Guidry, President and Chief Executive Officer of Gran Tierra, commented: Despite the challenges with blockades during the Quarter, we are very pleased that we have now safely and diligently ramped operations back up throughout our Colombia portfolio. Although the blockades temporarily impacted Gran Tierras production volumes, the stronger Brent oil price environment more than offset the effect of lower production volumes, as demonstrated by our higher oil sales and EBITDA1 figures. With production restored, we expect Gran Tierra to generate second half 2021 free cash flow2 of $100-120 million. With a constructive oil price environment, a successful first half 2021 drilling program and the expiry of our first half 2021 oil price hedges, we are very excited about the second half of 2021 and all of 2022. Far Limited Far has announced that it has set the meeting date for 15th September for shareholder approval for the potential return of A$80m or 80c per share. A glance at some of the day's headlines from the Proactive Investors newswire has revealed lab tests results have shown its inhaled Covid treatment to be efficacious against the virus and its mutations, including the now-dominant delta variant. ( ) has announced the launch of its Global Inventory Monetisation Fund. ( , ) has flagged up research in a leading academic publication showcasing some very exciting results from a study involving its lead product. ( , , ), the liquid biopsy specialist, said its Parsortix system has performed favourably in an independent study of metastatic breast cancer (MBC) patients. ( , , ) reported a surge in first-half profit as a boom in Bitcoin prices and an expansion of its crypto mining operations lifted revenues. In its results for the six months to June 30, the crypto miner reported a pre-tax profit of 10.7mln, up from 0.5mln in the prior year, on revenues up 180% at 31.1mln. ( ) produced 68.1 tonnes of concentrate from its La Parrilla mine in Spain during July. The concentrate comprised 58.3 tonnes of tungsten concentrate and 9.8 tonnes of tin concentrate, significant increases on the previous months production. ( ) has increased its forestry interest in Gabon by 75% in a deal worth US$1.5mln. ( , ) has noted recent announcements from by ( ) regarding positive progress at the Lake Rebecca gold project in Western Australia. Trident holds a 1.5% net smelter return gold royalty over the entirety of the project. "We are pleased to note Apollo's recent announcements concerning developments at the Lake Rebecca gold project, said Tridents chief executive Adam Davidson. ( , ) has won a contract from Shetland Space Centre, the satellite launch site and ground station on Britains most northerly island, as part of its renaming as SaxaVord UK Space Port. ( , , ) said it has achieved a major milestone with its owned audience surpassing one million across all of its social channels two months ahead of schedule. ( ), the pawnbroking business, said daily pledge levels are back to roughly 90% of pre-pandemic levels and continue to rise. The group has traded well since the lockdown restrictions started to be lifting in the UK in April, the company said in its results statement covering the first half of 2021. ( , ) and ( , ) are now looking at London as the preferred location for an IPO of their Australian gold joint venture, Pty Ltd (RRAL), rather than Canada. Red Rock also said drilling is now proceeding "satisfactorily" at the Luanshimba copper-cobalt project in the Democratic Republic of Congo. ( , ) said its hVIVO operation has successfully developed a malaria challenge model that will be used to help develop drugs and vaccines from November. BlueRock Diamonds PLC has discovered of a 21.56 carat diamond at its Kareevlei project in South Africa. The 21.56 carat stone is a high quality, D-coloured round diamond with high value recovery options and its value is likely to significantly exceed the companys previous record of US$236,000. The stone will be sold in the August 2021 tender. ( ) has entered into a new cooperation agreement with Schlumberger subsidiary ( ) which envisages a return to renting jack-up exploration (adjustable) wellhead technologies. ( , , , ) told investors that its scheduled cash-call to Energy Link Infrastructure Limited (ELI) has been paused as the company looks at potential fresh investment in its associate. Zephyr Energy PLC has successfully completed the drilling of the State 16-2LN-CC well in the Paradox basin, Utah, reaching a target depth of 14,370 feet. ( ) said Titan Wealth Holdings has received change in control approval from the Financial Control Authority in relation to its acquisition of Tavistock Wealth Limited, which it has agreed to buy for up to 40mln. It is currently anticipated that formal completion of the transaction will take place at, or around, the end of August 2021. Shanta Gold Ltd announced further high-grade drilling results from its West Kenya gold project, with visible gold identified in two intersections across 13 holes drilled in the second phase of its drilling programme. ( , , ), one of the worlds largest producers and suppliers of graphene nanoplatelets-based products, said its subsidiary, Setcar, has been awarded a 1.15mln (0.98mln) EU grant. ( ) has completed its acquisition of Gold Mines (Cyprus) Limited for a total consideration of 300,000, funded through the recent disposal of the Black Pine nickel-cobalt project and associated licences as announced on 29 July 2021. ( ) has announced that the 1.8mln acquisition of Stega UK Limited has been completed. Mode Global Holdings will begin trading the OTCQB Market in the US today under the ticker symbol 'MODGF', which the comapny said broadens its potential investor base and boosts liquidity. Chief executive Ryan Moore said: "Having recently been registered as a cryptoasset firm with the FCA, the timing could not be better to open the doors to US investors. European fintechs are seeing record interest and we are in a great position to capitalise on this as one of the only publicly listed companies sitting at the intersection of Bitcoin, Open Banking and Payments." ( , ) announced the grant of options to executive directors, with an exercise price of 3.25p per ordinary share, representing a premium of 51.9% to the closing mid-market share price of 2.14p on Friday 6 August 2021. All options will have a three-year life to expiry from today's date. ( ) announced that it will present at ( , )s 41st Annual Growth Conference on Tuesday 10 August at 8.30am Eastern Time. ( , ) told shareholders they will be able to vote and ask questions in advance of the extraordinary general meeting on 30 August at the company's headquarters in Helsinki, Finland but will not be able to attend in person. Afarak said there will be no addresses by the board or management at the meeting. ( , , ) will host a virtual capital markets event for analysts and investors on September 13 from 1000 EDT. Presentations will include an update on Amryts long-term strategy, the global market opportunity for Amryts three commercial products and Amryts growth plans for Mycapssa post its recent acquisition of Chiasma. Dr Maria Fleseriu will join the event to discuss the current treatment landscape in acromegaly. ( , ) (AIM:RRR, ) Andrew Bell joins Proactive London to talks about his plans with ( , ) (AIM:POW, ) for a London IPO for their Australian gold joint venture, Pty Ltd (RRAL). Bell explains why the British capital is now the right place rather than Canada, with the possibility of seeking a trading facility in North America later. He says some listing work has already been done, and this can be used in the current process. The provisions, which are expected to be voted on this Tuesday, will introduce a legal definition of a crypto 'broker' into US law as well as tighten rules on businesses handling digital assets US legislators are due to vote on Tuesday on a bill that will add provisions to tax cryptocurrency and other digital assets to a massive infrastructure bill. On Sunday night, Jake Chervinsky, general counsel to open finance blockchain firm Compound Labs, tweeted that the US Senate had voted to end a debate on the provisions, although amendments could still be proposed and passed with unanimous consent before Tuesdays final vote. The controversial proposals include the introduction of a legal classification of crypto brokers in US law, however, the broad wording of the text could potentially be assigned to multiple actors across the crypto sector including miners, stakers, software developers and network validators. The broad language means all of these participants would be subject to third-party tax reporting requirements despite having no personal information regarding their counter-parties. While amendments have been proposed by a trio of US Senators, Pat Toomey, Rob Wyden and Cynthia Lummis, to limit the definition to exclude miners, validators and software developers, Senators Rob Portman, Mark Warner and Kyrsten Sinema have proposed a counter-amendment to exclude only miners, proof-of-stake validators and wallet providers. Both sides of the amendment debate are now locked in an impasse over which option is preferred, as well as the amount of time allotted to debate them in the chamber. As a result, the provision is currently heading for a final vote in its unaltered form, which if passed could cause havoc in the crypto sector. The tax proposals, which were originally unveiled last month, are aiming to raise around US$28bn to help fund the massive infrastructure bill making its way through Congress. The additional revenues will be put towards a US$550bn investment in transport and electricity infrastructure that has been hashed out by Republicans and Democrats in Congress as part of a larger US$1 trillion spending package. Aside from introducing the legal definition of a crypto broker, the bill will also introduce tighter rules on businesses handling crypto as well as widen reporting requirements. Additionally, any digital asset transactions worth more than US$10,000 will need to be reported to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The new proposals, if passed, with market another step in the tightening of the regulatory noose around the crypto industry, which has attracted increasing levels of scrutiny from regulators and politicians amid concerns of its volatility, security, and effect on the wider economy. However, traders seemed unphased in lunchtime trading on Monday, with Bitcoin up 2% in the last 24 hours at US$45,525. The digital currency is currently trading around its 200-day moving average of US$45,000, a clean break upwards from which could trigger fresh bull runs Bitcoin has managed to rise to a three-month high on Monday as the liquidation of short positions at the end of last week provided a boost to the digital currency. In early afternoon trading in London, Bitcoin was up 2.5% in the last 24 hours at US$45,655, giving it a market cap of US$856bn. The price was a small retreat from the US$45,885 figure reached at around 1pm, the highest value for Bitcoin since mid-May, however it is still well off the all-time high of over US$63,000 reached in mid-April. According to crypto market data site Datamish, the price rise for Bitcoin over the weekend followed the liquidation of around 126 Bitcoins worth of short positions on Friday, which at the time was worth upwards of US$5.1mln. Data from Glassnode also indicated that crypto wallet addresses holding more than 0.1 Bitcoin were at their highest level in two months, a sign of bullish activity, while digital asset firm Zerocap told CoinDesk that Bitcoin whales, large market players holding between 100 and 10,000 Bitcoin, have been building long-term positions which bodes well for the structure of the market. In terms of fundamentals, the price rise has also put Bitcoin around its 200-day moving average of around US$45,000, which if surpassed could signal more buying activity in the market. The 200-day moving average at approximately $45,000 has provided some resistance a clean break here could lead to the next accelerated push higher, Zerocaps head of trading Toby Chapple told CoinDesk. Handheld XRF analysis has indicated significant cobalt grades in mylonitic units, with samples being prepared for laboratory confirmation ( , ) said reverse circulation drilling at the Luanshimba copper-cobalt project in the Democratic Republic of Congo is now proceeding satisfactorily after slow initial progress. So far at the project, which is operated by 80% owned subsidiary Red Rock Galaxy SA, 11 holes of 60m to 100m have so far been drilled in the 2,000 first phase. This number may be extended, the company said, with cobalt-copper oxides including heterogenite having been encountered in 10 of the holes in zones starting at depths between approximately 19m and 70m. Some 850km of samples are being prepared for laboratory assay in South Africa, with handheld XRF analysis indicating significant Cobalt grades in mylonitic units but needing laboratory confirmation. Pyrite has also been encountered towards the bottom of some holes, indicating the possibility of sulphide mineralisation at depth. Red Rock chairman Andrew Bell said: Initial progress was slow but the drillers were able to replace the initial rig with a more powerful model, and drilling is now proceeding satisfactorily. Black oxide ores within the dolomites appear to host some copper and significant cobalt mineralisation, possibly related to a brecciated zone on the slopes of the west-dipping anticlinal structure. We look forward to receiving lab results, and are considering utilising the more powerful rig now on site to extend some holes to a 120-200m depth to test for copper sulphide mineralisation. Red Rock earlier put out a statement saying that a London initial public offer of Australian gold joint venture Red Rock Australasia could be on the cards. Deutsche sees Rolls-Royce as a 'hold' and lifted its target to 116p. ( ) offers investors an appealing long-term story, thats according to analysts at ( ), who have nudged their price target higher following positive interim results. The target moves to 116p, from 113p, but stuck with a hold rating and cautioned that short-term uncertainties linger. Rolls-Royce management presented lofty long-term goals, with civil Aerospace aspirational EBIT margin seen mid-teens thanks to better gearing post the restructuring and its annualised 1.3bn by end of 2022, commented Deutsche analyst Christophe Menard. The analyst added: Rolls-Royce faces no liquidity issue and no financing needs, with debt maturities in 2024 and beyond. The intent is on reducing net debt from the 3bn H1/4bn FY21 level and regain an investment grade rating. Disposal plan is proceeding as planned, with at least 2bn proceeds to optimise the balance sheet. Last week, Rolls-Royce revealed that it had returned to profit at the half-year and confirmed it is near to a sale of its ITP Aero division. Bain Capital in combination with Spanish engineer Sener is in exclusive talks to buy ITP Aero for about 1.4bn, Rolls said last night after reports in the Spanish media. The sale is part of a 2bn disposal programme (the sale of Bergen Engines was announced yesterday) that is a key plank of Rolls-Royces attempts to rebalance its finances after the slump in travel flights due to the Covid pandemic. Revenues in the six months to end-June 2021 still dropped slightly to 5.16bn (5.67bn), but cost savings meant an underlying operating profit of 307mln against a 1.63bn loss a year ago while pre-tax profits turned round to 114mln against a 5.2bn deficit. UBS last week lifted its price target to 130p, from 119p, reflecting that aero-engine maker has managed to contain and correct the civil aerospace cash bleed despite the low level of activity, while there was a good performance and payments in Defence. Civil Aerospace though needs to deliver over a longer period, especially engine flying hours (EFH). For both this year and 2022, UBS lowered its EFH forecast as the Delta variant spread is delaying the reopening of long-haul travel. UBS now sees EFH at 48% of 2019 levels in 2021 and 65% in 2022 though 2023 is unchanged at 90%. Blackstone recently welcomed the outcomes of a pre-feasibility study for the proposed downstream Ta Khoa Refinery in Northern Vietnam. The PFS considers a refinery that can process up to 400,000 tonnes of nickel concentrate per annum over a 10-year life of operation ( , , ) substantial holder Delphi Unternehmensberatung AG and related entities have increased their stake in the nickel sulphide explorer to 17.87% from 16.79%. This move further demonstrates the strong support from the Wilhelm KT Zours backed German investors for junior resource companies with solid exploration success, strong projects and firm development plans. The investors increased their substantial status through a series of on-market purchases from May 26 to August 5 and now hold more than 59.3 million shares in Blackstone. Nickel facility in Vietnam Blackstone recently welcomed the outcomes of a pre-feasibility study (PFS) for the proposed downstream Ta Khoa Refinery (TKR) in Northern Vietnam that confirms a technically and economically robust hydrometallurgical refining process. The PFS considers a refinery that can process up to 400,000 tonnes of nickel concentrate per annum over a 10-year life of operation and will require just under US$500 million in upfront project capital to construct. Ultimately, Blackstone says the PFS demonstrates that a very low capital intensity is required for the TKR to produce Class I nickel at a scale that would make Blackstone a globally significant producer. More broadly, the ASX-lister believes the PFS indicates the technical and economic strength of its hydrometallurgical refining process, which will upgrade nickel sulphide concentrate to produce battery-grade nickel: cobalt: manganese (NCM) 811 precursor for the lithium-ion battery industry. The gold explorer recently completed a $7 million capital raise to rapidly advance a development program at its cornerstone Witwatersrand Basin Project in South Africa. A survey team in action at the Mt Cecelia Project in WA. ( )'s managing director has penned a letter to shareholders, detailing the progress the company has made across its gold exploration portfolio. The ASX-lister is working across two prolific gold provinces: South Africas Witwatersrand Basin and Western Australias Pilbara region, best known as the engine room of Australia. Recently, WWI was granted a right to mine at its Witwatersrand Basin Project (WBP), bringing it a step closer to producing more than 60,000 ounces of gold per annum at its core Central Rand Goldfields asset in South Africa. The company is also conducting ground exploration at its Mt Cecelia Project in WA, where the 2021 field program will refine targets for a maiden drill campaign in 2022. Looking ahead Speaking to the work at Witwatersrand in todays letter, managing director Jac van Heerden hinted the best was yet to come. With the complexity and uncertainty of the mining right application now behind us, the company has a strong pipeline of positive activities ahead. WWIs exposure to two premier regions, ongoing exploration, the commencement of underground development and targeted near-term production offers me, the West Wits board and WWI team, as well as WWI shareholders, a great deal to look forward to in the second half of 2021. Witwatersrand Basin Project Recently, West Wits Minings news flow has centred on its 3.55-million-ounce Witwatersrand Basin Project in South Africa. In late July, the company secured a crucial approval, establishing its right to mine at the cornerstone gold asset. The WBP boasts a mine life greater than 20 years, while the key approval positions the ASX-lister to become a substantial gold producer in a region famous for hosting the worlds largest-known gold reserves. The MD continued: Over the past 12 months, our team has successfully converted the Kimberly Reef exploration target to a substantial JORC-compliant mineral resource. We have also significantly increased the proportion of measured and indicated categories in the Qala Shallows stage of the mine plan; a key precursor to the company declaring its maiden ore reserve. We will soon be able to announce an overall production profile that will demonstrate the long-term potential of the entire WBP area. This profile will illustrate the respective scheduled contributions of five production areas commencing with the Qala Shallows and continuing over the 20-year plus life of mine identified in the scoping study. West Wits scoping study served as a catalyst for a definitive feasibility study (DFS) over the Qala Shallows region, slated for completion by months end. In addition, a DFS for the second stage of development on the Main Reef area will kick off in the coming quarter. WWI has also been in talks with various processing facilities, specifically to secure a process partner for the initial production expected from the early mining initiative and to secure long-term larger scale processing arrangements as production ramps up to full capacity. Under the companys social and labour plan, significant employment and services opportunities will be provided to local communities, in addition to training and Local Economic Development (LED) projects to upskill the local workforce for employment on the mine. The MD concluded: Our community development team will be running advertisements in local publications, requesting local companies to provide capability statements for possible opportunities at the mine through the companys hiring and tender processes. $7 million capital raise Just last week, West Wits also announced it had secured firm commitments to raise $7 million to support a development program at the WBP. The gold exploration and development company tapped existing and new unrelated sophisticated investors to raise the fresh funds at 6 cents per share. Heerden continued: The $7 million capital raising recently announced enables the executive team to begin resourcing extra personnel which will allow a ramping up of the pace of development activity. The company will soon be securing contractors to commence the physical work of mine development and commissioning. Mining will commence by employing an external mining contractor. The company has already identified its preferred mining contractor to undertake development works, and discussions are at an advanced stage to finalise scope and costs. In tandem with the recent capital raise, van Heerden said West Wits was actively engaging with potential development financiers, including the Industrial Development Corporation of South Africa (IDC). He stated: The recent granting of the mining right and the imminent completion of the DFS is significantly de-risking the project from a financing standpoint and thereby ever-strengthening our position to source more competitive financing options for project development. Mt Cecelia In Mondays letter to shareholders, van Heerden also touched on activity across the companys Mt Cecelia project. Ground exploration is currently underway at the gold asset, which sits on the border of the highly prospective East Pilbara and Paterson Province in Western Australia. The MD continued: A reconnaissance trip was performed in July to determine access to Targets 1 4, identified by the heliborne-borne HTEM survey flown in September 2020, and supply requirements to support field exploration. The July field trip was shortly followed by specialist geophysics consultant, Wireline Services Group (WSG), which mobilised to site on July 30, 2021. WSG has now successfully completed MLTEM surveys on Targets 1-4, demobilising on Sunday, August 8, 2021. The Company is awaiting the close out report for the survey operation, due this week, and will provide a detailed announcement on the MLTEM survey operations. Southern Geoscience Consulting (SGC), which performed the 2020 HTEM technical reporting that generated the exploration targets, is also performing technical reporting for the MLTEM survey, due for completion in September 2021. The SGC report will be followed by a September field trip to perform geological mapping and surface sampling (where possible) which will conclude the 2021 field season before the northwest WAs summer cyclone season. The 2021 program is expected to result in defined drill targets for a maiden drill campaign at Mt Cecelia in 2022. These results are also expected to establish the platform for an updated JORC resource before the end of the year, says CEO. The beginning of the drilling program at Koongie Park Project in northeast WA. ( ) has started a 30-hole drilling program over an estimated 7,000 metres at the Koongie Park Copper-Zinc Project in Western Australia. This program will utilise both a reverse circulation (RC) rig and a multi-purpose rig that will drill RC pre-collars before converting over to complete the diamond drilling to greater depths. The RC rig was mobilised to Halls Creek and began drilling on Tuesday, August 3, 2021. AuKing plans to drill a minimum of 7,000 metres of combined RC and diamond drill to test mineralisation at depths of between 130 metres and 900 metres. The company has identified 30 target holes at highly prospective across the Sandiego and Onedin deposits. Focus of drilling This drilling program has been designed to focus on: Infill drilling at the highly prospective Onedin and Sandiego deposits to improve geological interpretation and resource confidence; Generate mineralised intersections for future reporting; Test potential mineralised extensions, especially at depth; Obtain fresh samples for further metallurgical test work especially from the near-surface oxide and transition ores at Onedin; Enhance confidence and geological understanding of the extensive amount of previous drilling and exploration data; Obtain other technical data including geotechnical information and density data; and Equip most drill holes for follow-up downhole geophysics to assist in identifying possible off-hole conductors for future drill hole targeting. Very pleased to start drilling AuKing chief executive officer Paul Williams said: We are very pleased to have commenced the companys first drilling program at the highly prospective Koongie Park copper/zinc project in Western Australia. In a competitive mining and exploration environment, we have assembled the drilling crews, experienced exploration personnel and associated resources, despite the issues associated with ongoing lockdowns and border restrictions. First assays expected in September The program is expected to take about three months to complete and first assay results from the ALS Perth laboratory are anticipated in September. Drill results are expected to provide a steady flow of information which will be fed into an updated resource estimate for Koongie Park later in the year Williams said: We have a number of high priority drill targets and anticipate that AKNs drilling program will provide the basis for regular result updates over the coming weeks and months. These results are also expected to establish the platform for an updated JORC resource before the end of the year. Project is underexplored Koongie Park is in north-eastern Western Australia in the highly mineralised Halls Creek region and the project comprises 10 licences (two mining and eight explorations) covering an area of more than 500 square kilometres. The asset has existing JORC 2012 resources of 6.8 million tonnes at 1.3% copper, 4.1% zinc, 0.3 g/t gold and 26 g/t silver. According to the company, Koongie Park remains significantly underexplored at depth and along strike and is highly prospective for further VMS base metal mineralisation discoveries at depths below 150 metres. The company has identified multiple drill targets to expand on the existing known resources at both the Sandiego and Onedin deposits, and both deposits remain open at depth and to the south. Koongie Park earn-in In February 2021, AKN entered into an earn-in and joint venture agreement with ( ) providing AKN with the right to earn up to a 75% interest in the Koongie Park project by completing exploration expenditure of $3 million over a 3-year period. This is in addition to the $1 million already paid by the company to secure an initial 25% interest in the JV. Recent test-work at the company's Colluli Potash Project has confirmed production rates and outlines a path to lower operating and capital costs. Danakali is a resource company focused on the Colluli SOP Project in Eritrea, East Africa. ( , , ) directors have demonstrated their faith in the companys sulphate of potash strategy through placement participation, as approved by shareholders at the annual general meeting held on July 30. On May 12 the company received A$20.3 million, before costs from institutional and sophisticated investors as well as senior Danakali executives to support the early works program at the Colluli Potash Project in Eritrea. Change of director interests Executive chairman Seamus Cornelius acquired 1 million shares for A$430,000, increasing his interest in a direct holding to 9.5 million shares. He also holds a further 600,000 and 4,308,037 shares in two indirect interests. Non-executive director Neil Gregson acquired 80,000 shares in a direct interest for A$34,400, marking his first share purchase. Test-work confirms production rates Recent test-work at Colluli has confirmed production rates and outlines a path to lower operating and capital costs. Colluli Mining Share Company (CMSC), a joint venture vehicle with ownership split between Danakali and the Eritrean National Mining Corporation (ENAMCO), conducted the extensive test program over a six-month timeframe. Promisingly, analysis has revealed the projects sulphate of potash (SOP) production rates align with a previous front-end engineering and design study. The test-work program proves Danakali can produce SOP using only filtered seawater, lowering the opex and capex costs tied to the compounds production. Colluli hosts the worlds largest JORC-compliant solid salt and sulphate of potash reserve, weighing in at 1.1 billion tonnes. The 60-day review period will give Gaston County time to conduct due diligence on Piedmonts proposed North Carolina operation, from which it plans to supply lithium to electric vehicle giant Tesla. Piedmont hopes to advance a lithium hydroxide operation in Gaston County, where the development moratorium is taking place. ( , , ) has welcomed a temporary development moratorium introduced by the Gaston County Board of Commissioners a regulatory body responsible for the region where Piedmont hopes to build one of the largest lithium mines in the United States. The county instated the 60-day deliberation period so it would have time to review its current industry regulations and their potential impact on future operations roughly three weeks after Piedmont presented on its Carolina Lithium Project. As the Board of Commissioners conducts due diligence, the ASX lister will progress a definitive feasibility study, which is scheduled for publication before years end, and submit a state mining permit in North Carolina. Piedmont Lithium CEO Keith Phillips said: We would like to thank the Gaston County Board of Commissioners for their leadership in creating this framework and review structure where the county and the company can move forward together. Time to perform due diligence In todays ASX announcement, Phillips continued: We wholeheartedly agree that its important for the commissioners to have the time to review existing state and county regulations and how they may apply to plans for the Carolina Lithium Project. We note that the counsel representing the county made clear in a statement during the special meeting that Gaston County support economic growth and development, and that the resolution is not intended to stop mining but rather to give the county time to perform their due diligence. We look forward to engaging with the commissioners and the broader community regarding our commitment to environmental stewardship and economic prosperity for the county as we work to advance the United States supply chain for a low-carbon economy. Carolina Lithium Project In late July, Piedmont brought its plan for an integrated lithium production business to the Gaston county and community, outlining how it intends to supply the electric vehicle supply chain in the US and around the world. Piedmont hopes its operations will position the county as a significant part of that supply chain, with the Carolina Lithium Project estimated to produce 30,000 tonnes of lithium hydroxide every year, according to a June scoping study. The project is expected to generate roughly 500 jobs and bears a 20-year mine life. Currently, permitting work is underway and Piedmont intends to submit its North Carolina state mining permit later this month. Ultimately, the ASX-lister believes its location in the renowned Carolina Tin Spodumene Belt positions the business to be one of the worlds lowest-cost producers of lithium hydroxide. The FTSE 100 started the week on the back foot following a lacklustre session in Asian markets. Londons leading index shed 13 points to 7,109 in early trading. ( ). has come back with a higher offer for ( ) after private equity firm Carlyle emerged as the preferred bidder last week. The respiratory drugs producer was valued at 1bn. Health secretary Sajid Javid has asked the UK competition watchdog to investigate the pricing of PCR tests for international travel. They cost around 75 each on average but some companies charge up to 500 to deliver results quickly. ( ) has posted record full-year results after a boom in demand during the pandemic. The trading platform also saw a record number of new clients. Among the small caps, ( , ) has won a contract from Shetland Space Centre, the satellite launch site and ground station. The tech company will help design a digital dashboard to enable SaxaVord to monitor live satellite operations remotely from anywhere in the world. ( , ) said its hVIVO operation has successfully developed a malaria challenge model. It will be used to help develop the next generation of drugs and vaccines from November. Zephyr Energy PLC has completed the drilling of a well in the Paradox basin, Utah. It encountered the primary reservoir target alongside its secondary targets. The purchase adds a key component to Xigems iAgent platform technology and its portfolio of remote economy technologies The acquisition provides Xigem with an entree into the $1.5 trillion mobile payment market ( ) Corporation revealed that it has sucessfully completed the previously announced acquisition of cloud-based, peer-to-peer payment app FOOi through a $500,000 all-stock deal. Under the terms of the agreement, the Toronto-based technology company has acquired substantially all the assets of FOOi Inc for $500,000 through the issuance of 1,666,667 Xigem shares at a deemed price of $0.30 per share. "FOOi is an easy-to-use and low-cost app that is well suited to small-to-medium enterprises, foundations and individuals wishing to complete payment transactions remotely, Xigem co-founder and CEO Brian Kalish said in a statement. We are pursuing opportunities to integrate it with our iAgent platform as well as other technologies planned for our portfolio." FOOi is a mobile app that facilitates digital payments through peer-to-peer and peer-to-business financial transactions. Users can "share money in the moment," said the company, by opening the app and tapping on the person or organization to whom they would like to transfer funds. FOOi features a simplified sign-up process, allowing users to complete transactions within minutes of installation by quickly and securely connecting credit cards and debit cards to their FOOi accounts. Integrated with iAgent, Xigem's platform technology, FOOi can create a unique environment for the company's clients and their users, the company said, adding that it expects FOOi to become a valuable asset to iAgent as it completes "the circle of functionality and enhances its customer relationship management effectiveness." The mobile payment market was valued at $1.48 trillion in 2019 and is expected to blow past $12 trillion by 2027, representing an average growth rate of 30% from 2020 to 2027, according to Allied Market Research. The growth will be driven by smartphones, mobile commerce, and a desire for contactless payments due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The vendor has agreed to use proceeds from the sale of the consideration shares to buy a secured, interest-bearing note from Baron Auto Group (BAG). BAG, a growing non-prime lender in the Canadian automobile market, is expected to be a Xigem customer, where it would use both iAgent and potentially the FOOi technology. Kalish is also the interim CEO of BAG, but not a shareholder, and receives no compensation from BAG, pointed out the company. To mediate the conflict of interest created by Kalish's role, he abstained from voting on the approval of the letter of intent, said the company. Contact the author Uttara Choudhury at uttara@proactiveinvestors.com Follow her on Twitter: @UttaraProactive Gevo NW Iowa RNG LLC has signed binding, definitive agreements with BP Canada Energy Marketing Corp. and BP Products North America Inc. Gevos renewable natural gas project in Iowa is currently being constructed and is expected to commence production in early 2022 ( ). has announced that its wholly-owned dairy manure-based renewable natural gas (RNG) project in northwest Iowa will sell renewable natural gas to BP. The company said Gevo NW Iowa RNG LLC has signed binding, definitive agreements with BP Canada Energy Marketing Corp. and BP Products North America Inc. for the sale of RNGs production. The NW Iowa RNG project is currently being constructed and is expected to commence production in early 2022. Upon project completion, NW Iowa RNG is estimated to produce about 355,000 MMBtu (metric million British thermal units) of RNG per year. Gevo said the RNG is expected to be sold into the California market under dispensing agreements that BP has in place with ( )., the largest fueling infrastructure in the US for RNG. RNG-fueled vehicles are estimated to result in up to 95% lower emissions than those fueled by gasoline or diesel on a lifecycle basis, according to a US Department of Energy study. Gevo said it is anticipated that NW Iowa RNG will benefit from environmental product revenues under Californias Low Carbon Fuel Standard program and the US Environmental Protection Agencys Renewable Identification Number program. Beginning in late 2022 upon stabilized operations and pathway certifications of its environmental products, the company said NW Iowa RNG is anticipated to generate cash distributions to Gevo of about $9 million to $16 million per year. Starting in 2024, Gevo will have the right to use a portion of NW Iowa RNGs production as process energy at its Net-Zero 1 Project or other production facilities, including future Net-Zero projects. RNG is proving to be a key fuel in the energy transition. BP has a value chain that allows RNG to reach the transportation market, and its a pleasure to work with a company that shares our vision of a low-carbon future, said Gevo CEO Patrick Gruber in a statement. This is an excellent opportunity to meet the growing demand for RNG and to expand our RNG business. We are glad to be working with BP. Contact the author: patrick@proactiveinvestors.com Follow him on Twitter @PatrickMGraham The intersections found silver grades of 30,416.91 grams per ton (g/t) over 0.42 meters (m), 7,328.47 g/t over 0.38m, 1,883.21 g/t over 0.42m, and with gold equivalent grades of 425.94 g/t, 102.62 g/t, 26.37 g/t, respectively There is now a total of eight distinct high-grade veins to be included in the 1Q 2022 resource update ( ) has announced a continued expansion at Castle East in northern Ontario with three new, high-grade intersections. The company said the intersections were as follows: silver (Ag) grades of 30,416.91 grams per ton (g/t) over 0.42 meters (m), 7,328.47 g/t over 0.38m, 1,883.21 g/t Ag over 0.42m, and with gold (Au) equivalent grades of 425.94 g/t, 102.62 g/t, 26.37 g/t Au equivalent, respectively. These three intercepts provide us with two newly discovered, high-grade vein systems, said Matt Halliday, president and COO of Canada Silver Cobalt Works in a statement. We continue to have excellent results from the 60,000m drill program at Castle East, with 40,000m completed to date. There is now a total of eight distinct high-grade veins to be included in the Q1 2022 resource update. Halliday added: The initial estimate in May 2020 for Castle East was based solely on the Robinson Zone vein system but recent drilling has discovered an even higher-grade vein (Big Silver grading 89,853 g/t Ag over 0.30m) in addition to six other new vein structures, and our exploration program has expanded the overall area to be included in the resource estimate. More specifically, Canada Silver Cobalt Works said the drilling highlights included: Hole CS-21-61 with an exceptional intercept grading 30,416.91 g/t Ag over 0.42m at a downhole depth of 449.55-449.97m with an Au equivalent grade of 425.94 g/t Au. The company currently believes this intercept belongs to a brand-new vein structure, independent from both the Robinson Zone and the Big Silver vein The first intercept in hole CS-21-65 contains 7,328.47 g/t Ag over 0.38m at a downhole depth of 254.03-254.41m with an Au equivalent grade of 102.62 g/t Au. To date, this is the closest high-grade intercept to surface and is located within Archean lithologies The second intercept in hole CS-21-65 contains 1,883.21 g/t Ag over 0.42m at a downhole depth of 421-421.42m with an Au equivalent grade of 26.37 g/t Au Geological implications of the vein system Canada Silver Cobalt Works said the geological implications of the veins are threefold. Firstly, the addition of another exceptionally high-grade vein in CS-21-61 puts the company much closer to significant expansion of the resource at Castle East. Secondly, the high-grade silver vein in CS-21-65 (that is 230m below the surface) confirms the existence of much shallower silver mineralization at Castle East. And thirdly, it greatly expands the potential for silver mineralization to occur across the entire property because it occurs within the Archean lithologies. Most of our high-grade or notable veins are located within the younger Nipissing Diabase sill which is intruding into the older Archean rocks, the company said. This means that it is possible for further silver mineralization to occur in the same Archean lithologies both above and below the Nipissing Diabase, similarly to the vein found in CS-21-65 that is located above the intrusion. As further proof of concept, the company said both the Beaver Mine and Temiskaming Mine had significant production both above and below the Nipissing diabase intrusion, which is encouraging for future exploration. Contact the author: patrick@proactiveinvestors.com Follow him on Twitter @PatrickMGraham The company reported record-setting 2Q gold production of 29,831 ounces and gold sales for the same period of 30,412 ounces ( ) has reported record-setting 2Q gold production of 29,831 ounces and gold sales for the same period of 30,412 ounces in its financial results for the 2Q and 1H of 2021, both of which ended on June 30. The company said the profitable quarter has maintained its ability to deliver full-year consolidated 2021 gold production guidance of 105,000 to 115,000 ounces. The gold miner ended the second quarter of 2021 with a strong cash position of $82.2 million and working capital of $64.8 million, up by $5.5 million and $1.6 million, respectively, from March 31, 2021. Karora's All-in-sustaining-costs (AISC) of US$985-$1,085 per ounce and a 5% reduction for 2Q also fit within the companys forecasted range, and were lower than the 1Q AISC which was US$1,049 per ounce. Second-quarter adjusted earnings totaled $14.3 million, or $0.10 per share, an $11.6 million year-over-year increase. It was also $6.2 million (or $0.04 per share) higher than the first quarter of 2021. Adjusted Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization (EBITDA) also increased by $8.3 million quarter-over-quarter to $29.5 million. There was an 18% year-over-year uptick in cash flow from operating activities in 2Q 2021 to $26.4 million, which was $7.7 million higher than the first three months of 2021. "Karora's second-quarter performance was very impressive with record gold production of 29,831 ounces, record gold sales of 30,412 ounces and AISC of US$996 per ounce sold. The strong second-quarter production was driven primarily by strong grade performance across both operations and marked a 20% improvement over the prior seven quarters, which averaged approximately 25,000 ounces per quarter, Paul Andre Huet, chairman and CEO said in the results statement. He continued: Our operations delivered an outstanding quarter despite difficult weather conditions towards the end of the period which have extended into the first part of the third quarter. The Kalgoorlie area has seen record rainfall which has challenged mining operations and ore haulage across the district. I am extremely proud of our team's ability to prepare and adapt for these conditions, as we did when faced with multiple obstacles during 2020. Multi-year goals highlighted Huet also took the opportunity to highlight the western Australian gold companys multi-year goals. On June 28, 2021 the corporation announced a multi-year growth plan funded through operating cash flows and current cash balance. Three-year production and cost guidance will approximately double consolidated gold production to 185,000 205,000 ounces by 2024 at an AISC of US$885-US$985 per ounce, he explained. Karoras growth plan includes a significant expansion of its Beta Hunt project to increase underground production to 2 million tons per annum (Mtpa) by 2024 through the addition of a second decline. The three-year growth plan also includes a Phase II expansion of the Higginsville processing plant, increasing throughput to 2.5 (Mtpa). A Phase I expansion to 1.6 Mtpa from 1.4 Mtpa is currently underway. Additionally, Karora unveiled a new high-grade nickel discovery at Beta Hunt, the second in the last six months, known as the Gamma Zone - 50C, where 11.6% nickel over 4.6 meters, including 18.4% nickel over 2.2 meters was intersected in hole G50-22-005E. Drilling at the target also intersected gold mineralization above and below the 50C trough and indicates the Beta Hunt gold mineralized system extends for over 3.5 kilometers of strike from the northern end of the A Zone. Contact the writer at georgia@proactiveinvestors.com Follow her on Twitter @MissInformd The explorer said it discovered consistent 1 meter to 5 meters of >0.5 grams per tonne (g/t) gold in all but one of the seven holes drilled to test this structure. The best assays included 6.35 g/t gold over 0.75 meters at surface, 2.45 g/t over 55-56 meters in NS-21-04 and 2.08 g/t over 54-55 meters in NS-21-05 Sanatana Resources Inc said anomalous gold was encountered in a shear hosted quartz vein in its just completed first pass scout drill program on the Gold Rush project, located 25 kilometers (km) west of Timmins, Ontario. The Vancouver-based explorer said a total of 23 holes NQ diameter over 3,113 meters were completed on seven separate prospects. All holes intersected quartz veins, alteration, and sulphides. There are numerous quartz vein hosted gold showings on the property and the scout program was designed as an initial test into the several most accessible prospects to help prioritise future exploration on the project, explained the company. At the North Shaft Prospect, Sanatana completed seven NQ diameter holes, drilled in a series of three fences 50 meters apart. Previous surface channel sampling had revealed a NW-SE structure hosting gold. The drilling targeted this structure with a hole drilled at 45 degrees dip, and a second hole drilled from the same setup at between 60-70 degrees dip designed to intersect the structure at a greater depth. The middle fence received a third hole that stepped back and tested the structure at an even greater depth, said the company. Additionally, two small AQ diameter man portable drill holes were completed. This prospect received the most attention as the drilling revealed a shear zone with quartz veins with albite and ankerite and sulphides, all good visual signs of mineralization, said the company. The assay results from all holes returned elevated gold from the quartz vein, added the company. The results defined a 1 meter to 5-meter-wide vein that strikes over 150 meters from surface to 100-meter depth. It is open in all directions and demonstrates the mineralized zone dips to the Northeast to about 60 degrees. Sanatana said it discovered: Consistent 1 meter to 5 meter of >0.5 g/t gold in all but one of the seven holes drilled to test this structure. The best assays included 6.35 grams per tonne (g/t) over 0.75 meters at surface, 2.45 g/t over 55-56 meters in NS-21-04 and 2.08 g/t over 54-55 meters in NS-21-05, according to the company. It pointed out that the multi-element ICP assays showed that the gold is associated with silver, with an average ratio of 5:1 silver to gold. The elements, bismuth, molybdenum, tellurium and tungsten are also correlated with the gold, as well as elevated >0.5% sulphur. Sanatana said it is the first persistent mineralization ever discovered on the property and described it as a "Kirkland Lake type element." The drilling focused on the eastern structure at the North Shaft prospect exposed by the stripping campaign conducted earlier by Santana. The company plans to return to the prospect with the light portable AQ size rig and to search for strike extension of this vein. In addition, Sanatana plans to drill test the yet to be tested western trend present at the prospect as confirmed by surface channel sampling. Sanatana's 2,200 hectare Gold Rush project near Timmins consists of two claim blocks. It is just 11 km north-west of Pan American Silvers Timmins West mine where over 750,000 ounces of the yellow metal have been produced to date. Contact the author Uttara Choudhury at uttara@proactiveinvestors.com Follow her on Twitter: @UttaraProactive If you were looking for the Charlestown Democratic Town Committee website and ended up here, try this Got news tips, gossip, suggestions, complaints?E-mail us: progressivecharlestown@gmail.com We strive to avoid errors in our articles. Our correction policy can be found here St. Petersburg metro terrorist attack case sentence comes into force RAPSI, Vladimir Burnov 14:44 09/08/2021 ST. PETERSBURG, August 9 (RAPSI, Mikhail Telekhov) Sentence delivered in case over a suicide bomber terror attack committed in the St. Petersburg metro in 2017 came into force on Monday, the United press service of St. Petersburg courts told RAPSI. An appeals court on the base of the First Western District Military Court considered the defendants appeals. Sentence of the attack coordinator Abror Azimov ordered to life imprisonment was not changed. The others sentence was reduced a little. In addition to the prison term Azimov was fined 800,000 rubles (over $10,000). Thus, 28-year imprisonment of Azimovs brother Akram and Mukhamadyusup Ermatov was reduced by 2 months, a 700,000-ruble fine was upheld for each. Ibragimzhon Ermatov, who initially received 27 years in a high-security prison and a 600,000-ruble fine, is to serve 26 years and 10 months behind bars. Prison sentence of Sodik Ortikov was mitigated from 23 years to 21 years and 11 months, a fine of 500,000 rubles was upheld. Mukhamadyusuf Mirzaalimov, Azamzhon Makhmudov, Dilmurod Muidinov will serve 19 years and 11 months in jail instead of initially given 20 years and will pay 500,000-ruble fines each. Bakhram Ergashev and Seyfulla Khakimov, sentenced to 19 years in a high-security prison each and 500,000-ruble fines will serve 18 years and 11 months in custody. 20-year sentence of the only woman convicted in the case Shokhista Karimova was reduced by one month; a 500,000-ruble fine was upheld. A court also granted a 695,000-ruble claim filed by the St. Petersburg metro against the defendants. Azimov along with 10 other defendants were convicted of participating in a terrorist group, two attempted terrorist attacks, one committed terrorist act, illegal arms trafficking, producing, possession and transportation of explosives. According to the prosecutor, the defendants are members of a criminal group and are charged with participation in a terrorist network, attempt to commit two terrorist attack, illegal arms trafficking, producing, keeping and carriage of explosives. On April 3, 2017, at around 2:40 PM Moscow time, suicide bomber Akbarzhon Dzhalilov carried two explosive devices to the St. Petersburg metro. One device exploded in a train between St. Petersburg metro stations Technological Institute and Sennaya Ploshchad. Over 50 were wounded, 15 people died in the blast. People allegedly involved in the crime were arrested in Moscow and St. Petersburg. DW, August 8, 2021 Taliban warn the US against intervening The Taliban's political spokesperson Mohammad Naim told Al-Jazeera TV on Sunday that the radical Islamist group had no ceasefire agreement with the Afghan government and warned the US against further intervention. He also blamed the government for the fighting, calling them the aggressors and claimed the Taliban's attacks were a response. Separately, Al-Jazeera quoted another Taliban spokesman as saying that the militants wanted peace. "We have the capabilities to take over cities but we were waiting for them and our policy is for peace and reconciliation but of course when they [government] launched an offensive against us, they started the bombing campaign against us, we reacted and took two provincial centres," said Suhail Shaheen. Can the Taliban take control of the whole of Afghanistan? Adam Weinstein, research fellow at the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, told DW that he does not think it is inevitable that the Taliban take over the whole country, but the Afghan government will have to change its strategy. Weinstein was not sure that the Biden administration would be willing to accept the risk associated with continued support for the Afghan government which may mean the end of US airstrikes against the Taliban. He also believes that the peace talks are no longer viable, but that better resistance from the Afghan army and pressure from other regional actors could force the Taliban to the negotiation table. Kunduz plays a key role for the Taliban Journalist Charlie Faulkner talked with DW from Kabul about the importance of Kunduz to the Taliban, the site where they relaunched their insurgency in the northern parts of the country in 2010 and also where their defeat in 2001 began. Faulkner explained that it was also a symbol of revenge for the militant group as this is where hundreds of Taliban fighters were loaded into trucks in which they ended up suffocating to death. She also highlighted the difference of opinion between urban and rural Afghans, saying that while those in the cities were largely against the Taliban, those in the villages just want peace, with some even supporting the Taliban. Taliban claims control of Takhar province Spokesperson for the Taliban, Zabihullah Mujahid, published a statement on Twitter claiming that the whole of the Takhar province was under the control of the Islamist group. The province capital Taleqan fell to the militants earlier in the day. Germany's Bundestag foreign affairs chair warns of Afghanistan 'disaster'German lawmaker Norbert Rottgen, who chairs the Bundestag's foreign affairs committee, warned that the recent pullout of US troops from the country risks creating a "disaster" in Afghanistan. "US President Joe Biden still has a chance to prevent the first major foreign policy disaster that has arisen from his wrong decision to order the rapid withdrawal of American troops without consulting his allies," Rottgen told the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung daily. The 56-year-old said there was no longer any prospect of a political solution with the Taliban making territorial gains. "So if the Europeans have any remaining military capabilities, including the Germans, that would be needed now, then we should make them available," he said. Top German politicians repeatedly warned that withdrawing too quickly from Afghanistan could create a security vacuum. Foreign Minister Heiko Maas warned in November that a premature exit could also hamper peace talks between the government and the Taliban, a hard-line Islamist group. 'Security situation deteriorating,' says German Foreign OfficeThe German Foreign Office sees an increasing deterioration of the security situation in Afghanistan. A ministry spokesman told the Deutsche Presse-Agentur news agency on Sunday that the situation was developing rapidly. "In view of the current developments, an update of the asylum situation report is currently being prepared," he said, referring to the Office's report which cites a greater threat to certain groups amid the advance of the Taliban, but no general threat to returnees. In July, the Afghan government called on European states to suspend deportations to the country for three months due to the unstable security situation. At the time, Finland announced a temporary suspension, while Germany said it had no plans to stop deporting rejected asylum seekers. Since 2016, Germany has carried out 35 deportation flights to Afghanistan. Germany resumed deportation flights to Afghanistan earlier this year after they were put on hold due to the coronavirus pandemic. Where else have the Taliban launched offensives? Taliban forces are fighting in Lashkar Gah, the capital of Afghanistan's southern Helmand province. Airstrikes damaged a health clinic and a high school in the city, a provincial council member said on Sunday. A Defense Ministry statement confirmed that airstrikes were carried out in parts of the city. It said forces targeted Taliban positions, killing 54 fighters and wounding 23 others. It made no mention of a clinic or school being bombed. Majid Akhund, deputy chairman of the Helmand provincial council, said airstrikes hit a health clinic and a school in the city's 7th police district late Saturday. He added the area is under Taliban control so any casualties could have been caused by the Taliban there. Pro-Taliban sources said the Taliban have taken complete control of the city of Taleqan in northeastern Takhar Province that borders Tajikistan. Fighting was also reported on the outskirts of Herat, in the west, and Kandahar in the south. How has the international community responded? Carl Bildt, co-chair of the European Council on Foreign Relations accused the Biden administration of pulling out of Afghanistan prematurely. Bildt, who is a former Swedish prime minister, said "the United States is running away." "Saigon 1975 all over again," he tweeted, referring to Washingtons withdrawal from Vietnam. Ambassador Ghulam M. Isaczai, Afghanistan's permanent representative to the United Nations, said the ongoing violence was "too painful to watch." The senior diplomat tweeted a graphic video that he said showed a dead child who had been killed by Islamist militants. "Afghan children are bearing the brunt of this violence unleashed by [the] Taliban on Afghanistan. The world cannot sit on the sideline for another tragedy to unfold," he wrote on Twitter. DW has not been able to independently verify the video's content. The Taliban's sweeping offensive Taliban overrun KunduzThe fundamentalist Taliban group overran the northern city of Kunduz on Sunday. The Taliban's advance on the provincial capital comes after two others fell to the insurgents in the past two days. The insurgents have taken control of all key government facilities in the city, except for a military base and the airport, where high-ranking local officials have reportedly pulled back to. The airport lies around 8 kilometers (5 miles) south of Kunduz city center. The Taliban overran the city amid "fierce street-to-street fighting," Amruddin Wali, a member of the Kunduz provincial council, told AFP. The Taliban claimed in a Twitter post that it had seized a large number of armored vehicles, weapons and military equipment. The Ministry of Defense said government forces were fighting to retake these key sites. "The commando forces have launched a clearing operation. Some areas, including the national radio and TV buildings, have been cleared of the terrorist Taliban," it said in a statement. Fighting was continuing at the city's airport and other parts of the city, provincial council member Ghulam Rabani Rabani said. Health officials in Kunduz said that 14 bodies, including those of women and children, and more than 30 injured people, had been taken to hospital. Kunduz has been a perennial target for the Taliban, who briefly overran the city in 2015 and again in 2016 but never managed to hold it for long. It is a strategic crossroads with good access to much of northern Afghanistan as well as the capital, Kabul, about 335 kilometers (200 miles) away. It is one of the country's larger cities with a population of more than 340,000. Kabul has a population of over 4 million. The German Bundeswehr's Kunduz connectionThe German military was stationed in Kunduz province from 2003 to 2013, following the US-led invasion of Afghanistan in 2001. More Germans were killed in clashes in Kunduz and the neighboring province of Baghlan than anywhere else. The German military in Kunduz attracted international attention in 2009, when Georg Klein, who was then a colonel, ordered a NATO air attack that killed more than 100 people. Last year, before the Bundeswehr withdrew from Afghanistan, around 100 German soldiers were stationed in the region in Camp Pamir. Heavy fighting in Sar-e-PulMeanwhile, fighting between the Taliban overran the provincial capital of the northern Sar-e-Pul province. "The Taliban have surrounded an army battalion on the outskirts of the city. All other parts of the city are under Taliban control," Mohammad Hussein Mujahidzada, a member of the Sar-e-Pul provincial council, told news agency AFP. Taliban seize SheberghanThe fundamentalist Taliban group seized the northern city of Sheberghan on Saturday. Sheberghan is the capital of Jowzjan Province and is home to Uzbek warlord Abdul Rashid Dostum. Dostum, who is allied with the United States, said he is calling for reinforcements from the Afghan government. Kabul-based journalist Franz Marty told DW it is likely that Dostum's forces will wage a "counteroperation" in the coming days. Taliban fighters helped free prisoners from the city's jail, according to videos on social media. The deputy governor of Jowzjan, Qader Malia, told the AFP news agency the city had "unfortunately fallen." Taliban making rapid territorial gains The Taliban are ramping up their offensive as the US and NATO allies pull out troops from the country. Anti-Taliban protesters in recent weeks have shouted "Allahu Akbar" (God is the greatest) to show their support for Afghan security forces in the heavy fighting against the group. The Taliban captured the provincial capital of Zaranj in southwestern Nimroz province on Friday. Journalist Ali Latifi, who is also based in Kabul, told DW the Taliban may be trying to "confuse" Afghan government forces, as the two provincial capitals are located in completely different areas of the country. "The Taliban are trying to stretch the security forces out as thin and as wide as they possibly can," Latifi said. At the same time, he said it begs the question whether the Taliban can keep up fighting on multiple fronts as well. Could the fighting spread to Kabul? In regards to the fighting possibly spreading to the country's capital, Kabul, Latifi said the "fortress city" is more secure than other parts of the country. "Kabul is where they will put all of their focus and their attention," Latifi said, referring to the Afghan government. "If they do manage to lose Kabul, then that's obviously the ultimate blow to them. They will do everything they can to hold on to the national capital," he added. A bomb killed an Afghan Air Force pilot in Kabul on Saturday, with the Taliban claiming responsibility for the attack. Kamran Bokhari, the director of analytical development at the Washington D.C.-based Newlines Institute think tank, told DW the war in Afghanistan is "far from over" and asserted the Taliban are by and large "a rural and suburban force." "They have not yet managed to demonstrate the capability to mount successful assaults against well-defended cities and provincial capitals," Bokhari said of the group. Complete US pullout expected later this monthUS President Joe Biden announced in April he would withdraw all troops from Afghanistan by September 11. The pullout is now expected to be fully complete by August 31, according to recent statements from the commander-in-chief. Critics of the withdrawal have warned the Taliban could possibly take over the entire country and roll back advancements in women's rights. The US invaded Afghanistan in 2001 in pursuit of al-Qaida, the jihadist group behind the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The Taliban was ousted from power during the invasion, with the US working with NATO allies to train Afghan security forces. BBC News, August 8, 2021 An Afghan defence ministry spokesman told the BBC government forces were still in the city and would clear out the Taliban "soon". This is the second regional capital to fall to the militants, after Zaranj in the south-western province of Nimroz fell on Friday. It is a major blow to security forces, with battles raging across the country. There are also reports of heavy fighting in Kunduz in the north and Lashkar Gah in the south. Violence has escalated across Afghanistan after US and other international forces began to withdraw their troops from the country, following 20 years of military operations. Taliban militants have made rapid advances in recent weeks, capturing large swathes of the countryside, and are now targeting key towns and cities. Sheberghan is a stronghold of the former Afghan vice-president and warlord, Abdul Rashid Dostum, whose supporters have been leading the fight against the insurgents. Local media reports that 150 people travelled to the city to help Afghan forces. The Taliban first took control of the governor's compound on Friday during intense fighting, before it was retaken by Afghan security forces. However, the region's council chief, Babur Eshchi, told the BBC the militants were now in control of the whole city, except an army base, where fighting was still going on. Afghan defence ministry spokesman Fawaad Aman told the BBC's Newshour programme government forces were still in "the majority" of the city, including the airport, and insisted Sheberghan would be "clear of terrorists soon". But he conceded the Taliban had captured parts of the city, and that government troops had retreated "to prevent civilian casualties". According to the Afghan defence ministry, US B-52 bombers have hit Taliban positions in the city. Taliban officials meanwhile said they had taken a prison in Sheberghan. Video on social media shows hundreds of inmates leaving the city jail. Other provincial capitals under pressure include Herat in the west, and the southern cities of Kandahar and Lashkar Gah. The Afghan military says dozens of Islamist fighters, including senior commanders, have been killed in Lashkar Gah. The Taliban however have denied the military's version of events. And in the Afghan capital Kabul this week, the Taliban shot dead President Ashraf Ghani's former spokesman and carried out a bomb attack on the house of the acting defence minister. Taliban fighters have also captured key border crossings with neighbouring countries in recent weeks. Taliban fighters have also captured key border crossings with neighbouring countries in recent weeks. The militant group has closed the border with Pakistan, and pictures show dozens of Afghans stranded on the Pakistani side, unable to return to their families. "We came [to Pakistan] to attend a funeral three days ago. Now the border is closed. We're sitting here. We have no food and no money," a man trying to get home to Kandahar told Reuters news agency. The US and UK governments have urged its citizens to leave the country immediately because of the worsening security situation. On Friday, the British Foreign Office warned that militants were very likely to carry out attacks in Afghanistan. The US said citizens can receive a repatriation loan if they cannot afford to pay for a commercial flight themselves. At a meeting held at Rajya Sabha Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharges office here, various parties spoke about the important Bill while trying to finalise their strategy for the remaining part of the session. While two parties were in favour of continuous protests, others were of the opinion that the Constitution amendment should be cleared as it empowers the states on a very delicate subject. We decided that we will allow and cooperate for the passage of the Constitution amendment bill. On all other issues, our protest will continue, said CPIMs Elamaram Kareem, one of the leaders present in the Rajya Sabha meeting. A Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and his wife were killed in a terrorist attack in south Kashmirs Anantnag district on Monday. BJPs Kisan Morcha president of Kulgam, Gulam Rasool Dar, and his wife died after terrorists fired bullets at the couple in the Lal Chowk area of Anantnag, BJP leader Altaf Thakur said. Gulam Rasool Dar was also sarpanch and the party's district president of Anantnag. Gulam Rasool Dar and his wife were rushed to the nearby hospital following the attack, but they succumbed to the injuries. Police blamed the militant group, Lashkar e Taiba for the killing. Thanks to the presence of a gravitational lens, the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope has captured five separate images of 2M1310-1714, a quasar located approximately 17 billion light-years away in the constellation of Virgo. Albert Einstein predicted in his theory of general relativity that massive objects will deform the fabric of space itself. When light passes one of these objects, such as massive galaxies or their groups, its path is changed slightly. Called gravitational lensing, this effect is only visible in rare cases and only worlds best telescopes can observe the related phenomena. The central pair of galaxies in this image are genuinely two separate galaxies, which are located 3.8 billion light-years from Earth, Hubble astronomers said. The four bright points circling them, and the fainter one in the very center, are actually five separate images of a single quasar, known as 2M1310-1714, an extremely luminous but distant object. The reason behind this seeing quintuple effect is a phenomenon known as gravitational lensing, they said. Gravitational lensing occurs when a celestial object with an enormous amount of mass causes the fabric of space to warp such that the light traveling through that space from a distant object is bent and magnified sufficiently that humans here on Earth can observe multiple magnified images of the far-away source. 2M1310-1714 actually lies further away from Earth than the pair of galaxies. The light from the quasar has been bent around the galaxy pair because of their enormous mass, giving the incredible appearance that the galaxy pair are surrounded by four quasars whereas in reality, a single quasar lies far beyond them! Paleontologists in Australia say they have discovered the fossilized skeletal remains of a new species of flying reptile that lived between 113 and 100 million years ago (Cretaceous period) and had an estimated wingspan of 7 m (23 feet). Pterosaurs were highly successful reptiles (not dinosaurs, as theyre commonly mislabeled) that lived between 210 and 65 million years ago. Some pterosaurs, such as the giant azhdarchids, were the largest flying animals of all time, with wingspans exceeding 9 m (30 feet) and standing heights comparable to modern giraffes. Pterosaur fossils from Australia are exceptionally rare, comprising fragmentary and predominately isolated bones from the Cretaceous of Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and Western Australia. Since the discovery of the first Australian pterosaur fossils almost four decades ago, fewer than 20 specimens have been described. From these, only three species have been named: Mythunga camara, Aussiedraco molnari, and Ferrodraco lentoni. They come from the mid-Cretaceous rocks of the Rolling Downs Group, part of the Eromanga Basin in Queensland. The new pterosaur, which we named Thapunngaka shawi, would have been a fearsome beast, with a spear-like mouth and a wingspan around 7 m, said Tim Richards, a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Queensland. It was essentially just a skull with a long neck, bolted on a pair of long wings. This thing would have been quite savage. It would have cast a great shadow over some quivering little dinosaur that wouldnt have heard it until it was too late. Thapunngaka shawi belongs to a group of crested pterosaurs known as Anhangueridae. What was particularly striking about this new species of anhanguerian was the massive size of the bony crest on its lower jaw, which it presumably had on the upper jaw as well, said Dr. Steve Salisbury, also from the University of Queensland. These crests probably played a role in the flight dynamics of these creatures, and hopefully future research will deliver more definitive answers. A partial mandible of Thapunngaka shawi was found by local fossicker Len Shaw in June 2011 at a site known as the water pond near Richmond, North West Queensland, Australia. Originally developed as a quarry for road dressing, this site exposes a heavily weathered 4-5 m (13-16-foot) thick sequence of marls and coquinas of the Toolebuc Formation. Its quite amazing fossils of these animals exist at all, Richards said. By world standards, the Australian pterosaur record is poor, but the discovery of Thapunngaka shawi contributes greatly to our understanding of Australian pterosaur diversity. It is only the third species of anhanguerian pterosaur known from Australia, with all three species hailing from western Queensland. The discovery of Thapunngaka shawi is described in a paper published today in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. _____ Timothy M. Richards et al. A new species of crested pterosaur (Pterodactyloidea, Anhangueridae) from the Lower Cretaceous (upper Albian) of Richmond, North West Queensland, Australia. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, published online August 9, 2021; doi: 10.1080/02724634.2021.1946068 Have you ever heard of grades being awarded by School Teachers at qualifying exams rather than students sitting at these exams? by Victor Cherubim Students around the world will soon in August receive their A-Level and GCSE results after exams may have been cancelled for the second consecutive year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Have you ever heard of grades being awarded by School Teachers at qualifying exams rather than students sitting at these exams? Pupils in UK in 2020 after the fiasco around grading by a controversial algorithm which moderated teachers grades and was later discarded by the educational authority OFQUAL, aretoday having to have their grades decided solely by their teachers estimation of their standard. But simultaneously Teachers in England have been required to consider a range of evidence, including mock exams, coursework and in class assessments using questions by exam boards to make decisions on pupils grades. What shambles? Students have not attended classes during the past year are now disadvantaged by what their teachers think of their ability, or so it seems. But, to ensure that the process by which grades awarded was correct and that they represented a reasonable exercise of academic judgment, all GCSE and A Level grades submitted by teachers have been asked by many Exam Boards to look again at the awarded grades for boards to be prepared to issue students with their certificates. That is not all, Minister of Education, Nick Gibbs has stated we want all students to feel proud of their achievements this year. These results are meaningful qualifications and they will help young people go on the next stage of their life. However, in the actual world, students are more than sceptical, more worried that their grades will lead them nowhere? As a compensation students can sit an examination in October 2022, if they do not like their results? All this hassle for a place at Uni? What options for a school leaver? Once A Levels and GCSE results day is done and dusted, students are free to try something new.They must never forget that they are more than their grades? They can explore their options, from University to Sponsored Degrees, to BTEC or City & Guilds Professional qualifications to Higher Apprenticeships. Get a Job? The choice of leaving education is indeed a difficult choice. If they are 18 and over they can look for jobs without needing to do any more Further Education. But, if you are ready to start job hunting, a great first step in my opinion, is to choose a job that you once had a hobby. You can become a young entrepreneur, a young professional. You can build on five important life and work skills: Self-Management Self-Belief Communication Problem Solving and Team Work Apprenticeships Apprenticeships come in different levels. You can do Higher Apprenticeships if you have A Levels and 3 Vocational qualifications like NVQ and you are not going to University. The choice between a Job or a Degree is Higher Apprenticeship. You will get training (resulting in an industry-recognised qualification) while earning a salary and getting real like work experience. You can even do apprenticeships that result in a full degree qualification while you work at the same time. It will take you from Level 4 Study to getting a full degree. With Higher Apprenticeships there is no degree fees to pay, so it is a very realistic way to pack in the learning without getting into student debt. Sponsored Degree Another choice is a Sponsored Degree which is an opportunity to gain work skills and a degree that is associated with one particular employer. Your resulting skills, knowledge and qualification will be recognised by everyone in the industry. What you may be bound to do? After Coronavirus, a new culture of work ethic is brewing and life style has become more important than work. Money according to many people is no longer the sole object. Work style is paramount? It is so easy to try working at the first opportunity either as a Machinist in a Garment Factory or try finding a job situation abroad. Both these options are fraught with their own difficulties. The first Choice is the monotony, let alone factory working hours and low wages. The second is restricted due to COVID-19 at present. Who knows what is ahead? If however, you really have an innate interest or a hobby, why not become a sole trader, or an entrepreneur, and start your own small business over a 5 or 10 year term and allow yourself time, to gain valuable person centred relationships to move on to a carrier, which will require your experience? I shudder to think if the latter will ever be your considered choice to bypass the turbulence of the present. Nothing today comes to reality without venture? Professor Malik Peiris reaffirmed that the audio clip on Covid-19 being sharing on social media claiming to be issued by himself is fake. More than three minutes long audio clip prescribed certain medication on preventing Covid-19. It is observed that it was done by a party with the intention of achieving some objective and causing damage to the reputation of Prof. Peiris. The local law enforcement agencies in Colombo have already launched an investigation into the incident. Professor Malik Peiris is a clinical and public health virologist with a particular interest in emerging virus disease, based in Hong Kong SAR. From all over the world the evidence is conclusive that the countries with the largest percentage of the population vaccinated are experiencing the largest number of new Covid cases called breakthroughs, a deceptive term to keep focus off the fact that it is the vaccines that are likely causing the new illnesses, not a delta variant. by Paul Craig Roberts Recently I pointed out that Big Pharma runs an Internet operation to muster Democrats to the defense of Tony Fauci, who has been caught in a number of lies and would face indictment if the US had a rule of law. Big Pharma apparently also funds Coronavirus World Updates which pours out lies to counter the overwhelming evidence that can no longer be suppressed about Covid and the ineffectiveness and danger of the vaccines. From all over the world the evidence is conclusive that the countries with the largest percentage of the population vaccinated are experiencing the largest number of new Covid cases called breakthroughs, a deceptive term to keep focus off the fact that it is the vaccines that are likely causing the new illnesses, not a delta variant. Some parts of the world such as Iceland and Gibraltar have between 90% and 100% of their populations vaccinated, yet they are experiencing high numbers of new illnesses. In other parts of the world reports are coming in that 75% of new infections are among the fully vaccinated. US public health officials are saying the fully vaccinated need to wear masks, an admission that the vaccines provide no protection (neither do the masks). Others health officials report that the vaccines are only good for 6 months and boosters are necessary. But if it is the vaccines that are causing the breakthroughs, the booster jabs will just cause more illnesses. It is inexplicable that health officials cannot get the narrative in line with the facts. The latest lie from Coronavirus World Updates is that those who are not vaccinated are more than twice as likely to be reinfected. There is no evidence whatsoever for this statement. Indeed, the evidence completely contradicts the statement. Country after country report that the breakthroughs are concentrated in the vaccinated. People who had Covid and recovered have natural immunity which holds up far better than the six months being ascribed to the vaccines. The number of official Covid cases is the product of a defective Covid test, now being abandoned by the CDC and WHO. The test was run at such high cycles that it produced false positives that were used to exaggerate the threat and induce fear to prepare acceptance of inoculation. The actual Covid cases are a small percentage of the official number. Remember also that last flu season there were no flu cases reported. The flu cases were counted as Covid cases. The Covid deaths were also greatly exaggerated. Hospitals had financial incentives to report all deaths as Covid deaths. Most Covid deaths were due to co-morbidities, lack of treatment, and even to a motorcycle accident. Here is how to understand that Covid is being used to make vaccine makers and their investors very rich. Covid is amongst us. It has now allegedly produced the delta variant and many more variants are to come. The vaccine only works for a limited time. To be safe we will need booster shots. As the variants will continue forever, so will the booster shots. There might be darker agendas afoot. There is evidence that the toxic spike protein in the vaccine accumulates in the ovaries and testicles, thus impairing human fertility. We have reached the point in our collapse that evidence itself is now regarded as conspiracy theory and is fact-checked away by the hired guns of the corrupt American establishment. According to the corrupt American medical establishment which values money over life, doctors who tell the truth and cure you of Covid are spreading misinformation Here is Dr. Tess Lawrie of the Evidence-Based Medicine Consultancy: WHILE some well-intentioned (but ill-informed) MPs are doing their utmost to counter Covid vaccine hesitancy in their constituencies, the remarkable Dr Tess Lawrie is continuing to try to persuade medical colleagues to pause the rollout. She sets out her case simply and powerfully in this interview with Mark Dolan of talkRADIO, aired on Wednesday. Well worth watching, and it could be sent to friends and relatives who are wondering who to believe on the issue. Dolan, who has had both doses of the vaccine himself, puts questions reflecting the perspective held by most people, that the vaccine is safe and effective, as repeatedly advertised by the NHS. Lawrie, who founded the Evidence-Based Medicine Consultancy Ltd, a specialist firm committed to improving the quality of healthcare through rigorous research, shows a cool authority in her replies. Ive looked at the data and I think there is reason to pause, she says. By the end of June, 300,000 people had reported adverse events through the UK regulators Yellow Card system after taking the vaccine, and this is not normal. If you take a vaccine like tetanus, around since 1968, there are 36 deaths attributed to it on the World Health Organisation (WHO) database, whereas six to seven thousand deaths have been reported from Covid vaccine in just a few months. In the UK, there are 1,440 deaths. So this is unprecedented in the history of any medicine, to have so many deaths reported in such a short time [four months], and indeed so many reports in such a short time. Pressed by Nolan on whether this meant the need for a pause, even though the reports do not prove cause and effect, she says: I tend to adopt the precautionary principle. I think if theres any cause for concern, especially in view of these alarming numbers of reports, we need to get more information, and follow up each and every report to find out a bit more about its association indeed, is it a cause for concern. I feel there is a lack of transparency from the regulatory bodies. In their report, they highlight a very rare brain clot, cerebral venous sinus thrombosis, and that there have been 30 deaths associated with this and a couple of hundred cases. But when you look at the Yellow Card data, you find there have been 2,208 strokes reported a brain bleed and of those, 154 people died. These data are far more worrying to me than just the cerebral venous sinus thrombosis data. And when you look at all sorts of bleed, and the causes of death overall, you see that many are associated with bleeding and clotting. Were seeing brain clots and heart clots and lung clots. The commonest causes of death are brain clots strokes and then pulmonary embolism, which is a lung clot, and also heart clots heart attacks. I personally think these should be investigated. Dolan: Wouldnt pausing the vaccine rollout put us back into the mess of the pandemic? Not really, because we now know there are many safe, effective treatments for Covid. It is not an untreatable condition. Theres a very safe medicine called ivermectin, very low-cost, and around for 40 years, registered on the WHOs database since 1992. And theyve only registered 20 deaths since 1992. Its been given billions of times, used against tropical parasites and available over-the-counter in many countries. Dolan: Should the vaccine be given to children over 12? Its unnecessary and dangerous. A child has more chance of dying from a vaccination looking at these figures than they do from Covid. Dolan: Is the relatively small risk from the vaccine better than getting Covid? Its certainly a nasty virus. I think we all have a robust immune system, if youre not vulnerable and not very elderly. Our immune systems are geared up to deal with viruses, bacteria and others. A lot of the side-effects we see from Covid the long Covid and so on can be prevented by early treatment. The doctors using ivermectin say you dont get long Covid if you treat with it in the early stages. If youve got a treatment for Covid, you dont have to be afraid of Covid. Dolan: Whats your professional verdict on 16 months of rolling out lockdowns in the UK and across the world? I havent seen any good evidence that lockdowns or masks work. More concerning, weve known that ivermectin works for some time, and doctors have been trying to communicate this message to the authorities, who have been very single-minded in their strategy and approach. If ivermectin had been employed last year, when the UK authorities were notified, there would have been no lockdown in my opinion. Dolan: Why do you think your message about applications such as ivermectin were ignored? I think there are a lot of forces at play . . . Covid is probably a 100billion-a-year industry, and ivermectin and other generic medicines are very cheap. Lawrie adds: I think its time everybody took more responsibility for their health. Get themselves in better shape, be careful of what they eat not just the quantity and the calories, but the nutritional value; exercise, and sunlight, and including taking responsibility for getting the information. Anybody can go to the Yellow Card system and have a look at the data. Its not that easy on the government system, but there is a group called UK Column with a website thats really easy to navigate. They update the data every week. You can type in a problem, and see what other people are reporting too. I would encourage everybody, if you have the vaccine today and tomorrow you have some kind of problem, to report it it may be associated with the vaccine, and there might be many other people who are suffering a similar thing. Its only by highlighting these things that we will be able to ask the government to investigate. System error error: Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. context: ... 21: 22: 23: % foreach my $c (@categories) { 24: <%perl> 25: my $category_id = $c->get_id(); 26: my @stories = Bric::Biz::Asset::Business::Story->list ( { element_type_id=>1148, category_id=>$category_id , Order=> 'cover_date', publish_status => 't' , OrderDirection=> 'DESC' , Limit=>10 } ); 27: 28: 29: ... code stack: /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html:25 /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm:951 /var/cache/mason/obj/1784076917/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj:17 /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html:149 Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. Trace begun at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Exceptions.pm line 129 HTML::Mason::Exceptions::rethrow_exception('Can\'t call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25.^J') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 160 HTML::Mason::Component::run_dynamic_sub('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7fc00eee2820)', 'main') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 951 HTML::Mason::Request::call_dynamic('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7fc00eef5bc8)', 'main') called at /var/cache/mason/obj/1784076917/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj line 17 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 138 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7fc00eee2820)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1305 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1295 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 958 HTML::Mason::Request::call_next('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7fc00eef5bc8)') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html line 149 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 138 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7fc00eee3480)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1303 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1295 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 484 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 484 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 436 HTML::Mason::Request::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7fc00eef5bc8)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 165 HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7fc00eef5bc8)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 831 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handle_request('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7fc00e58c180)', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7fc00eee18e0)') called at (eval 487) line 8 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handler('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7fc00eee18e0)') called at -e line 0 eval {...} at -e line 0 System error error: Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. context: ... 21: 22: 23: % foreach my $c (@categories) { 24: <%perl> 25: my $category_id = $c->get_id(); 26: my @stories = Bric::Biz::Asset::Business::Story->list ( { element_type_id=>1148, category_id=>$category_id , Order=> 'cover_date', publish_status => 't' , OrderDirection=> 'DESC' , Limit=>10 } ); 27: 28:
29: ... code stack: /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html:25 /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm:951 /var/cache/mason/obj/1784076917/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj:17 /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html:149 Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. Trace begun at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Exceptions.pm line 129 HTML::Mason::Exceptions::rethrow_exception('Can\'t call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25.^J') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 160 HTML::Mason::Component::run_dynamic_sub('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7fc010a05248)', 'main') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 951 HTML::Mason::Request::call_dynamic('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7fc0124d4500)', 'main') called at /var/cache/mason/obj/1784076917/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj line 17 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 138 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7fc010a05248)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1305 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1295 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 958 HTML::Mason::Request::call_next('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7fc0124d4500)') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html line 149 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 138 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7fc011880af0)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1303 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1295 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 484 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 484 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 436 HTML::Mason::Request::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7fc0124d4500)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 165 HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7fc0124d4500)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 831 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handle_request('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7fc00e58bc90)', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7fc01163dbc8)') called at (eval 487) line 8 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handler('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7fc01163dbc8)') called at -e line 0 eval {...} at -e line 0 System error error: Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. context: ... 21: 22: 23: % foreach my $c (@categories) { 24: <%perl> 25: my $category_id = $c->get_id(); 26: my @stories = Bric::Biz::Asset::Business::Story->list ( { element_type_id=>1148, category_id=>$category_id , Order=> 'cover_date', publish_status => 't' , OrderDirection=> 'DESC' , Limit=>10 } ); 27: 28:
29: ... code stack: /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html:25 /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm:951 /var/cache/mason/obj/1784076917/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj:17 /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html:149 Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. Trace begun at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Exceptions.pm line 129 HTML::Mason::Exceptions::rethrow_exception('Can\'t call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25.^J') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 160 HTML::Mason::Component::run_dynamic_sub('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7fc00ea5e990)', 'main') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 951 HTML::Mason::Request::call_dynamic('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7fc00f005e70)', 'main') called at /var/cache/mason/obj/1784076917/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj line 17 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 138 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7fc00ea5e990)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1305 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1295 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 958 HTML::Mason::Request::call_next('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7fc00f005e70)') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html line 149 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 138 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7fc00eaaff60)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1303 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1295 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 484 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 484 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 436 HTML::Mason::Request::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7fc00f005e70)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 165 HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7fc00f005e70)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 831 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handle_request('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7fc00e58bee8)', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7fc00f002388)') called at (eval 487) line 8 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handler('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7fc00f002388)') called at -e line 0 eval {...} at -e line 0 System error error: Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. context: ... 21: 22: 23: % foreach my $c (@categories) { 24: <%perl> 25: my $category_id = $c->get_id(); 26: my @stories = Bric::Biz::Asset::Business::Story->list ( { element_type_id=>1148, category_id=>$category_id , Order=> 'cover_date', publish_status => 't' , OrderDirection=> 'DESC' , Limit=>10 } ); 27: 28:
29: ... code stack: /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html:25 /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm:951 /var/cache/mason/obj/1784076917/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj:17 /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html:149 Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. Trace begun at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Exceptions.pm line 129 HTML::Mason::Exceptions::rethrow_exception('Can\'t call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25.^J') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 160 HTML::Mason::Component::run_dynamic_sub('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7fc00ee886d0)', 'main') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 951 HTML::Mason::Request::call_dynamic('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7fc00ef271b8)', 'main') called at /var/cache/mason/obj/1784076917/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj line 17 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 138 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7fc00ee886d0)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1305 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1295 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 958 HTML::Mason::Request::call_next('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7fc00ef271b8)') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html line 149 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 138 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7fc00eea4318)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1303 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1295 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 484 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 484 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 436 HTML::Mason::Request::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7fc00ef271b8)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 165 HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7fc00ef271b8)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 831 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handle_request('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7fc00e58b258)', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7fc00edab238)') called at (eval 487) line 8 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handler('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7fc00edab238)') called at -e line 0 eval {...} at -e line 0 Algiers, August 08, 2021 (SPS) - The Algerian President, Mr. Abdelmadjid Tebboune, has reiterated that the issue of Western Sahara was an issue of decolonization, during his regular meeting with the press to inform Algerian public opinion on a number of issues concerning internal and external affairs. In response to a question about Algeria's international standing and its position on a number of external issues, President Abdelmadjid Tebboune reiterated that the Sahrawi issue was clear and was on the agenda of the United Nations as an issue of decolonization. Mr. Abdelmadjid Tebboune added that Algeria was ready to assist the parties to the conflict - the Polisario and the Kingdom of Morocco - to reach a final solution acceptable to both parties. (SPS) 062 To invoke protection from removal under the new CDC order, tenants must file a declaration similar to one required under the order that ran from Sept. 4 to July 31. On the form, tenants must declare that their income was reduced because of the pandemic, that they are at risk of homelessness, and that theyve done their best to make rent payments and secure government assistance. These numbers have sparked concerns that what had once seemed like the smallest of silver linings that COVID-19 mostly spared children might be changing. Some doctors on the front lines say they are seeing more critically ill children than they have at any previous point of the pandemic and that the highly contagious delta variant is likely to blame. UPDATE: On Tuesday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated its COVID case counts for Florida. Its tracker now shows 15,322 new cases for Monday, 19,584 for Sunday (not 28,317), 21,487 for Saturday and 23,958 for Friday. The CDC also revised its daily death counts in Florida to reflect 16 additional COVID deaths for Monday, 21 for Sunday, 17 for Saturday and 43 for Friday. With the revisions, Friday Aug. 6 remains the day when Florida had the most new cases for a single day, at 23,958. Why: Inspectors spotted 23 violations (five high-priority), including 18 live flies landing on plastic wrap and on a rack with cooked peppers, gloves, landing on a cutting board where employee is preparing zucchini, landing on pan of lemons in cook line and on clean dishes, and landing on soda guns, liquor bottles and cutting board at the bar. Inspectors ordered the restaurant to stop selling and toss its raw salmon, gyro meat, cooked meatballs, raw chicken and butter due to temperature abuse. They also spotted a dead roach behind the ice machine, fly sticky tape hanging over food preparation area and raw steak stored in the same container as cooked sausage. None of the problems were fixed by inspectors follow-up visit later that day, which kept Taverna Kyma closed. The restaurant operator still hadnt tossed the cited food by inspectors third visit on Aug. 6, which found 13 more minor and major violations. But after they did, the restaurant was allowed to reopen that day. If Martin was here, I believe hed see the development of this center for the arts finally coming to fruition and say my job here is done. It is truly a dream come true for us, Edith Stein said. Qualifying by voter petition method is the MOST DIFFICULT way to get on the ballot, Dowling said in a written statement. But the people deserved to have a say in who is on THEIR candidates are, and I understand that. We made the decision that the petition method was the ONLY way we would qualify, thus requiring us to go door to door, house to house, event to event, asking the people for their permission to potentially represent them in Congress. In Florida, the importance of our immigrant community cannot be understated. As the states Commissioner of Agriculture, this is a fact I can personally attest to as agriculture is our states second-largest industry, thanks in large part to the dedication of the men and women in agriculture, many of whom are immigrants. In fact, over 40% of immigrants in Florida work in agriculture, ensuring every day that food is brought to the tables of not only our fellow Floridians but the entire country. So while a conviction should not send Jerich to state prison, which means a sentence of more than one year, it should send him to the Palm Beach County Jail. Even if Aronberg did not believe that it qualified as a hate crime, defacing the streetscape was a statement against a segment of the population and a city seeking to make the right statement. Local Police officers in Malaga evicted 370 people from an establishment on Saturday night, 7 August, and reported the business for failing to comply with Covid-19 containment measures. Malaga City Council said the business, "did not comply with the authorised activity and lacking a music license," and also exceeded its closing hours. The citys mayor, Francisco de la Torre, has once again asked the public to act responsibly and, on Sunday, reminded that the coronavirus rules are designed to contain the spread of virus and asked people to remember the 1,759 victims since the start of the pandemic and emphasising the effort made every day by healthcare professionals. Spain's State Meteorological Agency (Aemet) has confirmed this Monday, 9 August, that, we are heading into the first heatwave of summer this week. Aemet says that the high temperatures that began on Sunday, will continue in the next few days, thanks to a very hot air mass from Africa, which will intensify and extend to most of the of the mainland and the Balearic Islands. Only the Cantabrian area and a good part of Galicia will be spared, while it could arrive in the Canary Islands at the weekend. "As a consequence, a progressive increase in temperatures, both minimum and maximum, is expected, giving rise to a heat wave," said Aemet in a statement. Specifically, as of Wednesday, 11 August, temperatures of around 40 degrees are expected in many areas of the southern mainland and will exceed 35 in much of the rest of the south and centre of the peninsula and in areas of the Balearic Islands. On Thursday, a rise in temperatures is expected in the eastern peninsula and in the Balearic Islands, with little change in the rest, which are likely to exceed 40 degrees in the same areas as the previous day, and also in inland areas of the northeast of the peninsula and inland points in Mallorca. The days of the greatest intensity of the heat wave will probably occur between Friday and Sunday, when temperatures will exceed 40 degrees in large areas of the southern half, east and central parts of the mainland and in areas of the Balearic Islands. It is probable that 42 degress is reached or exceeded in valley areas of the southern half of the country and in the Ebro valley. But the intense heat will not only be felt during the day, because Aemet forecasts that in areas with very high maximums during the day, the thermometers could remain at 24 or 25 degrees at night. Andalucia In Andalucia, Aemet has active an amber warning for Wednesday for maximum temperatures of 40 degrees in the Cordoban countryside and in the Guadalquivir Valley in Jaen, as well as yellow alerts for temperatures of 38 and 39 degrees in areas of Seville, Granada, Almeria, Cordoba and Jaen. In the case of Malaga province, Aemet has not yet activated any warnings, although SUR weather expert Jose Luis Escudero points out points out the heatwave would affect the Antequera and Ronda regions to a greater extent, and less so the coastal areas. He also points out that, if the wind changes to the west, there could be a new episode of a very strong terral blast from Monday 16 or Tuesday 17 similar to that of 2 August of last year when Malaga city almost reached 44 degrees." What is a heatwave? According to Aemet, a heatwave is considered an episode of at least three consecutive days weather stations register above the historical average for maximum daily temperatures for the months of July and August during the years from 1971 to 2000. The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that scammers, operating under the name of Capital Finance Inc., London, are distributing messages falsely notifying recipients that they have been selected as beneficiaries of a $1 million compensation fund for losses and damages suffered as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. Supposedly, the 'Covid-19 Lottery Compensation Prize' is being offered by the WHO, in association with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF). WHO explains that the scammers, who claim to be a London financial management company, claim that they have been designated by the World Health Organization to process the payment of this award. The fraudsters will try to obtain personal data and, in some cases, money from the recipients, asking the recipients to urgently send the scammers a copy of their passport or proof of identification of the recipient, their nationality, their occupation, and the postal address, email address and phone number of the recipient, so that the scammers can 'process the payment' of the fake prize. In a statement the World Health Organization warns the public that the 'Covid-19 Lottery Compensation Prize' is a fraudulent scam that is being falsely claiming to be on behalf of WHO, and being distributed through different channels including email and internet web sites. The international health body recommends that recipients of this type of message "exercise extreme caution with regard to such correspondence and requests." The public should be aware that the transfer of personal information or money to the senders of such fraudulent correspondence may result in identity theft or financial loss. Victims of these scams are encouraged to report them to the local police authorities so that they can take appropriate action," it adds. What's Included With a Digital Only subscription, you'll receive unlimited access to our website and e-edition. Our digital products are available 24/7 and are accessible anywhere, anytime. If you have any questions or need further assistance, please call our customer service team at 712-243-2624 or email circ@ant-news.com. The city of College Station is in the process of updating their Comprehensive Plan in alignment with the "Next 10" in order to effectively grow, develop and evaluate the city. Unlimited website access 24/7 Unlimited e-Edition access 24/7 The best local, regional and national news in sports, politics, business and more! With a Digital Only subscription, you'll receive unlimited access to our website and e-edition. Our digital products are available 24/7 and are accessible anywhere, anytime. If you already subscribe to our print edition, sign up for FREE access to our online edition. Thanks for reading The Henderson News. 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. Bahrains Sustainable Energy Authority and US-based Beacon Power Company, a global leader in the technology and solution of energy efficiency improvement, have signed a joint cooperation agreement, local media reported. SEA President Dr Abdulhussain bin Ali Mirza, and the CEO of Beacon Power, Robert G Abboud, signed the agreement, reported Bahrain News Agency (BNA). The agreement is within the framework of SEAs efforts to attract investments in the energy efficiency projects in order to enhance the kingdoms role the energy economy, in general, and the energy efficiency fields, technology and applications, in particular. On the occasion, Dr Mirza extended thanks and appreciation to His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, and His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, for their unlimited support for the Sustainable Energy Authority for the aim of boosting the sustainable energy sector in the kingdom, as well as achieve the comprehensive development goals. He also hailed the strong Bahraini-US economic relations, citing the agreements signed between the two friendly countries in various sectors. He stressed the importance of building regional and international partnerships in order to enrich such a promising and pivotal sector (sustainable energy), as well as ensure the sustainability of the comprehensive development process, and avail of the US markets rich expertise and competitive potentials across various fields. Bahrain Airport Company (BAC) has issued a request for proposal (RFP) for the construction work related to the Cargo Express Village at the Bahrain International Airport (BIA). The scope of work includes the construction, testing and commissioning of the Phase 1-A of Cargo Express Village, according to Bahrain Tenders Board. The key facilities being planned include a warehouses zone spread over a 12,500-sq-m area; two power substations; a landside access road from Al Rayya highway; a car parking zone and security guard house at the entrance of the Cargo Express Village in addition to water tanks and pumping station and an emergency gate. Zone A will boast a 5,000-sq-m warehouse facility exclusively for logistics group FedEx in addition to other storage facilities spread over 7,500 sq m area. On the airside of the Cargo Express Village, BAC said the scope of work includes airside security wall with associated works; emergency gate and airside roads and yard, it stated. According to the Tender Board, bids will be open to only Grade A and Grade AA-rated building contractors registered with the kingdom's Ministry of Works. The deadline for submitting the bids has been set at September 12, it added.-TradeArabia News Service Gulf Air, the national carrier of Bahrain, has restored its flagship double daily direct flights to London Heathrow in line with the latest decision by the British authorities to add the Kingdom of Bahrain to their Amber List as of August 8. Being on the amber list will mean that citizens and residents of Bahrain will be able to quarantine at their choice of residence for 10 days as opposed to institutional quarantine for arrivals from red list countries. Gulf Airs Acting Chief Executive Officer Captain Waleed AlAlawi commented: London is one of our main destinations in Western Europe and weve been connecting both Kingdoms since 1970. It has also been a destination that we maintained scheduled operations to throughout 2020. Thanks to the great efforts by The National Taskforce for Combating the Coronavirus (Covid-19), the Kingdom of Bahrain is now moved from the red list to the amber list in the UK colour coding entry system. Gulf Air is known for its morning and night flights to and from London and were happy to bring these back to offer more flexibility and convenience to our passengers, he added. Gulf Air began the summer season with flights to 80% of its pre-pandemic network and it continued to resume operations and restore services to cities of its original 2019 destination network. The airline has also announced that it has successfully launched all of its seasonal destinations for the summer of 2021 with direct flights to Mykonos and Santorini in Greece, Malaga in Spain and Alexandria and Sharm El Sheikh in Egypt as well as recently resuming Tbilisi in Georgia. The airline currently flies to and from Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Kuwait, Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam, Medina, Muscat, Cairo, Amman, Casablanca, London, Paris, Frankfurt, Athens, Istanbul, Tbilisi, Larnaca, Bangkok, Manila, Singapore, Dhaka, Colombo, the Maldives and several destinations in India and Pakistan. Back in May, the airline announced that all its flights would be operated by 100% vaccinated crew including pilots and flight attendants. The airline has started its internal vaccination campaign for its operating crew and front line staff since December 2020 and is proud to be one of the first airlines in the world to able to provide peace of mind to all passengers flying to any destination of its growing network. Moreover, recently Gulf Air announced offering complimentary Covid-19 travel insurance coverage to all ticket holders including health and quarantine expenses in the unexpected circumstances of being diagnosed with or contracting Covid-19 during passengers journeys. All tickets booked, including redemption tickets, on Gulf Air flights for travel starting from 10 May until 10 November 2021 are automatically covered with Covid-19 insurance at no extra cost. All passengers, according to the newly announced insurance policy and in the unfortunate event of being diagnosed with Covid-19 while travelling abroad, will be covered for repatriation assistance, medical and hospitals costs abroad as well as quarantine accommodation costs. Coverage is applicable on Gulf Air operated flights with Gulf Air ticket numbers that are purchased through the airlines website, the Gulf Air Contact Centre, Gulf Airs sales offices or travel agents. TradeArabia News Service President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov held talks in Ashgabat with President of the Republic of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon, who paid a state visit to Turkmenistan. Following a welcoming ceremony, the heads of two states first met one-on-one and later as part of the official delegations of the two counties, during which the sides discussed issues relating to the Turkmen-Tajik cooperation, as well as regional and international issues of mutual interest. The sides paid special attention to the settlement of the situation in the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. It was noted that establishing effective political and diplomatic mechanisms for solving the Afghan problem with participation of international organizations, primarily the UN, is a matter of particular urgency against the background of the foreign military contingents withdrawal from Afghanistan. During the talks, President Emomali Rahmon invited President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov to take part in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit as an honorary guest of the SCO chairman, which will be dedicated to the 20th anniversary of foundation of this organization. The talks finished with a ceremony of signing bilateral documents. In the afternoon, the President of Tajikistan visited the village of Kipchak, where he laid flowers at the mausoleum of Saparmurat Niyazov and visited the mosque of spirituality of Turkmenbashi. The distinguished guest also laid flowers at the monument Eternal Glory in the memorial complex People's Memory and viewed the exposition of the Museum Sanctity of Motherland located in the territory of the complex, where he left a memorable note in the Book of Honored Guests. TURKMENISTAN.RU, 2021 Amazon, Catamaran end their "Prione Business Services" JV Bengaluru, Aug 9 (UNI) Amazon and Catamaran on Monday decided to end their joint venture Prione Business Services Private Limited beyond the end of its current term. The joint venture was running successfully for the past seven years and was coming up for renewal on May 19, 2022. "... As our JV with Amazon reaches the end of its tenure, I reflect on this successful partnership that introduced the power of digitization and empowered hundreds of thousands of small and medium businesses (SBMs) across big and small towns. We would like to thank Amazon for the partnership that leaves behind a strong legacy of shaping e-commerce in India," Catarman President MD Ranganath said in a statement. He expressed happiness that Prione has leveraged global best practices for e-commerce in India, created jobs, and provided millions of Indian customers access to a wide selection of products from across the country by leveraging technology. The JV has enabled over 300,000 sellers and entrepreneurs to go online and enabled 4 million merchants with digital payment capabilities, providing these SMBs and merchants access to millions of customers across the country. "We are humbled by how the JV exceeded its vision, helping online commerce evolve through the unrelenting efforts of hundreds of its employees, positively impacting over 4.3 million small businesses, creating hundreds of thousands of jobs, and contributing to India's digital economy," Amazon India Global Senior VP and Country Head Amit Agarwal said. When Prione was formed in 2014, e-commerce was still in a nascent stage in India. The small and medium businesses (SMBs) in India were new to digital and needed support, training and tools to go online. The JV's vision was to enable Indian SMBs to succeed in e-commerce and benefit from the digital opportunity. In the last seven years, the JV has made tremendous strides in this direction,leveraging Catamaran's India insights and Amazon' s technology expertise. With foot-on-street teams in 30 cities across India, the JV enabled hundreds of thousands of sellers to sell online and provide a wide selection of products for Indian customers. The JV also supported the growth of programs like Karigar and Saheli. Prione has played an important role in transforming Indian e-commerce, and paving the way for the global scale up of emerging Indian brands. "We were privileged to have had a partner we could learn from and lean on. I would like to thank the Catamaran teamfor this long and fruitful partnership that helped set the direction for e-commerce in India," Agarwal said. About Catamaran Catamaran is a catalyst for creating innovative enterprises in India and manages over $1 billion across asset classes. It invests in bold ideas from passionate entrepreneurs and works with them across stages to build successful enterprises. Further, it has partnered with respected global corporations to create enduring enterprises in India. Catamaran also invests in listed companies catering to large markets, with high standards of corporate governance and the ability to stay resilient across economic cycles. UNI BDN SHK1945 Chennai, Aug 9 (UNI) The Madras High Court today termed as 'utterly mischievous' and dismissed a PIL petition seeking to restrain Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K.Stalin from chairing an Advisory Committee of Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department without taking a pledge that he professes Hindu faith as it is required to be undertaken by HR&CE employees. Dismissing the PIL filed by an advocate at the admission stage itself, the First Bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice P D Audikesavalu refused to entertain the petition terming it as utterly mischievous. They also said that the case was in extremely bad taste and that a prejudice is involved in the prayer sought by the litigant. The Judges also ordered that the petitioner, S Sridhar, would not be entitled to file any PIL petition in the High Court for the next five years without obtaining the express permission of the Bench concerned. The judges observed that there must be a time when prejudice and vendetta had to be shed when it comes to practising a religion. This is a secular country. Even the Constitution permits oath of office to be taken either in the name of God or Constitution, they pointed out. The First Bench also observed that no religion preaches narrow mindedness or to hurt others. The sentiments expressed by the litigant could not be appreciated. UNI GV 1140 Moscow, Aug 9 (UNI/Sputnik) Iran will undertake all necessary measures to protect the Persian Gulf from the threats posed by the United Kingdom as Tehran considers the gulf's security a line that cannot be crossed, the Iranian Foreign Ministry's spokesman, Saeed Khatibzadeh, said on Monday. On Friday, UK Ambassador to the United Nations Barbara Woodward said that Iran was behind a recent attack against the Mercer Street tanker. London will seek to hold Tehran accountable over its alleged involvement in the assault that claimed the life of one British citizen, Woodward said. The Japanese-owned tanker was attacked on July 29, which resulted in the death of two crew members. "The security of the Persian Gulf is a red line for Iran. We will do everything possible to defend this waterway from dangers from such countries as the United Kingdom," Khatibzadeh said as quoted by the Fars News Agency. UW Employee of the Quarter Reception Wednesday A reception to honor the two 2021 University of Wyoming Staff Employee of the Quarter recipients is at 4 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 11, in the Wyoming Union Family Room. UW President Ed Seidel will host the reception and give opening remarks at 4:10 p.m. The campus community is invited to the event, with light refreshments provided. The two Staff Employee of the Quarter recipients to be honored are: -- First quarter, Jess Willford, a manager in the LeaRN Program, a unit of the Office of Academic Affairs. -- Second quarter, Chandelle Macdonald, a master technician in the Stable Isotope Facility in the Berry Biodiversity Conservation Center, which is directed by the UW Office of Research and Economic Development. An Employee of the Quarter nominee can be any UW staff employee, and each must receive three nomination forms from three separate individuals. Nominations must be submitted to the Staff Senate office. The forms are on the web and can be found here. For more information, call the Staff Senate office at 766-5300. UW Libraries Names Alternative Textbook Grant Recipients University of Wyoming Libraries recently awarded alternative textbook grants to two faculty members to implement open educational resources (OER) in their classes this fall. The alternative textbooks resulting from the grants are projected to save UW students more than $18,800 per semester. These recipients are adapting and creating open materials for foundational courses that will have a broad impact on students, says Chealsye Bowley, digital scholarship librarian. What is especially exciting about this grant cycle is the potentially nationwide and even global use of the created materials for art history and social work courses. Grants are awarded to instructors who adopt, adapt or create new open textbooks or other materials for their courses. Grant awards range from $1,500 to $3,000. The grant recipients are: College of Arts and Sciences -- Tracy Eckersley, a visiting assistant professor in the Department of Visual and Literary Arts. Eckersley, who teaches Art History Survey I, is adapting openly licensed materials to replace the required textbook for this foundational course requirement for all art history, studio and art education students. College of Health Sciences -- Sandra Leotti, an assistant professor in the Division of Social Work. Leotti teaches Advanced Generalist Practice and will be collaboratively creating openly licensed social work case studies with graduate students. The case study OER will be focused on Wyoming and rural case studies, and will be widely shared with instructors across the continent to help bridge gaps in rural social work education. UW Libraries will award another round of grants for the spring 2022 semester. Proposals for that award period are due Friday, Oct. 29. For more information, visit https://uwyo.libguides.com/oer/grants; or call Bowley at (307) 766-6860 or email cbowley@uwyo.edu. remaining of Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading. School officials announced today that Murray State University will distribute approximately $4.5 million to eligible students who are enrolled in courses this fall semester. The money comes from the Federal Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund, part of the American Rescue Plan passed in March. Murray State has already forgiven close to $1 million in student debt on their accounts heading into the fall semester, which begins on August 17. PHOTO:Murray State University MSU Offers Students $1,500 in Stimulus Funds By West Kentucky Star Staff MURRAY - Murray State University is offering students up to $1,500 through its stimulus funds.School officials announced Monday that the University would distribute about $4.5 million to eligible students enrolled in courses this fall. The funding is part of the Federal Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund, part of the American Rescue Plan.Eligible continuing students received notification of the funds through email last week. First-time students attending this fall will receive notice after August 24.Grant awards will range from $250 to as much as $1,500. The money can be used for education-related expenses or emergency costs related to the pandemic, including tuition, food, housing, healthcare, or childcare."We are very grateful for these federal stimulus funds and are pleased to be able to provide assistance to many of our students and their families," Murray State President Dr. Bob Jackson said. AED Donated to Calloway Sheriff's Office By West Kentucky Star Staff CALLOWAY COUNTY - On Monday, Robbie Rudolph and Rudolph Tire donated an Automated External Defibrillator to the Calloway County Sheriff's Office.The donation is to help with the department's AED program and will be placed in one of the department's patrol vehicles.They first implemented a defibrillator program in 2004 with help from the Murray-Calloway County Hospital Endowment and the Murray Women's Club.Over the last 17 years, the AEDs have been used numerous times by Calloway County deputies. In May, the Sheriff's Office announced a revitalization of the AED program due to its previous AEDs being taken out of service. At that time, The Murray Bank donated five, and Mitchell's Towing donated three.In July, the Calloway County Fair donated to the program, allowing the sheriff's office to acquire one more AED.The Sheriff's Office needs just three more AEDs to equip its remaining deputies.An AED is a medical device designed to analyze the heart rhythm and deliver an electric shock to victims of ventricular fibrillation to restore the heart rhythm to normal. WKU Names Residence Hall After First Black Student By The Associated Press BOWLING GREEN - Western Kentucky University has renamed a residence hall in honor of its first Black student and graduate. The Daily News reported the schools Board of Regents voted last week to rename Northeast Hall in honor of Margaret Munday.The action came more than 60 years after Munday attended Western Kentucky University. WKU President Timothy Caboni said the honor is "well-deserved" and well-past time. The newspaper reports Munday is the first African American person to have a building on campus named in her honor. Munday gradated from Western in 1960 and went on to teach music education in Logan County. Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-08 05:28:54|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close SANTIAGO, Aug. 7 (Xinhua) -- Chile continued to register below 1,000 daily cases of COVID-19 after reporting 940 infections in the last 24 hours. "940 new cases have been reported, with a positivity of 1.4 percent in the last 24 hours nationwide," Health Minister Enrique Paris told the press on Saturday. However, the official stressed the importance of continued vigilance against the virus. The total number of people who had been diagnosed with COVID-19 in the South American country reached 1,622,509 and the death toll rose to 35,951, after 71 deaths from the disease were registered over the past day. In recent weeks, Chile has reported the lowest numbers of infections and hospitalizations of the pandemic. More than 80 percent of the population had been vaccinated against COVID-19, Chilean President Sebastian Pinera said. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-09 09:09:24|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Photo taken with mobile phone shows a burnt-out passenger van in Gujranwala district of Pakistan's east Punjab province, Aug. 8, 2021. Nine people were killed and three others injured when the gas cylinder of a passenger van exploded in Gujranwala district of Pakistan's east Punjab province on Sunday night, local media reported. (Str/Xinhua) ISLAMABAD, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- Nine people were killed and three others injured when the gas cylinder of a passenger van exploded in Gujranwala district of Pakistan's east Punjab province on Sunday night, local media reported. The van caught fire following the explosion, killing five people at the spot while four others succumbed to injuries in hospital, the report said. The injured people were also shifted to a hospital where their condition is said to be critical. Firefighters rushed to the site to douse the fire and recovered the bodies of the dead. Vehicles in Punjab are allowed to run on gas cylinders, but the poorly maintained old vehicles often pose a danger for the passengers. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-09 13:15:43|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close COLOMBO -- It is axiomatic at this point that the U.S. politicization and deviancy from scientific facts on the origin tracing of the COVID-19 virus is a part of a false flag operation, said an article published in Maldives News Network on Sunday. While the majority of the nations are cooperating and calling for a transparent and scientifically-driven investigation into the origin of the virus, the United States has made a firm stance on its approach to tracing the origin of the virus, Maldives-based social advocate and activist Hamdhan Shakeel wrote in the article under the headline "COVID-19: Debunking the U.S. politicization of the origin tracing of virus." (U.S.-COVID-19-politicization) - - - - WELLINGTON -- More than 2.2 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in New Zealand, including 1.38 million first doses and 820,000 second doses, according to the Ministry of Health on Monday. A total of 20,209 doses were administered on Sunday, including 15,601 first doses and 4,608 second doses, ministry statistics showed. (New Zealand-COVID-19) - - - - TOKYO -- Typhoon Lupit pummeled western Japan with strong winds and heavy rain early Monday morning after making landfall on the southwestern Kyushu region Sunday night, the weather agency said. According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, Typhoon Lupit, the ninth typhoon of the year, is expected to reach the Sea of Japan after making landfall near Kure in Hiroshima Prefecture shortly past 5:00 a.m. local time Monday, while bringing downpours and strong winds to western, eastern and northern Japan areas through Tuesday. (Japan-Typhoon Lupit) - - - - CAIRO -- The World Health Organization (WHO)'s proposal, under the pressure of the United States, to conduct a second-phase COVID-19 origin tracing in China is politicized, a former Egyptian diplomat has said. China has already received a WHO delegation which stayed for a long time to study the virus origin and concluded in a report that the lab leak theory was "extremely unlikely," said Ali el-Hefny, Egypt's former ambassador to China and former deputy foreign minister, in a recent interview with Xinhua. (Egypt-China-COVID-19) - - - - LA PAZ -- The Bolivian government and experts say the country's economy had a positive performance in the first half of the year, but it is necessary to be cautious in the face of a possible fourth wave of COVID-19. In a speech delivered to the country on Friday, Bolivian President Luis Arce assured people that growth had resumed, pointing to the reduction of unemployment and the increase in exports. (Bolivia-Economy) Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-09 15:39:29|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close HARBIN, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- Four people were killed and seven others injured after the top floor of an office building in Harbin City, capital of northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, collapsed on Sunday afternoon, local authorities said Monday. The accident took place around 3:10 p.m. when the seventh floor -- the topmost floor of the building -- collapsed while workers were carrying out waterproofing work, leaving 11 people trapped. The injured are being treated in the hospital. The building belongs to a local investment company. Further investigation into the accident is underway. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-09 16:03:39|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close The latest resurgence of COVID-19 in China, caused mainly by the Delta variant, is more complicated but the epidemic is generally controllable, a Chinese official has said. He Qinghua, a senior official with the National Health Commission (NHC), made the remarks at a press conference organized by the State Council inter-agency task force on Thursday. "As long as local authorities strictly implement various prevention and control measures, I think the epidemic will be largely under control within two to three incubation periods," he said. He acknowledged that the current wave is more complicated and has put some strain on response efforts since it has multiple imported sources and has affected a wide range of people and places. The latest outbreak mainly originated from a flight that departed from Russia and landed in Nanjing, capital of east China's Jiangsu Province. Further viral genome sequencing has found that all the strains in the recent resurgence of COVID-19 were the highly infectious Delta variant. In a bid to curtail the spread of the Delta variant, prevention measures have been taken across China, including massive testing, targeted lockdowns, and extensive contact tracing. As of Aug. 7, the Chinese mainland has administered more than 1.77 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines. Produced by Xinhua Global Service Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-09 16:17:06|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close HONG KONG, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- Hong Kong's Center for Health Protection (CHP) reported two new imported cases of COVID-19 on Monday, taking the tally of total confirmed cases to 12,015. The new imported cases involved patients arriving in Hong Kong from Romania and Russia. In the past 14 days, the CHP reported a total of 35 confirmed cases, including one untraceable local infection and the rest were imported. More than 6.18 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered since the launch of the government vaccination program on Feb. 26. More than 3.49 million people, or 51.4 percent of the eligible population, have received their first shot, and more than 2.68 million are fully vaccinated. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-09 16:37:32|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close YINCHUAN, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- ZAPAD/INTERACTION-2021, a joint military exercise between China and Russia, kicked off Monday at a combined-arms tactical training base of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) in northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. Li Zuocheng, a member of the Central Military Commission (CMC) and chief of staff of the CMC Joint Staff Department, served as the general director of the exercise. At the opening ceremony, Li announced the order for the exercise to begin. Participating officers and soldiers from the two militaries were organized into 13 ground formations and two air echelons to be inspected. The joint exercise aims to deepen the joint anti-terrorism operations between the Chinese and Russian militaries and demonstrate the firm determination and strength of the two countries to jointly safeguard international and regional security and stability, according to Chinese and Russian officials. It reflects the new height of the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era and of the strategic mutual trust, pragmatic exchanges and coordination between the two countries, the officials said. The joint exercise is set to continue till Aug. 13. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-09 16:50:39|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close ADDIS ABABA, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- Ethiopia registered 424 new COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours, taking the nationwide tally to 284,091 as of Sunday evening, the country's health ministry said. Meanwhile, five new virus-related deaths and 305 more recoveries were reported, bringing the national death toll to 4,426 and total recoveries to 264,617, the ministry said. Ethiopia, Africa's second-most populous nation, has so far reported the highest COVID-19 caseload in the East Africa region. According to the ministry, Ethiopia currently has 15,046 active cases, of whom 291 are under severe health conditions. Amid the national push for vaccination, the East African country has so far administered a total of 2,270,390 COVID-19 vaccine doses, according to the ministry. The country received the first batch of China's Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccines donated by the Chinese government in March. Ethiopia is among the countries hardest hit by COVID-19 in Africa, following South Africa, Morocco, Tunisia and Egypt. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-09 16:50:59|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BEIJING -- The following are the updates on the global fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. ---- PHNOM PENH -- Cambodia on Monday confirmed 508 new COVID-19 cases, of which 121 were imported, raising the national total caseload to 82,399, the Ministry of Health (MoH) said in a statement. Twenty-three more fatalities had been registered, taking the overall death toll to 1,585, the MoH said, adding that 660 other patients had recovered, bringing the total number of recoveries to 76,155. ---- ULAN BATOR -- Mongolia registered 1,071 new COVID-19 cases over the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide tally to 174,603, the country's health ministry said Monday. A total of 5,605 samples were tested across the country in the past day, and the latest confirmed cases were locally transmitted, the ministry said in a statement. Meanwhile, five new deaths were reported, taking the total death toll to 884, it said. ---- KAMPALA -- Uganda on Monday resumed its COVID-19 vaccination exercise after weeks of stock-out, an official said here on Monday. "Please reach out to the nearest vaccination center for your second COVID-19 jab of the AstraZeneca vaccine. It is free, safe and effective," Emmanuel Ainebyoona, spokesperson for the ministry of health, said via Twitter. ---- VIENTIANE -- Lao Ministry of Health on Monday reported 170 new COVID-19 confirmed cases, bringing the cumulative caseload to 8,561 and deaths to eight since the pandemic began in the county. Deputy Director General of the Department of Communicable Diseases Control under the Ministry of Health Phonepaserd Sayamoungkhoun told a press conference in Lao capital Vientiane on Monday that 170 new cases of COVID-19 have been recorded over the past 24 hours, including 149 imported cases and 21 local transmissions. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-09 17:23:09|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close by Yosley Carrero HAVANA, Aug. 8 ( Xinhua) -- The Cuban government has strengthened the COVID-19 response in the central province of Ciego de Avila, one of the island's hotspots. Cuba on Sunday logged 9,427 new COVID-19 cases and 83 related deaths, pushing its nationwide tally to 458,219 and 3,418, respectively. With a population of nearly 320,000, Ciego de Avila registered 1,213 new infections in the past 24 hours. In addition, Moron, the province's second most populous urban area, remains as the municipality with the highest COVID-19 infection rate on the island. At the same time, in Ciego de Avila, where "Jardines del Rey" seaside resort is located, international tourists, mainly from Russia, continue to arrive under COVID-19 health protocols. Cuban Prime Minister Manuel Marrero urged local authorities to reinforce coronavirus protocols in Ciego de Avila, where the Delta variant continues to wreak havoc. "We feel pain for what is happening in Ciego de Avila, and we will not leave the province and its people alone. This situation is reversible," he told a governmental meeting. Marrero added that Cuban authorities will do whatever it takes to help people in Ciego de Avila slow the spread of COVID-19 amid the sharpest rise in cases, deaths and hospitalizations. Meanwhile, hundreds of people infected with the virus across the province are under home hospitalization due to limited bed capacities in hospitals and isolation centers. In recent days, some 230 health professionals of Cuba's Henry Reeve International Brigade returned from Venezuela to provide people in Ciego de Avila with medical assistance. At present, a work team headed by Cuba's deputy prime minister Jorge Luis Tapia is supervising the strict fulfilment of measures to tackle the COVID-19 crisis in Ciego de Avila. In parallel, new restrictions on people's and vehicles' movement came into force across the province over the weekend. Ciego de Avila resident Julio Marin said that self-responsibility will be fundamental to overcome the complex epidemiological situation in the Cuban central province. "We have to work hard to prevent more people here from dying from COVID-19," he told Xinhua via phone. "If everyone does his or her part, we will overcome this complex scenario sooner." Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-09 19:32:47|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close by Wang Aona, Dames Alexander Sinaga JAKARTA, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- Amid the recent upsurge in COVID-19 cases, why not stay at home and secure good deals online? The annual ASEAN Online Sale Day is being held from Aug. 8 to 10, creating an avenue for retailers across various sectors to showcase their offerings and reach out to the larger regional market. Despite the uncertainties caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the economy of Southeast Asia is showing resilience by a promising e-commerce industry. DISCOUNTS AND SALES "Amazing discounts are waving again, and I'm going to make full use of them," said Val Reyes, mother of three living in Manila, the Philippines. "Toys come and go for babies and I plan to order new ones online this time. It's rather convenient especially now that we are prohibited to go shopping in malls because of the very strict quarantine," Reyes told Xinhua. What Reyes referred to is the ASEAN Online Sale Day 2021, a three-day shopping festival with hundreds of platforms across the region offering discounts for consumers. Flashing ads for sales have been seen several days before the event on the websites and apps of local and cross-border e-commerce players, such as Shopee, Lazada, Zalora and JD. From groceries, electronics, to educational and hotel services, a variety of products and services across the region can be reached with a click. "I've been browsing through several platforms on my phone, trying to find an ideal pair of skateboarding shoes with a good deal," said Daniel Hadiyan, a 25-year-old working at a start-up company in Jakarta, Indonesia. This is the second time for ASEAN members to hold the shopping event, which was initiated by Vietnam in 2020 to be a yearly event, and aims to facilitate transborder e-commerce and to support local SMEs (Small and Medium Enterprises) in the context of COVID-19. REACHING OUT TO LARGER MARKETS "I expect to see sales boost for 8.8," said Hardi Syahputra, a 31-year-old online merchant living in Java. He went online to sell clothes and shoes after resigning last year as the company he worked for was damaged by the pandemic. Many Indonesians like Syahputra, who have been laid off or fired from their previous jobs recently, are going online for a new lifeline. During the event, Indonesia presents products created by 97 local businesses including SMEs on their respective platforms, six times the number of participants last year. "We selected from over 300 companies applying for participation and those we chose are considered to have credible infrastructure readiness for online trading," said Marolop Nainggolan, Director of Export Development Cooperation of Indonesia's Trade Ministry. Nainggolan said that this activity is considered as a good opportunity to increase Indonesia's export and in particular, as a wake-up call for domestic businesses to keep up and become qualified players in Southeast Asia. "Expanded channels to market matter. That's what we hope to support local and regional sellers with," said Martin Yu, Director of Shopee Philippines. CLICK TO PROSPERITY The rise of e-commerce has appeared to be the silver lining of the pandemic-stricken economy. According to the recent report released by Lazada, a leading e-commerce platform in Southeast Asia, 52 percent of sellers in Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia and Singapore saw a high level of growth during the first half of 2021, with 70 percent expecting additional growth of more than 10 percent in the third quarter of 2021. The e-commerce industry is also bringing more and more momentum to the economic recovery. Based on a report on Southeast Asia's e-commerce, conducted by Google, Temasek and Bain last year, the Gross Merchandise Volume (GMV) of e-commerce in this region is expected to grow by 23 percent from 62 billion U.S. dollars in 2020 to 172 billion U.S. dollars by 2025. This is driven by a young and digitally-savvy population, and bolstered by increased information and communications technology (ICT) infrastructure investments by both governments and businesses. Marievic M. Bonoan, Director of the Bureau of Domestic Trade Promotion, the Philippines, said, "The 8.8 online sale day allows ASEAN nations to establish a strong online trading presence. We will continue to collaborate with leading platforms to drive economic recovery through e-commerce." (Yan Jie, DAAG in the Philippines, Li Xiaoyu in Singapore also contributed to the story.) Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-09 20:15:23|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close SANAA, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- Airstrikes by the Saudi-led coalition overnight destroyed at least five pick-up vehicles carrying combatants of the Houthi militia in Yemen's central province of Marib, a military source told Xinhua on Monday. "The vehicles were destroyed in and around the frontline of the southwestern district of Rahabah, killing all aboard," the source in Marib said on condition of anonymity. "Despite the airstrikes, the Houthis continue their attempts to retake strategic mountains in the district," said the source without elaborating further. Meanwhile, the Houthi-run al-Masirah TV reported six Saudi-led airstrikes on Rahabah and the western district of Sirwah without providing more details. Early on Monday, the Saudi-led coalition said it intercepted and destroyed two bomb-laden drones launched by the Houthis from Yemen towards the Saudi southern city of Khamis Mushait. There was no comment yet from the Houthi group. The Houthis began in February a major offensive on Marib in an attempt to seize control of the oil-rich province, the government's last northern stronghold. Yemen's civil war flared up in late 2014 when the Iran-backed Houthi group seized control of much of the country's north and forced the internationally recognized government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi out of the capital Sanaa. The Saudi-led Arab coalition intervened in the Yemeni conflict in March 2015 to support Hadi's government. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-09 20:22:13|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BAMAKO, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- More than fifty civilians were killed Sunday in several attacks in Mali's northern region of the Gao, local media reports said on Monday. Local security sources have already confirmed these attacks with a heavy casualty, without specifying the exact number of deaths, online media Gao-Infos said. According to witnesses, four villages were attacked, including Ouatagouna, Dirgua, Deouteguef and Karou. "In addition to the deaths, several shops were looted and animals taken away by the assailants," a local official said, on condition of anonymity for security reasons. The Malian authorities have not yet officially confirmed this attack on civilian populations in the north of the country. Since 2012, Mali has been facing a profound and multifaceted security, political and economic crisis. Independence insurgencies, then jihadist incursions and intercommunal violence have left thousands dead and hundreds of thousands displaced, despite the presence of UN (MINUSMA), French (Barkhane) and European forces (Takuba). Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-09 20:35:40|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close HANOI, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- Eyeing a 6.5-percent gross domestic product (GDP) growth in 2021, with less than five months to go, Vietnam has yet to overcome its worst wave of COVID-19 infections so far. As of Sunday, a total of 208,060 domestically transmitted cases had been registered in the country, including 206,490 since April 27, when the wave started. The southeast Asian country has now gone through 11 consecutive days with a daily increase of COVID-19 cases over 7,000. As admitted by the country's Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT) in a July report, achieving the country's growth target for the whole year will be very challenging, requiring both good control of the COVID-19 pandemic and ensuring production and business activities. Courtesy of more effective control over COVID-19 earlier this year, Vietnam had been enjoying steady economic recovery from 2020, a year troubled by the pandemic, when its GDP growth rate plunged to 2.91 percent, the lowest over the past decade. According to Vietnam's General Statistics Office (GSO), in the first half of this year, the country recorded a year-on-year GDP growth of 5.64 percent, well above the 1.82 percent posted in the same period last year. The industry and construction sector was the main driver, with a growth rate of 8.36 percent against the first half of last year, contributing 59.05 percent to the overall growth. In terms of trade, Vietnam's total trade volume from January to July this year stood at 373.36 billion U.S. dollars, up 30.2 percent year on year. However, as the COVID-19 situation in the country suddenly took a turn for the worse in late April with the rampant Delta variant, stringent yet inconsistent epidemic control measures were imposed, slowly putting a halt to the recovery momentum. In particular, some industrial parks were forced to temporarily cease operation due to clusters of infections, and the Vietnamese capital Hanoi and the southern business hub Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC), the epicenter of the current COVID-19 wave, were both put under extensive lockdown in July with the country's strictest social-distancing rules in place. According to the MOIT, the new epidemic wave has largely impacted localities with bigger roles in the country's economy and with more businesses in the global industrial chain, such as the northern provinces of Bac Giang and Bac Ninh, homes to a number of industrial parks, the northern port city of Hai Phong, and HCMC. Data from the ministry showed that Vietnam's index of industrial production in July grew by 1.8 percent month on month and 2.2 percent year on year, marking the slowest pace in seven months. The number of new enterprises established in July in the country also dropped by 22.5 percent from the previous month, with their total registered capital down sharply by 25.3 percent, according to the GSO. Surveys from Nikkei and the London-based information services company HIS Markit revealed that Vietnam's manufacturing purchasing managers' index (PMI) was at 44.1 and 45.1 in June and July, respectively, signaling a significant deterioration in business conditions in the manufacturing sector for two months in a row, as a PMI reading below 50 indicates a contraction. As a result, in late July, the Asian Development Bank has lowered its forecast for Vietnam's GDP growth to 5.8 percent in 2021 from the previous estimate of 6.7 percent in April. For many Vietnamese, whether or not the country will reach its economic growth target ultimately depends on how the COVID-19 situation is handled. Le Trung Hieu, head of the National Accounts System Department under the GSO, said that to achieve the economic growth target, Vietnam must post a GDP growth rate of about 7.2 percent in the second half of the year, which would be very difficult "given the very weak internal capacity of the economy and the key economic provinces heavily affected by the pandemic." According to the Vietnam Institute for Economic and Policy Research, an independent think tank, even if the Vietnamese government could put the epidemic under control in August, the country's economic growth rate in 2021 would reach 5.4 percent to 6.1 percent, still lower than the goal of 6.5 percent. Trung Thanh, an associate professor at the Hanoi-based National Economics University, said it is almost certain that the target is unachievable, saying that apart from the impacts brought by domestic COVID-19 control measures, the transmission of the Delta variant might also jeopardize the economic recovery of the major economies in the world, which would negatively affect Vietnam's trade and investment attraction. Currently, vaccination against the coronavirus remains on the top of the list for the Vietnamese authorities. As of Aug. 5, the country had received 18 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines from other countries and international organizations, said Le Thi Thu Hang, spokesperson of Vietnam's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, at a press conference last Thursday. As of Sunday evening, however, no more than 8.9 million doses had been administered nationwide, over 7 million of which were first doses. Vietnam reported a new daily high of 9,684 domestically transmitted COVID-19 cases on Sunday. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-09 20:37:33|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BEIJING, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- The State Council, China's cabinet, announced the appointment and removal of officials Monday. Zhang Yudong was appointed vice minister of science and technology. Ren Hongbin was appointed vice minister of commerce. Ma Feixiong was named vice minister of veterans affairs. Jiang Hui was named vice president of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. Huang Luqi was appointed deputy head of the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Wu Jianli was appointed vice chairman of the National Council for Social Security Fund. Zhang Guangjun will continue to hold the post as president of the Southeast University. Zhang Xiangchen no longer serves as vice minister of commerce. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-09 21:58:30|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close MOGADISHU, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- Somalia and Kenya have agreed to shore up their frosty diplomatic relations following a meeting in Mogadishu on Sunday between senior officials from the east African neighbors. Somali President Mohamed Farmajo, Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble and Foreign Minister Abdirazak Mohamed held talks with Kenya's Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Raychelle Omamo and resolved to strengthen ties on trade, security and diplomacy, according to a joint communique issued Sunday evening. The two countries agreed to urgently organize the third session of the Somalia-Kenya joint commission for cooperation, a framework through which the two countries will undertake comprehensive discussions and develop clear modalities for implementing commitments focusing on diplomatic relations, trade and investment, security, tourism and economy, among others. The countries also reiterated their commitment to working together with other colleagues in the region and international community to promote peace and security within the Horn of African region and beyond. Roble, the Somali prime minister, said he will soon pay an official visit to Nairobi to further strengthen the relations with Kenya. Somalia severed its diplomatic ties with Kenya in December 2020, accusing Nairobi of frequently violating Mogadishu's sovereignty, an accusation denied by Nairobi. Mogadishu restored diplomatic relations with Nairobi on May 5 with mediation by Qatar. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-09 21:59:42|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close NAIROBI, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- Kenya is seeking to increase its horticulture exports to China in order to boost its revenues, the industry said on Monday. Ojepat Okisegere, CEO of Fresh Produce Consortium of Kenya told journalists in Nairobi that China, which has a huge consumer market, can give better revenues as compared to traditional markets in Europe. According to the ministry of agriculture, Kenya generated approximately 148 billion shillings (about 1.36 billion U.S. dollars) from horticulture exports in 2020. Okisegere said that Kenya currently exports frozen avocados and flowers to China. The industry is looking to expand into new markets such as China in order to reduce overdependence on a single region, Okisegere added. The industrial official added that the country is keen to leverage the well developed air and sea freight connections between Kenya and China to boost horticulture exports. He said that it can rapidly ramp up horticulture production because of the availability of large tracts of land that is suitable for cultivation of flowers, fruits and vegetables. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-09 22:05:30|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close JAKARTA, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- A new study conducted by the Indonesian Health Ministry has showed that China's Sinovac vaccine was proven to effectively protect those aged above 60 years old from having COVID-19 symptoms and from mortality caused by the disease. The ministry's study was aimed at examining the effectiveness of the Sinovac vaccine, and measuring how well it works when given to the elderly in the community outside of clinical trials. The Sinovac vaccine, also known as the CoronaVac, has an efficacy rate of 65.3 percent as announced by the country's Drug and Food Control Agency (BPOM) in January for its emergency use authorization (EUA). Indonesia began its massive COVID-19 vaccination program using the Sinovac vaccine in mid-January. Between March 4 and 29, about 40,000 people belonging to the elderly group had received their complete vaccinations, according to the ministry. The review, which was published last Friday, based the results on nearly 87,000 elderly people in the national capital Jakarta during March and April. It focused on those having received the first and second doses of the Sinovac vaccine, and those having not been vaccinated with no records of positive swab tests, also called polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests. The study found that two shots of the Sinovac vaccine were 85 percent effective in preventing COVID-19 symptomatic illness, 92 percent effective against hospitalization, and 95 percent effective against mortality caused by the disease. Meanwhile, the effectiveness of a single shot to prevent symptomatic illness among the elderly was 35 percent. In May, the ministry published a study on the effectiveness of the Sinovac vaccine on medical workers. Looking at about 128,000 healthcare workers between January and March, the review showed that the vaccine was 98 percent effective in reducing the number of deaths among them due to the COVID-19 infections. The Southeast Asian biggest economy has received COVID-19 vaccines from a number of foreign vaccine producers. Sinovac has become the major vaccine in the archipelago. Indonesia has given the first vaccination shots to at least 51.18 million people, and the second shots to 24.48 million people as of Monday, according to latest figures from the Health Ministry. The country is targeting to vaccinate 208.2 million people. To date, the number of confirmed coronavirus cases across the country increased to 3.68 million with 108,571 deaths, the ministry reported on Monday, and the total number of recoveries from the pandemic in the Southeast Asian country was at least 3.12 million. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-09 22:31:27|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close ISLAMABAD, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- Three officials of Pakistan Customs were shot and killed in the country's northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on Monday, police said. The customs officials were travelling in a car when unknown miscreants opened fire at their vehicle in the Daraban area of Dera Ismail Khan district of the province, police sources in the district told Xinhua on condition of anonymity. Two customs personnel were killed on the spot, said the sources, adding that another officer succumbed to his injuries on the way to the hospital. Following the incident, police, security forces and rescue workers rushed to the site and shifted the bodies to the District Headquarters Hospital of Dera Ismail Khan. The assailants fled the scene after committing the crime. Police have registered a case against them and launched an operation in the surrounding areas to arrest on-the-run culprits. According to local media, Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province Mahmood Khan condemned the killing of the government officials. He has sought a detailed report into the incident from the concerned authorities. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-09 22:32:08|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close CAIRO -- The World Health Organization (WHO)'s proposal, under the pressure of the United States, to conduct a second-phase COVID-19 origin tracing in China is politicized, Ali el-Hefny, Egypt's former ambassador to China and former deputy foreign minister has said. China has already received a WHO delegation which stayed for a long time to study the virus origin and concluded in a report that the lab leak theory was "extremely unlikely," said the former Egyptian diplomat in a recent interview with Xinhua. - - - - TEHRAN -- Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said that the U.S. administration should give up the pressure policy pursued by former U.S. President Donald Trump. The spokesman said at his weekly press conference that the U.S. administration should realize that it will not gain anything related to the revival of the 2015 nuclear deal, known also as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, if it adheres to Trump's mentality. - - - - NAIROBI -- "We must treat climate change as an immediate threat, just as we must treat the connected crises of nature and biodiversity loss, and pollution and waste as immediate threats," said United Nations Environment Program Executive Director Inger Andersen. The international community should take decisive steps to reverse global warming and the accompanying threat to vital ecosystems that underpin livelihoods, she said in a statement released in Nairobi. - - - - COLOMBO -- It is axiomatic at this point that the U.S. politicization and deviancy from scientific facts on the origin tracing of the COVID-19 virus is a part of a false flag operation, Maldives-based social advocate and activist Hamdhan Shakeel wrote in an article under the headline "COVID-19: Debunking the U.S. politicization of the origin tracing of virus." While the majority of the nations are cooperating and calling for a transparent and scientifically-driven investigation into the origin of the virus, the United States has made a firm stance on its approach to tracing the origin of the virus, the article published in Maldives News Network on Sunday added. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-09 22:55:31|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close DHAKA, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- Huawei, the leading global provider of information and communications technology (ICT) infrastructure, has contributed digital equipment and other devices necessary to develop a smart classroom for children in Bangladesh. The items were handed over to Ahmed Imtiaz Jami, the founder and president of Obhizatrik Foundation, a local organization working towards overcoming socio-economic challenges, at a ceremony held Monday in Dhaka, said a Huawei statement. Bangladeshi Deputy Minister of Education Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury was present virtually at the event as the chief guest with Zhang Zhengjun, chief executive officer of Huawei Technologies (Bangladesh) Ltd., and officials of Huawei and Obhizatrik Foundation in attendance. Speaking at the event, Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury said, "I'm glad to see a global ICT company like Huawei reaching out to help. I would like to thank Huawei that you are doing your solid effort to develop ICT in Bangladesh and actively engaged in corporate social responsibility." Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-09 23:37:32|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BAGHDAD -- Iraqi security forces on Monday carried out an operation in north of the Iraqi capital Baghdad, killing three militants of the extremist Islamic State (IS) group, a military statement said. A joint army and paramilitary Hashd Shaabi force ambushed a group of IS militants in a rural area near the town of Tarmoyah, some 30 km north of Baghdad, killing the three militants who were planning to carry out terrorist attacks, the Hashd Shaabi said in a statement. (Iraq-Islamic State) - - - - BAMAKO -- More than fifty civilians were killed Sunday in several attacks in Mali's northern region of the Gao, local media reports said on Monday. Local security sources have already confirmed these attacks with a heavy casualty, without specifying the exact number of deaths, online media Gao-Infos said. (Mali-Attacks-Deaths) - - - - TEHRAN -- Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman said on Monday that the U.S. administration should give up the pressure policy pursued by former U.S. President Donald Trump. Saeed Khatibzadeh said at his weekly press conference that the U.S. administration should realize that it will not gain anything related to the revival of the 2015 nuclear deal, known also as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), if it adheres to Trump's mentality. (Iran-JCPOA) - - - - ISLAMABAD -- Three officials of Pakistan Customs were shot and killed in the country's northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on Monday, police said. The customs officials were travelling in a car when unknown miscreants opened fire at their vehicle in the Daraban area of Dera Ismail Khan district of the province, police sources in the district told Xinhua on condition of anonymity. (Pakistan-Firing-Officials) Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-10 00:45:23|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close People walk on a street in New York, the United States, July 20, 2021. (Xinhua/Wang Ying) -"My wife and doctors are convinced I had covid 10/01/2019. It was horrendous, they didn't know what it was then." -"Reckon I had COVID Nov/Dec 2019." -"My son had viral reactive airway disease in December with pneumonia in both lungs... now I'm 100% convinced that he had covid." LONDON, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- A number of people, mainly from the United States, have recounted their experiences on social media about novel coronavirus infections in late 2019, and many experts said that early suspected cases should be the emphasis of the next phase of the COVID-19 origin tracing. More than 1,000 Twitter users reported that they or their family members and friends were infected with novel coronavirus in December 2019 or earlier, according to recent researches. At least 100 of these users, who were authenticated with their real names, have seriously recounted their experiences about getting infected with the virus and being treated in hospitals. The symptoms they have described are very similar to those of the pneumonia disease caused by COVID-19. "My wife and doctors are convinced I had covid 10/01/2019. It was horrendous, they didn't know what it was then. I was isolated in an ICU 10 days, low oxygen count, broken glass x-rays, viral and bacterial pneumonia they couldn't identify with multiple tests," Washington resident Jamie Kettenhofen said in a tweet on Dec. 22, 2020. Medical workers wheel a patient into the emergency room at Maimonides Medical Center in the Brooklyn borough of New York, United States, March 8, 2021. (Xinhua/Michael Nagle) Another American Twitter user James Crewtocks tweeted on Dec. 8, 2020 that "Reckon I had COVID Nov/Dec 2019. Severe recurring fevers, respiratory issues (had to go A&E twice & put on a nebuliser each time), steroids, X-Ray found issue in one lung - most ill I've ever been. Felt that if I hadn't gone to A&E, that I wouldn't a woken up from my sleep." "My son had viral reactive airway disease in December with pneumonia in both lungs," Detroit user Kelsey wrote on Twitter on Dec. 11, 2020. "He barely looked sick, but was actually very sick. He ended up in this hospital. Donated blood from 2019 shows covid antibodies, and now I'm 100% convinced that he had covid. He's totally fine now, this was last December," she added. According to statistics, among those Twitter users worldwide, over 75 percent of them are from the United States, while the left come from other regions including Europe and South America. A medical worker transfers the body of a victim who died of COVID-19 at a hospital in New York, the United States, April 6, 2020. (Photo by Michael Nagle/Xinhua) So far, there have been mounting clues that the novel coronavirus might have appeared in many parts of the world before the end of 2019. An article published on the website of the British journal Nature last week reported that researchers of the U.S. Department of Agriculture have analyzed a number of serum samples collected from white-tailed deer in northeastern United States, and found that one-third of those animals have antibodies against SARS-CoV-2. Of those samples collected in 2019, one was detected as carrying the virus-related antibody, indicating that it has been infected with SARS-CoV-2. However, the first COVID-19 case was officially reported in the United States on Jan. 21, 2020. On Nov. 30, 2020, researchers at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published a report on the bi-monthly Clinical Infectious Diseases journal, saying that they have found 106 blood samples containing novel coronavirus antibodies out of the 7,389 blood samples collected by the American Red Cross between Dec. 13, 2019 and Jan. 17, 2020. Such a finding means the virus may have appeared in the United States by then, weeks before the country's first officially-confirmed COVID-19 infection. Also in November 2020, a study conducted by Italian National Cancer Institute in Milan and published on the country's Tumori Journal, showed that 111 of the 959 healthy volunteers in Italy who participated in a lung cancer screening trial between September 2019 and March 2020 had developed COVID-19 antibodies. Meanwhile, four blood samples were collected in the first week of October 2019, which means those people had been infected with the virus as early as September 2019. People walk on the street amid COVID-19 outbreak in Sao Paulo, Brazil on June 8, 2021. (Xinhua/Rahel Patrasso) Human sewage samples collected on Nov. 27, 2019 in Florianopolis, the capital and second largest city of the Brazilian state of Santa Catarina, contained COVID-19 traces, said a study published on July 2, 2020 led by the Federal University of Santa Catarina. This is about two months ahead of the time when the first COVID-19 case was reported in America, and three months ahead of the first case in Brazil. Researchers believe that human infections may have started 15 to 20 days ago before these samples were collected. Experts believe that early suspected cases and early clues in animals and the environment should be the focus of the next stage of virus origin-tracing work. Liang Wannian, team leader of the Chinese side of the World Health Organization (WHO)-China joint team studying the COVID-19 origins, said in an interview recently that he recommended the WHO to evaluate and analyze the early suspected cases and the early evidence found in animal and environmental studies to determine the scientific validity and reliability of the existing evidence. Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-10 00:56:23|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close MOMBASA, Kenya, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta on Monday called for the strengthening of the international legal regime and institutions as part of global efforts to end the challenge of maritime insecurity. Kenyatta who spoke during the virtual United Nations Security Council (UNSC) debate on maritime security said that threats to maritime insecurity such as terrorism, piracy and robbery at sea are predominantly a factor of land-based instability. "International cooperation should prioritize equipping and training effective national coast guards. A properly contextualized regional and sub-regional approach is the way to go," he said according to a statement released by the presidency in the coastal city of Mombasa. The Kenyan leader appealed for the cessation of geopolitical rivalries saying tensions between nations were creating an environment that aids maritime insecurity. Kenyatta proposed the establishment of secure maritime routes and economic zones by strengthening the potential of countries to resolve domestic and regional security challenges. He reminded the UNSC that rising sea levels and extreme weather conditions occasioned by climate change threatens the existence of some small island states and coastal populations, saying the challenge requires urgent international attention. "Therefore, successful global climate change adaptation and mitigation is key to the security of these states," Kenyatta said According to the president, Kenya will continue to champion for environmental friendly and sustainable utilization of blue economy resources. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-10 01:05:01|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close RABAT, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- The total number of people fully vaccinated against COVID-19 in Morocco reached 11,069,848, the Moroccan Ministry of Health on Monday said in a statement. So far, a total of 15,342,370 first doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in Morocco, said the statement. The North African country launched a nationwide vaccination campaign on Jan. 28 after the arrival of the first shipment of China's Sinopharm vaccines. Meanwhile, Morocco's tally of COVID-19 infections rose to 701,325 as 5,043 new cases were registered during the past 24 hours, while the total recoveries increased by 5,021 to 617,411, the statement said. The death toll from the coronavirus in Morocco rose by 69 to 10,404, while 1,671 people remained in intensive care units, it added. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-10 01:15:01|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Zambian President Edgar Lungu launches the second terminal building at the Kenneth Kaunda International Airport in Lusaka, Zambia, Aug. 9, 2021. Zambia on Monday launched a modern airport terminal, which has been built by a Chinese company. The southern African nation launched the second terminal building at the Kenneth Kaunda International Airport, which will increase the number of passengers from the current two million to four million per year. The project, financed by the Export-Import Bank of China (China Exim Bank), is designed and built by China Jiangxi Corporation for International Economic and Technical Cooperation. (Xinhua/Zhao Yupeng) LUSAKA, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- Zambia on Monday launched a modern airport terminal, which has been built by a Chinese company. The southern African nation launched the second terminal building at the Kenneth Kaunda International Airport, which will increase the number of passengers from the current two million to four million per year. The project, financed by the Export-Import Bank of China (China Exim Bank), is designed and built by China Jiangxi Corporation for International Economic and Technical Cooperation. The construction works started in 2015. Once completed, the project will also have a hotel, cargo terminal, air traffic control building, rescue and fire station as well as a shopping mall. Zambian President Edgar Lungu said the project is a testimony of the warm bilateral relations that exist between the two countries. The Zambian leader said the operationalization of the project was a significant step in the country's development agenda as the current national transport policy seeks to transform the country into a regional transport and logistics hub. According to him, the airport is cardinal to the government's aspiration of modernizing the country's infrastructure, adding that the country's national development plan has identified the transport sector and aviation sub-sector as key enablers to the diversification agenda. He underscored the importance of infrastructure for the development of any country. "Airports front countries to air travelers, as such, they represent nations. This airport will showcase our warm hospitality," he said. Li Jie, Chinese Ambassador to Zambia, said the commissioning of the modern terminal signifies a time of harvest for the practical cooperation that has existed between the two countries. He said the modern terminal will help Zambia become an aviation hub in the southern African region because of its advanced facilities. According to him, the modern terminal can improve the country's aviation infrastructure, enhance connectivity and present a new image of the country. "It will definitely promote the development of tourism of Zambia by attracting more international tourists," he said. The Chinese envoy noted that the completion of the facility is another demonstration of the good relations between the two countries, adding that the traditional friendship has been upgraded to a new level in recent years. He added that China will continue to support Zambia in its endeavor to improve people's lives and social-economic progress. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-10 01:40:37|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- United Nations Undersecretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths on Monday expressed deep concern over the deteriorating situation in Afghanistan, while strongly condemning attacks against civilians. In a statement, the UN humanitarian chief said that he is "extremely concerned by the deteriorating situation in Afghanistan where more than 1,000 people have been killed or injured due to indiscriminate attacks against civilians in Hilmand, Kandahar and Hirat provinces in the last month alone." "Afghan children, women and men are suffering and forced to live with violence, insecurity, and fear every day," said Griffiths. He said that there are "grave concerns" for women's survival and basic human rights. "Forty years of war and displacement, compounded by climate shocks and COVID-19, have left almost half of Afghanistan's population in need of emergency aid," he added. "I join Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and members of the Security Council in strongly condemning attacks against civilians and I echo their calls for a ceasefire. Fighting across the country, which has claimed the lives of over 40,000 people since 2009 when UN reporting began, needs to stop. People have suffered enough," Griffiths said. The humanitarian chief stressed that humanitarian organizations are committed to delivering relief and assistance to all civilians in Afghanistan. "They continue to operate in a neutral and impartial manner but need unimpeded access and assurances that aid workers and service providers can deliver aid and services without interference," he said. "I remind all parties to the conflict of their obligations under international humanitarian and human rights law, including their responsibility to protect civilians and ensure access for humanitarian organizations to reach people in need," Griffiths noted. "A safe, secure, and sustainable future in Afghanistan can only be achieved through successful peace negotiations," he concluded. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-10 02:17:53|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BAGHDAD, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi and French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday discussed preparations for hosting a regional conference at the end of this month. Al-Kadhimi received a phone call from Macron, during which they discussed bilateral relations and the current regional situation and international developments, according to a statement by the prime minister's media office. The French president expressed his aspiration to visit Iraq to attend the conference, the statement said. Macron also praised the balanced Iraqi diplomacy and its contribution to consolidating the foundations of peace and stability in the region, according to the statement. Iraq has recently stepped up its preparations for the conference, which is expected to host Iran, Turkey, Jordan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and representatives of the Syrian government, in addition to Qatar, UAE, and Egypt. Al-Kadhimi sent some Iraqi ministers to extend invitations to the leaders of the neighboring countries to hold the conference to help defuse regional tensions. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-10 02:42:07|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- China said on Monday the United States is not qualified to make irresponsible remarks on the issue of South China Sea. "The United States itself is not qualified to make irresponsible remarks on the issue of South China Sea," Dai Bing, charge d'affaires of China's permanent mission to the United Nations, told the Security Council meeting on maritime security. "I also wish to point out that the Security Council is not the right place to discuss the issue of the South China Sea. The United States just mentioned the South China Sea issue, and China firmly opposes this act," said Dai. "At present, with the joint efforts of China and ASEAN countries, the situation in the South China Sea remains generally stable. All countries enjoy freedom of navigation and overflight in accordance with international law. China and ASEAN countries are committed to fully and effectively implementing the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea and strive to reach the code of conduct in the South China Sea at an early date," said the envoy, adding that "we are determined and able to maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea." The ambassador noted that the United States has been stirring up trouble out of nothing, arbitrarily sending advanced military vessels and aircraft into the South China Sea as provocations and publicly trying to drive a wedge into regional countries, especially countries concerned. "This country itself has become the biggest threat to peace and stability in the South China Sea," he said. "The U.S. itself does not join UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea), but considers itself a judge of the convention, pointing fingers at other countries and interfere arbitrarily. It has no credibility on maritime issues," said Dai. "The U.S. hype in the Security Council is entirely politically motivated. The South China Sea arbitrary tribunal violated the principle of state consent and tried ultra vires. There were obvious errors in the determination of facts and application of the law and its award was invalid and without any binding force," the envoy pointed out. The Security Council on Monday held a videoconference open debate on maritime security. The meeting, which is one of India's signature events during its August presidency, was chaired by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-10 03:35:33|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- The UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) chief on Monday said she was extremely alarmed by the reported killing of more than 200 displaced people, including 100 children, in Ethiopia's Afar region. "The intensification of fighting in Afar and other areas neighboring Tigray is disastrous for children," said Henrietta Fore, UNICEF executive director. "It follows months of armed conflict across Tigray that have placed some 400,000 people, including at least 160,000 children, in famine-like conditions." The attack on displaced families sheltering at a health facility and a school occurred on Thursday. Recent fighting displaced more than 100,000 people, adding to the 2 million people already uprooted from their homes, she said in a statement. "UNICEF estimates a 10-fold increase in the number of children who will suffer from life-threatening malnutrition in Tigray over the next 12 months." The World Food Programme (WFP) reached half of the people it planned to assist, including communities on the verge of famine in northern Ethiopia. It faces severe shortages of food, cash, fuel and functioning telecommunications equipment. Last week, more than 175 aid trucks arrived in the Tigray region via the Abala corridor and 90 more are expected in the coming days, WFP said. About 90 percent of Tigray's population, some 5.2 million people, require humanitarian food assistance. The UN agency and its partners require at least 100 trucks daily to meet their needs. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-10 04:15:17|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close VALLETTA, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- Malta has earmarked 40 million euros (47.2 million U.S. dollars) in European Union funds for a project to install solar panels on its public transport buses fleet, Transport Minister Ian Borg said on Monday. The project was currently being tested through the installation of similar panels on two public transport buses owned by a private transport operator. Borg told a press conference that the project will see a reduction in carbon dioxide emissions and will reduce diesel consumption by eight to ten percent per year. The project is expected to save around 1,000 litres of diesel annually, and reduce the emission of 2,680 kg of carbon dioxide. (1 euro= 1.18 U.S. dollars) Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-09 16:23:03|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close A health worker administers a dose of COVID-19 vaccine at Kiswa Health Centre III in Kampala, Uganda, Aug. 10, 2021. Uganda on Monday resumed its COVID-19 vaccination exercise after weeks of stock-out, an official said here on Monday. (Photo by Hajarah Nalwadda/Xinhua) KAMPALA, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- Uganda on Monday resumed its COVID-19 vaccination exercise after weeks of stock-out, an official said here on Monday. "Please reach out to the nearest vaccination center for your second COVID-19 jab of the AstraZeneca vaccine. It is free, safe and effective," Emmanuel Ainebyoona, spokesperson for the ministry of health, said via Twitter. After running out of vaccines last month, the country received donations of AstraZeneca vaccine doses from Norway and Sinovac vaccine doses from the government of China. The east African country, according to the health ministry, expects to receive at least 12.3 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines by early 2022. Uganda aims at vaccinating about 22 million people, or nearly half the population as a measure to put the pandemic at bay. According to data from the ministry, about 1.1 million people have been vaccinated since the exercise started in March this year. As the country awaits more vaccines, the ministry urged the public to continue adhering to the COVID-19 prevention measures like avoiding mass gatherings and hand sanitization, among others. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-09 16:27:50|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close TRIPOLI, Aug. 8 (Xinhua) -- The EU allocated more than 1.6 billion U.S. dollars for protection and education of children in Libya, as well as COVID-19 vaccination-related medical waste management, the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) said in a statement on Sunday. "EU Civil Protection & Humanitarian Aid - ECHO has allocated approximately USD 1,672,874.91 towards strengthening humanitarian response in the education and child protection sectors, and COVID-19 vaccination-related medical waste management," the statement said. According to UNICEF, the program will be carried out through reinforcing and strengthening sector coordination and investing in sectoral capacity through dedicated resources. A total of 1,343,192 people, of whom 122,000 are children aged between 5-9, will benefit from the project, the statement said. UNICEF confirmed that it has scaled up its emergency preparedness and response in Libya since 2012, focusing on support to basic service provision, in health, nutrition, education and water, sanitation, and hygiene. "Additional focus has been on building a protective environment for children and contributing to and building national capacity in evidence generation and evidence-based policy-making," the statement explained. In collaboration with national and international NGO partners, UNICEF provided direct humanitarian assistance to the most vulnerable in line with the Humanitarian Response Plan. The action will also support sector capacity building through joint assessments, advocacy, resource mobilization, and trainings The action is expected to advance the prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse (PSEA) through mainstreaming PSEA in both sectors, including through training of fellow United Nations agencies, International non-governmental organizations and local civil society organizations. It will also support the COVID-19 vaccination campaign in Libya, focusing specifically on medical waste management in remote areas to minimize the risk of health care-associated infections linked to COVID-19 vaccination and medical and biohazardous waste. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-09 17:46:30|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close OUAGADOUGOU, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- Twelve soldiers were killed in an ambush on Sunday in northeast Burkina Faso, communication minister Ousseni Tamboura said in a statement on Monday. The ambush targeted a joint military group, including land forces, near the village of Dounkou, Toeni Commune, in the Boucle du Mouhoun region, the statement said. "Provisional toll stands at 12 soldiers killed and three injured. Seven are missing," it said. There were reports that the seven missing soldiers were found. Security in Burkina Faso has worsened since 2015, with terrorist attacks killing more than 1,000 people and displacing over 1 million others. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-09 19:41:39|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close YAOUNDE, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- At least three soldiers were killed in a Boko Haram attack in Cameroon's Far North region, security and local sources said on Monday. One militant of the terror group was also killed in the overnight attack on a military outpost in Sagme, a locality of the region. A military official, who requested anonymity, told Xinhua that the terrorists attempted to dislodge troops in the town, located about 343 kilometers south of Maroua, capital of Far North region. Boko Haram militants had in the pasted attempted to seize Sagme, which sits near the borders with Nigeria and Chad, but they were repelled by government forces. In July, militants raided a military outpost in the town, killing eight soldiers, according to the Cameroon army. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-09 20:18:38|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close ABUJA, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- Nigerian troops thwarted an attack early Sunday by Boko Haram terrorists who attempted to infiltrate Damboa, a town in the northern state of Borno, an army spokesman said on Monday. "The terrorists attempted to infiltrate the town with an unconfirmed number of foot soldiers and some mounted on motorcycles," Onyema Nwachukwu said in a statement. He said troops of the 25 Task Force Brigade in Borno unleashed heavy fire, exacting "debilitating gunshot wounds" on the militants and forced them to "beat a retreat in disarray." Two vehicles belonging to the government-backed Civilian Joint Task Force were razed by fire in the encounter with Boko Haram militants, Nwachukwu said. Boko Haram has been trying to establish an Islamist state in northeastern Nigeria since 2009. The terror group has also extended its attacks to other countries in the Lake Chad Basin. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-09 21:46:44|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa addresses the commemoration of the Heroes' Day at the Heroes Acre in Harare, Zimbabwe, on Aug. 9, 2021. Amid the raging COVID-19 pandemic, Zimbabwe on Monday marked the 41st Heroes' Day with limited public gatherings as President Emmerson Mnangagwa rallied the nation to fight against corruption, hunger and poverty. (Photo by Shaun Jusa/Xinhua) HARARE, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- Amid the raging COVID-19 pandemic, Zimbabwe on Monday marked the 41st Heroes' Day with limited public gatherings as President Emmerson Mnangagwa rallied the nation to fight against corruption, hunger and poverty. Addressing a small gathering of about 200 fully vaccinated people at the Heroes Acre in the capital Harare, Mnangagwa said a befitting honor to the daughters and sons of the nation who sacrificed their lives for the liberation of the country is to build a modern and prosperous Zimbabwe. "The best way to show our appreciation for the supreme sacrifice paid by our heroes and heroines is to build the modern, industrialized, developed and prosperous society envisaged in the country's Vision 2030," Mnangagwa said in a speech that was also broadcast live on state television and radio. He challenged Zimbabweans to work hard and develop the nation, noting that only Zimbabweans, and not foreigners, will build Zimbabwe into a great nation. "As the emerging heroes of today, our enemy is poverty, hunger, disease, corruption as well as retarded and delayed development. As we honor yesteryear heroes, let us march forward together in peace, unity, love and singleness of purpose to build a more prosperous Zimbabwe," Mnangagwa said. He urged Zimbabweans to remain vigilant amid the COVID-19 pandemic and indicated that his government will continue to provide COVID-19 vaccine doses for free until the nation attains herd immunity of 10 million of its approximately 14 million people. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-09 22:46:59|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close TRIPOLI, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- Libyan Foreign Minister Najla al-Mangoush on Monday expressed regret for the losses caused by the wildfire in Greece. Al-Mangoush made her remarks during a telephone call with his Greek counterpart Nikos Dendias, said a statement issued by the Libyan Foreign Ministry. "During the phone call, the minister expressed her regret for the losses caused by the wildfire that broke out in the forests of Greece, expressing Libya's solidarity with the friendly country of Greece," the statement said. For his part, the Greek foreign minister reiterated full support for the efforts made by the Presidency Council and the Government of National Unity to achieve security and stability in Libya, the statement added. He also praised the Libyan foreign minister's endeavors to end the crisis in Libya and avoid armed conflicts by establishing a dialogue between the Libyan parties and preparing for the upcoming elections later this year. The two officials also discussed the latest developments in Libya, as well as the means to enhance cooperation between the two countries. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-09 22:59:17|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close TRIPOLI, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- The International Organization for Migration (IOM) on Monday said that more than 800 illegal migrants were rescued off the Libyan coast and returned to Libya in the past week. "In the period of August 1-8, as many as 864 migrants were rescued/intercepted at sea and returned to Libya," IOM said. So far in 2021, a total of 20,257 illegal migrants, including women and children, have been rescued, while 380 died and 629 went missing off the Libyan coast on the Central Mediterranean route, according to IOM. Libya has been suffering insecurity and chaos since the fall of the late leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, making the North African country a preferred point of departure for illegal migrants who want to cross the Mediterranean Sea to European shores. Rescued migrants end up inside overcrowded reception centers across Libya, despite repeated international calls to close those centers. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-10 00:43:00|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close MAPUTO, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi and his Botswana counterpart Mokgweetsi Masisi on Monday officially launched the Southern African Development Community's (SADC's) Alert Force Mission to combat terrorism in Mozambique's northern province of Cabo Delgado. The three-month mission's personnel include military experts and components from South Africa, Botswana, Angola, Tanzania, and Lesotho, and the initial cost of the operation stays at 12 million U.S. dollars, according to the data issued by a local NGO Sala da Paz. Nyusi appealed for coordination and respect for human life at the ceremony. "The forces have already guaranteed that they will work in harmony," Nyusi said. "There is no place for lack of coordination." "The relevance of the SADC Force on Alert Status is further increased by the fact that it is the first mission properly planned and executed by our regional organization," said Masisi, who is also the acting Chairperson of the SADC organ on politics, defence and security cooperation. The gas-rich Cabo Delgado province has been plagued by terrorism since 2017, leading to the death of thousands and displacement of some 800,000 people. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-06 14:41:02|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Students attend the university entrance examination at an outdoor exam site in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, Aug. 5, 2021. Uzbekistan on Thursday launched the university entrance examination and outdoor exam sites were adopted again due to COVID-19 ongoing pandemic. (Photo by Zafar Khalilov/Xinhua) Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-06 18:42:07|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Aerial photo taken on July 29, 2021 shows a view of the China-built Turgusun hydropower station on the Turgusun River near the city of Altai, Kazakhstan. The China-built Turgusun hydropower plant has been operating at full capacity since mid-July and will help ease a power shortage in East Kazakhstan Region. Built by the China International Water and Electric Corporation, a subsidiary of the China Three Gorges Corporation, the station has an installed capacity of 24.9 MW, producing up to 79.8 million kilowatt hours of electricity per year. (Photo by Kalizhan Ospanov/Xinhua) NUR-SULTAN, Aug. 6 (Xinhua) -- The China-built Turgusun hydropower plant has been operating at full capacity since mid-July and will help ease a power shortage in East Kazakhstan Region. Built by the China International Water and Electric Corporation, a subsidiary of the China Three Gorges Corporation, the station has an installed capacity of 24.9 MW, producing up to 79.8 million kilowatt hours of electricity per year. The plant is located on the Turgusun River near the city of Altai. "The project has been included in the state program of Industrial and Innovative Development of Kazakhstan for 2015-2019. The Kazakh government has attached great importance to the project," Xiang Zhiliang, general manager of the project told Xinhua. Construction began in 2017 and is a key hydropower project under the Belt and Road Initiative, Xiang said. "The plant can reduce carbon dioxide emissions by about 72,000 tons per year, contributing to the country's green development," said the manager, adding that reducing emissions and achieving carbon neutrality are the aspirations of both China and Kazakhstan. Kalaubek Baimukhanbeto, director of the Turgusun-1 company, said Chinese engineers had been dispatched on the scene and state-of-the-art equipment was used in the project. Appreciating Chinese workers for their hard work, Baimukhanbeto said engineers of the two countries have forged friendship throughout the project. Nurbol Kopbaev, deputy director of the Turgusun-1 company, stressed that the Altai district had a power deficit of about 50 MW. The launch of the Turgusun station could greatly ease the shortage. Kazakhstan is forging ahead with renewable energy projects, with 23 green energy projects with a total capacity of 381 MW expected to be put into operation this year. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said that green energy is expected to contribute to 15 percent of its electricity consumption by 2030. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-09 14:58:38|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close CANBERRA, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison's approval rating has fallen to its lowest level since March 2020, according to the latest Newspoll published on Sunday night. Morrison's personal approval rating has fallen into negative territory for the first time since the coronavirus hit Australia. The opinion poll found that the proportion of voters satisfied with Morrison's performance in handling the pandemic dropped from 52 percent in mid-July to 48 percent compared to a record-high 85 percent in April 2020. For the first time since April 2020, after restrictions were first introduced across Australia to prevent the spread of COVID-19, more voters were dissatisfied with Morrison than satisfied, giving him a net rating of negative two. The poll was conducted amid growing frustration over Australia's troubled vaccine rollout. About half of Australia's population in New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland has experienced a lockdown so far in August to prevent the spread of the Delta variant. Death toll increased from 923 at the end of last month to 936 on Sunday. Amid the country's biggest wave of infections in 12 months, Newspoll found that support for Morrison's management of the vaccine rollout fell a further two points from mid-July to 38 percent. Rising dissatisfaction with Morrison has left the Coalition party facing an uphill battle to win a fourth consecutive term in the government at the general election, which is due to be held before May 2021. Newspoll found that the Opposition Labor Party leads the Coalition 53-47 on a two-party preferred basis, its equal-biggest lead since the 2019 election. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-04 01:23:42|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close TIRANA, Aug. 3 (Xinhua) -- Albania's Prime Minister Edi Rama and his Montenegrin counterpart Zdravko Krivokapic opened a border crossing between the two countries at Grabom in northern Albania on Tuesday. The two countries' aim is to boost tourism and trade by facilitating cross-border passenger and freight traffic. At the opening ceremony, Rama called the new border crossing "great news" for the two countries' citizens. Stressing the need for an open economic area in the Balkans region, Rama recalled that border controls are planned to be abolished between Albania, Serbia and North Macedonia from Jan. 1, 2023, and invited Montenegro to join the Open Balkan initiative. "A dignified infrastructure is not sufficient if all travel obstacles are not lifted," Rama said. "The Open Balkan initiative aims to facilitate the movement of citizens by removing tariffs and offering an easy crossing without border controls." The border crossing at Grabom was built in 2017 with financial support from the European Union. Albania and Montenegro already have a one-stop border crossing at Muriqan in northwestern Albania. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-09 18:32:58|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BERLIN, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- German shares were almost unchanged at the start of trading on Monday, with the benchmark DAX index growing 12.05 points, or 0.08 percent, opening at 15,773.5 points. The biggest winner among Germany's 30 largest listed companies was pharmaceutical company Merck, increasing by 1.72 percent, followed by chipmaker Infineon with 1.29 percent and utility RWE with 1.25 percent. Shares of German building materials company HeidelbergCement fell by 2.99 percent, the biggest loser at the start of trading on Monday. On Monday, British investment bank Barclays lowered its price target for HeidelbergCement from 82 to 73 euros and downgraded its rating from "Equal Weight" to "Underweight." Its shares were trading at around 74 euros at the start of trading. German exports in June grew 1.3 percent on the previous month and were even up 23.6 percent year-on-year, amounting to 118.7 billion euros (139.6 billion U.S. dollars), the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) announced on Monday. Meanwhile, year-on-year imports grew by 27 percent to 102.4 billion euros. The yield on German ten-year bonds declined 0.0145 percentage points to minus 0.4675 percent and the euro was trading almost unchanged at 1.1762 U.S. dollars, decreasing by 0.02 percent on Monday morning. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-09 22:30:56|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BERLIN, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- Germany's exports to China rose by 16 percent year-on-year to 9.5 billion euros (11.2 billion U.S. dollars) in June, according to provisional data published by the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) on Monday. With goods imported worth 10.9 billion euros, China remained Germany's biggest import country in June, up 11.1 percent year-on-year, according to Destatis. "Growth in foreign trade is primarily generated by demand in the United States, China and, not least, the EU," said Anton Boerner, president of the Federation of German Wholesale, Foreign Trade and Services (BGA), on Monday. Overall, Germany exported goods worth 118.7 billion euros in June, up 1.3 percent month-on-month and 23.6 percent year-on-year, according to Destatis. Total imports stood at 102.4 billion euros during the period, up 0.6 percent month-on-month and 27 percent year-on-year. German imports and exports both recovered losses during the COVID-19 crisis and rose 10.0 percent and 1.1 percent respectively compared to February 2020, before Germany entered its first lockdown. German exports to the rest of the European Union (EU) grew 26.1 percent year-on-year and reached 64.5 billion euros in June, according to Destatis. (1 euro = 1.18 U.S. dollars) Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-10 00:02:20|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close by Alessandra Cardone ROME, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- A major heatwave was expected to hit Italy this week, which was forecast as the hottest in the whole summer so far, authorities and local media reported on Monday. Wildfires continued to be registered in several southern regions, including in Calabria's San Luca area where they were threatening hectares of ancient beech forests. The country's Civil Protection Department issued a severe alert for the entire territory, and warned the worst situation might concern the major islands of Sicily and Sardinia, where "maximum temperatures could near 45 degrees (Celsius) in some inland areas ... on Aug. 10-11." Temperature could exceed 36-37 degrees in the northern Po Valley, and reach 28-30 degrees at altitudes as high as 1,500 meters. "Our country will be hit by very high temperatures in the coming days, which will facilitate the spread of bushfires," the Department warned. In a statement late on Sunday, the Department chief Fabrizio Curcio said the weekly forecast would require the "greatest attention (from emergency services)... and the utmost cooperation and caution (from citizens)." "It is crucial to avoid any behavior that could prompt new fires and also to immediately report even the smallest bushfires," Curcio stressed. Two people had died in a town on the slopes of Calabria's Aspromonte mountains on Friday, after being engulfed by fire. After Calabrian authorities appealed to the central government, Prime Minister Mario Draghi late on Sunday delivered an emergency decree allowing the deployment of the national Civil Protection System. Another 20 operations -- some threatening residential areas -- were launched over the past 24 hours, requiring the intervention of Canadair water-dropping planes over Sicily, Sardinia, Basilicata and Campania in the south, and central Lazio, Umbria, Molise, and Abruzzo, according to the Department. This summer has so far proved very challenging for Italian firefighters, who managed 44,442 operations against wildfires between June 15 and Aug. 8 compared to 26,158 in the same period of 2020. A similar emergency level dated back to the summer of 2017, when wildfires prompted over 45,000 operations across the country. Meanwhile, Italy's agriculture sector struggled to cope with the high temperatures, the national farmers' association Coldiretti warned on Monday. "The intense heat and the lack of rainfall are burning fruits and vegetables on the fields," it said, "the unbearable heatwave is destroying crops ... plus causing a significant fall of olives from the trees, and stressing animals in the stables with a (consequent) collapse in milk production." According to Coldiretti, extreme weather events related to climate change -- including the current heatwave -- would have caused damage worth over 1 billion euros (1.18 billion U.S. dollars) to agriculture so far in 2021. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-10 02:28:34|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close MOSCOW, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- Russia said on Monday that it has barred a "proportionate" number of British citizens from entry in retaliation for British sanctions against Russians for alleged human rights violations and corruption. The sanctioned are closely involved in anti-Russian activities, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement, without disclosing their names and how many people are exactly targeted. Moscow sees London's "groundless attacks" as an attempt to interfere in the internal affairs of another state and put pressure on the Russian judicial system, the ministry said. "We once again call on the British leadership to abandon an unfounded confrontational policy with regard to our country. Any unfriendly steps will meet an adequate proportionate response," it read. In December 2020, Britain imposed travel bans and asset freezes against three Russians and the Terek Special Rapid Response Unit "responsible for torture and other human rights violations against LGBT people in Chechnya." In April 2021, under the Global Anti-Corruption Sanctions Regulations 2021, Britain announced travel bans and asset freezes against 14 Russians, who were accused of participating in the "theft of 230 million U.S. dollars of Russian state assets via a highly complex tax fraud." Russia has denied these charges. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-09 20:10:36|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close TEHRAN, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman said on Monday that the U.S. administration should give up the pressure policy pursued by former U.S. President Donald Trump. Saeed Khatibzadeh said at his weekly press conference that the U.S. administration should realize that it will not gain anything related to the revival of the 2015 nuclear deal, known also as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), if it adheres to Trump's mentality. The United States needs to change its approach and considers the realities on the ground, Khatibzadeh said, adding that Trump's policy of maximum pressure has failed. Asked about the pause in Vienna talks on the revival of JCPOA, he said that Iran was busy with the transition of administration recently and new President Ebrahim Raisi will decide on the process of negotiations. Anti-Iran sanctions should be lifted, Khatibzadeh said, adding that "Iran would not accept anything less than the JCPOA" which resulted in the removal of western sanctions on Iran in 2015. Trump withdrew from the 2015 agreement in May 2018 and unilaterally re-imposed old and new sanctions on Iran. In response, Iran has gradually stopped implementing parts of its commitments to the deal since May 2019. After six rounds of talks in Vienna since April, the parties said serious differences remain between Iran and the United States for the revitalization of the deal. The sixth round of talks ended on June 20, with the talks currently on hiatus. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-10 00:26:24|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close WASHINGTON, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen on Monday urged Congress to raise the debt limit through "regular order" on a bipartisan basis. "In recent years Congress has addressed the debt limit through regular order, with broad bipartisan support. In fact, during the last administration, Democrats and Republicans came together to do their duty three times," Yellen said in a statement. "Congress should do so again now by increasing or suspending the debt limit on a bipartisan basis. The vast majority of the debt subject to the debt limit was accrued prior to the Administration taking office," she said. Yellen's statement came after the U.S. Treasury Department last week began using "extraordinary measures" to prevent the United States from defaulting as the two-year deal to suspend the debt limit had expired. As part of a bipartisan budget deal enacted in August 2019, Congress suspended the debt limit through July 31, 2021. On Aug. 1, the debt limit was reinstated at a level covering all borrowing that occurred during the suspension, which had risen to 28.5 trillion U.S. dollars as of the end of June. If Democrats want to pass legislation to raise or suspend the debt limit through regular order, they will need the support of 10 Republican senators to avoid a filibuster in the upper chamber. But Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell has said that no Republicans will vote to increase the debt limit. "This is a shared responsibility, and I urge Congress to come together on a bipartisan basis as it has in the past to protect the full faith and credit of the United States." Yellen said. "Failure to meet those obligations would cause irreparable harm to the U.S. economy and the livelihoods of all Americans," she added. The Congressional Budget Office warned recently that the United States is at risk of a default in October or November unless the Congress raises or suspends the debt limit. The debt limit, commonly called the debt ceiling, is the total amount of money that the U.S. government is authorized to borrow to meet its existing legal obligations, including social security and medicare benefits, interest on the national debt, and other payments. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-10 02:55:11|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close A vehicle from the United States passes through a boundary marker at the Peace Arch border crossing in Surrey, British Columbia, Canada, on Aug. 9, 2021. Canada unilaterally began to allow the entry by fully vaccinated U.S. citizens and permanent residents on Monday after the two countries agreed to close the border to non-essential travel due to the COVID-19 pandemic 17 months ago. (Photo by Liang Sen/Xinhua) OTTAWA, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- Canada unilaterally began to allow the entry by fully vaccinated U.S. citizens and permanent residents on Monday after the two countries agreed to close the border to non-essential travel due to the COVID-19 pandemic 17 months ago. Eligible U.S. citizens and permanent residents must live in the United States and have allowed 14 days to pass since receiving a full course of a Health Canada-approved vaccine. They are also needed to show proof of a negative molecular test for COVID-19 that's no more than 72 hours old and to use the ArriveCAN app or online web portal to upload their vaccination details. Fully vaccinated visitors who have recovered from the disease and are otherwise eligible to enter Canada can show proof of a positive molecular test taken between 14 and 90 days prior to crossing the border. Monday also marks the end of mandatory quarantine hotels. Previously, all travellers flying into Canada from an international destination had to quarantine at an airport hotel at their own expense for up to three days while they await a COVID-19 test result. Before Monday, international flights were only permitted to land in Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver and Calgary, but under the new rules, international flights can now land in Halifax, Quebec City, Ottawa, Winnipeg and Edmonton. The Canadian government is planning to open its borders to fully vaccinated visitors from the rest of the world starting Sept. 7. All foreign visitors have to get one of the Canada-approved four vaccines: Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson option. The Biden administration extended the U.S.-Canada border closure on non-essential travel until at least Aug. 21, citing concerns over the spread of the Delta variant. Air and sea travellers are exempt, though passengers by rail, ferry and pleasure boat are not. Enditem Saludamos fraternalmente a las hermanas y hermanos de nuestros pueblos originarios por mantener nuestra cultura viva a traves de sus tradiciones y costumbres. Promoveremos siempre sus derechos, valorando y reconociendo su identidad cultural y social. #DiaDeLosPueblosOriginarios El presidente @PedroCastilloTe y la primera dama, Lilia Paredes, recibieron la primera dosis de la vacuna Sinopharm contra la COVID-19.#Vacunaton pic.twitter.com/ynnDQ2wDAu YEREVAN, AUGUST 9, ARMENPRESS. The Secretary of Security Council of Armenia Hayk Petrosyan held a meeting with CSTO Secretary-General Stanislav Zas. The situation at the Armenian-Azerbaijani border, developments around it and the possibilities for utilizing the CSTO mechanisms in the process of the situations peaceful resolution were discussed, the Security Councils Office said. Petrosyan and Zas also discussed the course of coordinating the draft documents which will be debated at the organizations upcoming security council meeting in Tajikistan, as well as the preparation of Armenias upcoming presidency in the organization. Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, AUGUST 9, ARMENPRESS. Members of Parliament observed a moment of silence in honor of the memory of the victims of the Assyrian genocide. MP Zemfira Mirzoyeva from the Hayastan bloc initiated the moment of silence, reminding lawmakers that August 7 is the Assyrian genocide remembrance day. Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, AUGUST 9, ARMENPRESS. Acting foreign minister Armen Grigoryan held a meeting with CSTO Secretary General Stanislav Zas in Yerevan. Grigoryan briefed Zas on the situation following the Azerbaijani military invasion in the Syunik and Gegharkunik provinces, as well as the regular Azerbaijani provocations, including from the territory of Nakhijevan, the foreign ministry said in a news release. As part of Armenias assessments regarding the security situation in the CSTO zone of responsibility and the Caucasus region, Grigoryan presented to Zas the consequences of the Azeri-Turkish aggression against Artsakh and related threats. Both sides emphasized the need for de-escalating the situation. The Nagorno Karabakh conflict was addressed and the need for a comprehensive and lasting resolution of the conflict within the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmanship was emphasized. Armenias upcoming presidency in the CSTO was also discussed. Grigoryan presented the Armenian presidencys conceptual approaches, stressing that priorities will include raising the effectiveness of the organization and strengthening the mechanisms of timely responding to member states needs. In turn, Zas also stressed the importance of perfecting the CSTO and assured that the working groups of the organization will make all efforts for bringing to life the Armenian sides priorities. Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, AUGUST 9, ARMENPRESS. The opposition Hayastan bloc is applying to the Constitutional Court regarding the parliamentary immunity of two of their colleagues Mkhitar Zakaryan and Artur Sargsyan - who are now under arrest. If not today, then tomorrow we will submit the application to the Constitutional Court. The application is ready, regarding the parliamentary immunity, Hayastan bloc lawmaker Aram Vardevanyan told reporters. Vardevanyan voiced certainty that the two elected MPs will be freed from pre-trial arrest. Zakaryan, the former mayor of Meghri, was arrested on July 13 on charges of abuse of power and falsification. Sargsyan, the former mayor of Sisian, was arrested on July 18 on the same charges. They both deny wrongdoing. Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, AUGUST 9, ARMENPRESS. President Armen Sarkissian signed a decree appointing Vahram Grigoryan to serve as the new commander of the 2nd Army Corps of the Armenian Armed Forces. YEREVAN, AUGUST 9, ARMENPRESS. At least 51 people were killed when Islamist militants raided three villages in central Mali near the border with Niger, Reuters reported citing a local official. The towns of Ouatagouna, Karou and Deouteguef were simultaneously attacked, according to a note from the Asongo district administrator to the governor of Gao region. "Provisional toll is 51 killed, several other injured," it said. No group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack. The countrys military confirmed the attacks have taken place without elaborating. However, Reuters reported citing its sources that the militants were firing indiscriminately upon civilians from the towns entrances. YEREVAN, AUGUST 9, ARMENPRESS. Speaker of Parliament Alen Simonyan held a meeting with visiting Speaker of Parliament of Artsakh Artur Tovmasyan. The fact that I am holding my first official meeting in the capacity of Speaker of Parliament with Mr. Tovmasyan is important for me, Simonyan said on social media. During the meeting I emphasized that unity between the twin Armenian states is a fundamental value, the continuous strengthening of which should always have its place in state and public strategic programs. In turn, Speaker of Parliament of the Republic of Artsakh Artur Tovmasyan attached importance to the role of parliamentary diplomacy in the Artsakh recognition process. Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan Earlier this year, beset by allegations of sexual harassment, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo requested an independent, outside review of the accusations. And he asked the public to reserve judgment until that probe was completed. Now the results of the investigation are out, and they are brutal for Cuomo. The probe overseen by Attorney General Letitia James revealed disturbing behavior by the governor toward multiple women, most of whom were state employees. Some of his actions were egregious. Taken together, they form a clear and pervasive pattern of harassment. On top of that, members of his staff and other associates engaged in acts of bullying and intimidation directed at some of the victims in retaliation for coming forward. All in all, it is a stunning fall from grace for the scion of one of New Yorks most hallowed political names. Cuomo concluded his pretaped rebuttal with another familiar call: There is much work to be done to lead New York out of the pandemic, he said, and to rebuild, reopen and re-imagine the state. We can do it together, he implored, enlisting his fellow New Yorkers in his struggle to survive. I know the strength and character of New Yorkers, he said. Bengaluru-based electric vehicle startup Simple Energy on Monday announced the launch of its EV charger, called Simple Loop. The charger will be provided as home charging units as well as for public charging. Simple Energy will install more than 300 public fast chargers across the country in the upcoming months. The EV startup's public chargers for electric scooters aim to make it convenient to own and adopt electric vehicles in the country. The company said that these chargers can be used by all kinds of electric scooters and will be available at public places such as prominent shopping complexes, restaurants, among others. The Simple Loop charger will come with the capacity to charge an electric scooter up to 2.5 km of range in a span of 60 seconds, the company claims. The deployment of the charging infrastructure will be commenced shortly after the launch of the company first electric scooter, Simple One, on August 15. (Also read | Simple Energy to make one million electric vehicles annually in first phase) Ahead of the launch of its flagship e-scooter, the company also revealed that it will come with a boot capacity of 30 litres, claiming it to be the largest in the premium e-scooter segment. In the first phase, Simple One electric scooter will be launched in 13 states across the country including Maharashtra, Delhi, Rajasthan, Goa, Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat, among others. The electric scooter will come equipped with a 4.8 kWh lithium-ion battery and claims to provide a range of 240 kilometres in eco mode on a single charge. It has been previously reported that the electric scooter's battery will detachable, thus making it more convenient to charge. Simple One will get a top speed of 100 kmph and it can sprint from 0 to 50 kmph in 3.6 seconds. The e-scooter's price is expected to fall between 1.10 lakh and 1.20 lakh. BYDs Fudi sets up two wholly-owned battery subsidiaries in early Aug. Shanghai (Gasgoo)- On August 6, Fudi Industry Co.,Ltd., a separate battery business unit of BYD Company Limited, founded a wholly-owned battery subsidiary in Yancheng, Jiangsu province, according to the business information platform Tianyancha. The Yancheng-based new company involves a registered capital of 50 million yuan ($7.72 million). Its business scope extends to cover the manufacturing, R&D, wholesale, and retail of auto parts, and the sale of new energy vehicle (NEV)-used electrical accessories. BYD 'Blade Battery'; photo credit: BYD Notably, another wholly-controlled battery subsidiary of Fudi Industry was set up in Wuwei, Anhui province in early August as well, according to Tianyancha. The company has a line of business covering the manufacturing and sale of batteries, the R&D of new material-related technologies, and the production, sale, and R&D of electronic-dedicated materials. According to public records, BYD's Fudi battery unit has built six manufacturing bases in China, which are located in Chongqing, Shenzhen, Xian, Qinghai, Changsha, and Guiyang. Of those, the facilities in Chongqing, Changsha, and Guiyang are mainly used to manufacture BYDs Blade batteries. The automaker aims to lift the annual capacity of Fudi to 75GWh by 2021 and 100GWh by 2022. A local media channel revealed last week that BYD would supply Tesla with its ultra-safe Blade Batteries from the second quarter of 2022, citing sources familiar with the matter. It was also reported that the Tesla-branded model carrying the Blade Battery has gone into the phase of C sample testing. BYD declined to comment on the rumor. SAIC Motor forms tie-up with ZTE for software-defined vehicles Shanghai (Gasgoo)- SAIC Motor recently signed a framework agreement with ZTE Corporation, a major global provider of telecommunications and information technologies, for the strategic collaboration on building software-defined vehicles, ZTE announced on Monday via its WeChat account. SAIC Motor, ZTE signing framework agreement; photo credit: ZTE Through the cooperation, the duo will join forces to boost the independent innovation in such fields as automotive basic software technologies, underlying hardware platforms, cloud computing capability, as well all intelligent connectivity, wishing to co-build the software-defined vehicle models with a great deal of applications, tailor-made product experience, and considerate services. Leveraging the profound technical expertise in communications and IoV (Internet of Vehicles) areas, ZTE will offer SAIC Motor its 4G/5G-V2X (vehicle-to-everything) automotive modules and RSU (roadside units), as well as V2X-enabled cloud-controlled platform to jointly expedite the progress for the scale commercialized application of 5G-V2X technologies. As the largest automaker in China, SAIC Motor has made deployment of software, cloud computing, AI, big data, and cybersecurity businesses. Its software unit, Z-ONE, was founded in July 2020 and launched the SOA (service-oriented architecture) digital platform on April 9 of this year, which allows software developers to code and release car-based applications in an app store, and car owners to download and install them in their vehicles. ZTE boasts deep technical insight in the fields like operating system, basic software, chip, software architecture, algorithm capability, and intelligent platform. Besides, it has built sound strengths in the technologies and products related to 5G and V2X. Gasgoo Daily: SAIC GM Wuling YTD sales surpass 1 million vehicles With Gasgoo Daily, we will offer several pieces of automotive news in China. For those we have reported, the title of the piece will include a hyperlink, which will provide detailed information. SAIC GM Wuling YTD sales surpass 1 million vehicles SAIC GM Wuling sold 123,008 vehicles in July. Its total sales in the first seven months jumped 33% year on year to 1,007,203 vehicles, two months earlier than last year to exceed 1 million vehicles. XPeng P5 said to hit market in September The XPeng P5 was reported to hit the market in September. Its presale has started with a price range between RMB160,000 ($24,704) and RMB230,000 ($35,512). XPeng starts operation of highway charging stations In July, XPeng started the operation of its first 11 superfast charging stations for highways. By the end of July, XPeng has a total of 45 destination charging stations, 298 super charging stations and 1457 free charging stations. GAC Toyota iA5s range reportedly reduced by OTA Some owners of the GAC Toyota iA5 claimed that without informing owners, the automaker pushed an over-the-air update to the iA5s BMS, reducing the vehicles range and degrading its performance. Changan UNI series likely to be independent brand A local media outlet reported that Changan may announce its UNI series to be an independent brand at the Auto Gaungzhou 2021. During the show, the automaker is also likely to unveil the first sedan of the series. Hainan supports battery swapping stations Hainan province will pilot the operation of battery swapping stations in such cities as Haikou, Sanya and Qionghai. Geely, Renault to cooperate in China and South Korea markets Renault Group and Chinas largest privately-owned automotive group Geely Holding Group announced today that they have signed an MoU framework agreement to create an innovative cooperation. Horizon Robotics to co-develop smart driving solutions with self-driving startup Nullmax Chinese AI chip developer Horizon Robotics and Shanghai-headquartered autonomous driving startup Nullmax entered into a strategic partnership on August 6 to co-develop the solutions for intelligent driving applications, supporting the automotive industry in realizing the application of innovative technologies, according to a post on Horizon Robotics' WeChat account. GAC Group July sales down slightly GAC Group sold 180,518 new vehicles in July with a slight year-on-year decrease of 1.86%, according to the sales report of the company. For the first seven months of this year, its cumulative sales jumped nearly 20% to 1,207,023 vehicles. JAC Group announces 6.57% growth in July sales Anhui Jianghuai Automobile Group Holdings Limited (JAC Group) saw its Jan.-Jul. new vehicle sales jump 31.7% from the previous year to 324,219 units, according to the company's announcement. The sales volume for the month of July climbed 6.57% year on year to 39,233 units. BYDs Fudi sets up two wholly-owned battery subsidiaries in early Aug. On August 6, Fudi Industry Co.,Ltd., a separate battery business unit of BYD Company Limited, founded a wholly-owned battery subsidiary in Yancheng, Jiangsu province, according to the business information platform Tianyancha. SAIC Motor forms tie-up with ZTE for software-defined vehicles SAIC Motor recently signed a framework agreement with ZTE Corporation, a major global provider of telecommunications and information technologies, for the strategic collaboration on building software-defined vehicles, ZTE announced on Monday via its WeChat account. SAIC Motor posts 22.95% YoY drop in Jul. wholesales Shanghai (Gasgoo)- SAIC Motor's new vehicle wholesales reached 352,546 units in July 2021, shrinking 22.95% from the previous year, while rising 7.3% compared to June, the company announced on August 6. The automaker said the month-on-month growth reflected the positive affect of SAICs efforts to cope with the industry-wide chip shortage. For the first seven months, the Shanghai-based auto giant sold a total of 2,649,831 vehicles, representing a 5.71% year-on-year growth. Photo credit: SAIC Motor In terms of July wholesales, the top 3 subsidiaries were still SAIC-GM-Wuling (SGMW), SAIC-GM, and SAIC Volkswagen, and they all logged double-digit year-on-year decrease. In July, SAIC Motor saw its new energy vehicle (NEV) wholesale volume surge 138.1% over a year ago to around 48,000 units. To be specific, three brands of SAIC Motor PV, namely, Roewe, MG, and R Auto, sold over 13,000 NEVs in total, representing a 219.4% year-on-year hike. The total wholesales of the NEVs under Wuling and Baojun brands zoomed up 135.2% to more than 27,000 units. SAIC Volkswagen recorded an 80.4% rise in NEV sales, which reached nearly 4,000 units. In overseas markets, SAIC Motor's car wholesales doubled to around 51,000 units in July, over 26,000 units of which were from MG brand, a 80.1% year-over-year surge. The year-to-date overseas sales leapt 101.1% to 309,000 units. Today, although lactation specialists have more options to safely meet in person with families after their COVID-19 vaccinations, many are choosing to continue virtual classes, keeping alive the online communities they created and relying on the technology that worked for many families. Virtual options especially help those in remote areas or those with limited transportation access, breastfeeding experts say. Right before the pandemic, Sandrine Druon typically had one or two moms attend in-person meetings she held for La Leche League of Longmont, Colo., at the First Evangelical Lutheran Church or at a coffee shop. But because they could no longer meet in person, she launched two monthly virtual meetings. Now, an online meeting will typically include nine or 10 moms. She started an online Spanish-speaking meeting, and parents joined from their homes in several states and even from other countries. She hopes eventually to have a mix of online and in-person meetings. The virtual switch hasnt worked for everyone. Harmon said the logistics of video support remain difficult, along with privacy concerns on platforms that could be hacked. Other lactation experts noted Black and Hispanic mothers are sometimes still left behind. So lactation specialists are trying to learn from the pandemic on what worked and what didnt to reach all kinds of new parents. A sense of belonging Camper Nalyn Goodluck, 16, of Sanders, Arizona, said she believes last years shutdown of the camp will help everyone not take Broken Arrow for granted in the future. Theres a higher energy in the camp this year as a result, she said. Goodluck, who will be a junior at St. Johns High School in the fall, said shes been coming to Broken Arrow since she was 11. Her mother was also once a camper, she said, as were other family members. Now this summer some of Goodlucks cousins are working at the camp. I like how everyone is mainly friendly and welcoming here, Goodluck said. While talking about faith is a touchy subject in school, Goodluck said, people at camp are open to sharing their Christian faith and talking about more sensitive subjects. Its like a home away from home, Goodluck said. This is a really good spot to learn about God. Its like a second home, adult volunteer Autumn Peralto said. Its like family. Each year the United States welcomes 1 million new permanent residents and issues an additional million temporary-worker visas, on top of an illegal immigrant population that numbered 11 million before the current border surge. Adding even more immigrants to address a labor shortage would discourage employer outreach to American workers and invite broader social disruptions. It is far from the necessity portrayed by immigration advocates. When the demand for labor starts to exceed supply, employers have the incentive to raise wages, improve working conditions and recruit from marginalized groups. In fact, a tight labor market is the rare uplift program that does not require any new taxes or regulations. Its benefits were on display during the boom years prior to the pandemic. As businesses scrambled to find workers, low-skill wages rose, people with disabilities entered the labor force in record numbers and large companies even began recruiting people with criminal records. Now imagine that instead of needing to pursue marginalized Americans, employers instead had access to a free flow of labor from abroad. Why bother raising wages? Why bother hiring people with disabilities or criminal records? Increasing immigration would have short-circuited employer outreach to the Americans who most needed the work. Ive been writing about Congress since the late 1980s, watching as filibusters in the Senate evolved from rare and usually doomed efforts by fringe factions into what they are today: a routine practice by whichever party is in the minority. And Ive been one of the few members of this newspapers editorial board who argued in defense of the filibuster, which was itself a lonely and doomed effort, given the boards oft-stated position that the filibuster was unacceptably undemocratic. Ive come around on that. Republicans and Democrats have put the legislative filibuster to a stress test over the past decade, exposing faults Id been dismissive of before. (The filibuster has been nuked for judicial and executive branch nominees.) The institutionalist in me wants to hold onto the filibuster as a way to preserve more of what makes the Senate different from the House. But if the difference is dysfunction, its not worth preserving. The main argument for the filibuster is that it compels compromise. Thats the heart of the defenses put forward by Democratic Sens. Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, the two people stopping their party from casting the filibuster into the dustbin of history. As Sinema put it in a Washington Post op-ed: The best way to achieve durable, lasting results? Bipartisan cooperation. The right solution is to expand federal rental assistance, and fast. Congress has allocated a total of $46 billion to emergency programs covering rent and arrears, typically with direct payments to landlords but the help is taking far too long to arrive. In the five months through June, only about $3 billion had been disbursed. Many who are eligible dont know the money is available, and navigating the ill-equipped state and local bureaucracies tasked with delivering it is absurdly difficult. Ultimately, whats required is an overhaul of the punitively complex federal-state hybrid system of housing support. But that wont happen in a matter of weeks. Given the urgency, the Biden administration will have to pull other levers, preferably without breaking the law. Specifically: Make applying easier. The Treasury Department has allowed for tenants to request assistance directly (rather than relying on landlords to do so) and attest to income, financial hardship and risk of homelessness without documents. Yet many states and localities havent complied. Get the word out. Let people know about rental assistance wherever they come into contact with the government. Alert people on housing assistance waiting lists, and when they apply for unemployment benefits. Target neighborhoods with high rates of housing instability. Birthday wishes Call 281-422-8302 or email david.bloom@baytownsun.com to wish someone a happy birthday. We will print your birthday wish on Page 2 of The Sun. Happy Birthday Wishes Lying on the northeastern edge of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, Qinghai Lake is the largest inland saltwater lake in China. The lake features two sub-lakes: the saline Gahai Lake and freshwater Erhai Lake. Surrounded by lofty mountains, Qinghai Lake dazzles like a crystal-clear gem, boasting great charms that draw tourists to explore it. Summer is the best time to visit Qinghai Lake, as numerous cole flowers blossom along the lake under the blue sky, forming breathtaking scenes for visitors. Every year, millions of tourists are drawn to Qinghai Lake to grab a glimpse of the spectacular and colorful view, which provides a uniquely raw landscape for creations by photographers and oil painters. May and June are the best seasons for birdwatching, as the mild weather creates a favorable environment for different kinds of birds to breed here, making Qinghai Lake a paradise for bird lovers. Cyclists from across the country can be seen scattered around Qinghai Lake, looking to enjoy the beauty of the lake view and while away the time. Qinghai Lake is not only a bustling tourist attraction but also a crucial body of water for maintaining ecological security in the northeastern part of the roof of the world, the Qinghai -Tibet Plateau. With 4,549.38 square kilometers of water area, Qinghai Lake serves as a species gene pool. In 2008, Qinghai Province launched a 10-year plan on ecological environment protection and comprehensive management of the Qinghai Lake Basin with a total investment of 1.57 billion yuan. The heavy investment in ecological protection has paid off. The improving aquatic ecosystem of Qinghai Lake has made it one of the regions with the richest biodiversity on the plateau. The lake has become a key habitat for wintering of more and more migratory birds, with over 100,000 birds stopping here during their migratory journeys every year. Woman accuses client of molestation, manager of rape during business trip Chinese internet giant Alibaba is working with police after a female employee accused her manager and a client of sexual assault. Police in Jinan, capital of Shandong province, where the incidents are alleged to have taken place, said on Sunday that an investigation and evidence collection had been conducted, and they expect to release results in a timely manner. Also on Sunday, Alibaba released a statement saying that it has a "zero-tolerance policy against sexual misconduct". "We have suspended relevant parties suspected of violating our policies and values, and we have established a special internal task force to investigate the issue," it said. "We support the ongoing police investigation." The investigation began after the female employee wrote a detailed internal post alleging that her male manager sexually assaulted her in a hotel room during a business trip to Jinan on July 27. In the post, which contained more than 8,000 words, she wrote that during a dinner meeting with a male client from Jinan Hualian supermarket, she was forced to drink too much alcohol and was then molested by the client while her supervisor turned a blind eye. Her supervisor later broke into her room and raped her, according to the post, which was released on the internet. She said she complained to Alibaba's human resources department but was ignored. That prompted her to distribute letters about the alleged assault in the canteen of Alibaba's headquarters in Hangzhou, capital of Zhejiang province. In another internal post, Alibaba CEO Zhang Yong said Sunday that he was "shocked, furious and ashamed" after learning about the case. "The HR department should apologize for ignoring her, and the related department should also be held responsible for this misconduct," Zhang said, vowing to fully investigate the case and make the findings available to all Alibaba employees. Jinan Hualian supermarket announced on Sunday that the Alibaba client accused of molestation has been suspended from work and that it will cooperate with the investigation. Sexual misconduct has attracted more attention in China recently, with a number of male celebrities disgraced by female accusers. In one of the biggest cases, Beijing police said earlier this month that pop star Kris Wu was detained on suspicion of rape after a number of women made allegations against him online. According to China's Civil Code, which took effect on Jan 1, employers should take both preemptive and follow-up measures to curb sexual harassment in the workplace. In an interview with news portal ThePaper.cn, Ding Jinkun, a lawyer from the Shanghai DeBund Law Office, said that anyone who assaults another person or humiliates a woman by coercion, violence or any other means shall be sentenced to a fixed-term of imprisonment of not more than five years or criminal detention. Such crimes committed publicly would incur a minimum sentence of five years in prison or detention. Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} For $3, people can get three balls to throw at the dunk tank. The dunk tank schedule starts at 10a.m. with Jace Bowhay of Bowhay Chiropractic, followed at 11a.m. by Captain Dan Moss of the Beatrice Police Department, 12p.m. with Investigator Matt Ernst of the Gage County Sheriffs Department, 1p.m. with Little Angels co-founder Jina Raber, 2p.m. Dunk the Hunk with Green Way Lawn Services Caleb Allen, and 3p.m. with Rachel Knoble of the Nebraska State Probation-Beatrice Office. There will also be vendors, food trucks, a super castle bounce and slide, a 50-50 raffle and other games and activities throughout the day. This is an ongoing project, Butler said about Little Angels. We would like to be able to provide stones and graves for future Little Angels, and wed like to put headstones on the existing graves that are out there. Theres 14 graves, and I think only four or five headstones. We will throughout the year try to raise funds and help families that cant afford it. Butler said the group is still selling memorial bricks that will be laid as a path up to the future monument. She also recognized the No Footprint Too Small nonprofit from Lincoln for donating to their project, and said Little Angels would like to become a nonprofit as well. A haze has settled over Wyomings open skies. Smoke from thousands of Western wildfires is shrouding the horizon in the Mountain West and imposing yet another respiratory threat upon COVID-weary communities. And the numbers show air pollution from wildfire smoke is on the rise even in states far from the record-setting flames. Wyoming is no exception. The Casper Star-Tribune analyzed 30 years of Environmental Protection Agency data and found that while overall air quality is better than it once was, its beginning to worsen again in much of the state, driven by pollutants from wildfire smoke. Experts say rampant wildfires are only expected to grow as climate change triggers ever-worsening heat waves and droughts. As the nation and state still grapple with an unprecedented respiratory health emergency, experts worry the confluence of events could wreak havoc on already vulnerable lungs. The risks Wildfire smoke, and smoke in general, makes everything worse, explained Wyoming Medical Center Chief of Primary Care Dr. Andy Dunn. Even outside of COVID. Sinusitis, reactive airway disease, asthma, COPD, any kind of lung condition this is gonna make it worse, he said. Health effects from inhaling wildfire smoke can mirror symptoms of more severe illnesses, including COVID-19. That in turn can make it more difficult to diagnose patients, or conversely, can lead patients to attribute concerns to the smoke and forgo necessary medical treatment. Thats of particular concern when a more contagious variant of COVID-19 is circulating and testing is declining. Its hard when were trying to discern allergies, you know, like an allergic sinusitis, allergic upper respiratory symptoms, versus COVID or something else, Dunn said. The physical effects of smoke can vary depending on the degree of exposure and an individuals health. The pollution can cause everything from headaches to allergy symptoms. But Dunn said in some cases, exposure can lead to respiratory infections in otherwise healthy people. Or, it may make it more difficult even for healthy populations to battle viruses like the one that causes COVID-19. Sometimes your bodys really kicked off by an allergen or something thats really irritating such as smoke, and so your inflammatory system goes bonkers and you get plugged up and ... the sinus stuff just sits there like stagnant pond water, he explained. A few weeks later, when this hypothetical person encounters a virus, they have a harder time fighting it off. Because your immune system is so ticked off, your bodys stressed and isnt as well equipped to fight off a viral infection, as it would be if there were no smoke to contend with as well, he said. For sensitive populations, the risk dramatically increases. These last two summers we have definitely noticed some effects, said Cheryl Nye, who treats patients with chronic cardiac and respiratory illnesses as a respiratory therapist for Cheyenne Regional Medical Center. While the average healthy person might feel uncomfortable symptoms from the smoke, those with already scarred lungs or other respiratory issues like asthma could end up hospitalized if exposure is severe enough. Airways are very sensitive anyway, but theirs tends to be a little bit more sensitive to any foreign particles, Nye explained. It can get to where its like breathing through a straw. For those sensitive groups, the smoke on top of other illnesses can compound into a genuine threat, she said. Even a cold or anything at the same time too, then that is just added and can definitely be very dangerous, she said. Wyoming is home to nearly 12,000 children and 43,000 adults with asthma, according to the American Lung Association. Approximately 30,000 Wyomingites suffer from Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder, and nearly 200,000 are chronic smokers. Other groups, like those with heart problems or diabetes, may also be more at risk, Nye said. What makes the smoke dangerous? Wildfire smoke produces two primary air pollutants: ozone and PM2.5. The latter is the main concern, explained Brett Palm, an atmospheric scientist who studies wildfire emissions at the National Center for Atmospheric Research. The moniker indicates particulate matter smaller than 2.5 microns in diameter. These particles are maybe 50 times smaller than red blood cells. Even so, they can get breathed in, Palm said. Thats sort of the range that can get deep into your lungs and then absorbed into your bloodstream, and they can cause inflammation and issues in your body that way. Small fires create this pollutant, too, but in concentrations that arent as dangerous and dont travel quite as far. But the record-setting wildfires of the past several years are a different story. The top three years for acreage burned in the U.S. since 1960 2015, 2017 and 2020 saw a collective 30 million acres succumb to wildfires. And the Dixie Fire, which razed the town of Greenville earlier this week and spans hundreds of miles in Northern California, is now the third-largest wildfire in that states history. Pollution from those major fires can travel thousands of miles. This abundance of really large wildfires out West in these past few summers has caused impacts as far downwind as New York City, Palm said. A look at the numbers Wyomings air quality is in relatively good shape. Every county with consistent monitoring received a passing grade from the American Lung Association for particle pollution. Still, only Sweetwater County received an A grade from the organization. Six counties received B grades. Laramie and Sheridan counties scored Cs, while Campbell County earned the only D. (Thirteen counties received no grade because of inconsistent or nonexistent monitoring in those regions.) A Star-Tribune data analysis also suggests that while air quality has overall improved over time, wildfires are threatening that progress. The Star-Tribune analyzed 30 years of Environmental Protection Agency data to determine the proportion of days that fell into each of that agencys air quality categories in certain counties since 1990. (Because air quality ratings can differ across the state on any given day, the presented data shouldnt be used to draw broad conclusions about Wyomings overall air quality, but rather to understand how things are changing.) The analysis found most communities are seeing more good air quality days now than several decades ago, but that on average, the proportion of good days is trending down. Calculated another way, the data shows that when each of the states monitoring stations are taken into consideration, the proportion of days with a special air quality warning somewhere in the state has increased in each of the last three years. The clearest indication that wildfires are affecting air quality, however, comes from data collected on the specific pollutants that smoke creates. An analysis of ozone and PM2.5 levels monitored in Casper over the last 10 years shows our worst pollution days are getting worse. The highest pollutant day in 2021 already exceeds the maximum level seen in seven of the last 10 years. The Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality confirmed that while air quality has generally improved nationwide, and in Wyoming, wildfires are complicating efforts. We have seen a decrease in emissions and pollution from those sources that we regulate due to better control technology and more stringent permit requirements, agency spokesperson Keith Guille said, adding, Wildfire smoke has been a challenge in this region and has a direct influence on our air quality and the monitors. In a separate interview, Palm, the atmospheric scientist, echoed Guilles comments. Extreme air quality events due to anthropogenic emissions have been going down, to my knowledge, but the extreme air quality events that are caused by wildfire emissions have been going up, he said. Its expected to continue to be bad, if not get worse. How to protect yourself? In an environment thats only expected to become more harmful in coming years, the medical experts who spoke with the Star-Tribune said individuals will need to make personal decisions about how to protect themselves. Dunn explained that adverse effects from wildfire smoke can manifest in a number of ways, like congestion, runny nose, a dry cough, itchy watery eyes, wheezing or feeling short of breath. When someone begins to feel negative impacts from the smoke, they should remove themselves, he said. Even on air quality days listed as moderate, the tier before the unhealthy warnings begin, people should avoid heavy aerobic activities outdoors. Nye, the respiratory therapist, recommends that vulnerable groups prepare themselves ahead of time by making a plan with their doctor before wildfire season begins. She added that while KN95 and N95 masks can help, the cloth and surgical masks most commonly used throughout the pandemic likely wont offer much protection because the pollution particles are so small. Instead, she said, people worried about smoke exposure should stay on top of air quality updates and remain indoors with their windows closed on moderate and unhealthy days. You can check the air quality in your community, as well as relevant warnings, at airnow.gov. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 "The governor is encouraged by the steps the department is taking to improve processing and get return-to-work bonus checks out the door for Montanans who are returning to the workforce," Gianforte spokesperson Brooke Stoyke stated in an email Friday. Whether the policy has had the desired effect remains to be seen. Based on early data, several studies indicate that the 26 states that opted out of expanded unemployment benefits havent seen a significant bump in workers returning to the labor force compared with other states, where most of those expanded benefits dont expire until Sept. 6. At least thus far, it doesnt seem to have done much, University of Montana economist Bryce Ward said. It certainly didnt rocket us back to the pre-pandemic level or put us on something that was an obvious trajectory to that. Since Gianfortes announcement, 18,000 fewer Montanans were filing weekly unemployment claims, according to the most recent DLI data available, for the week ending July 24. About 10,000 of those people dropped off the unemployment rolls when pandemic-related unemployment benefits stopped at the end of June. Gov. Doug Burgum has temporarily eased some driving restrictions for truckers hauling hay, water and livestock to help ranchers struggling with drought. Livestock producers running short on water and feed have been forced to sell off parts of their herds or bring in supplemental supplies, including from out of state. That means commercial truck drivers are moving hay and water in significantly greater volumes across North Dakota. Burgum after consulting with state Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring signed an executive order Monday waiving hours of service restrictions for drivers of commercial vehicles transporting hay, water or livestock. With no relief from extremely dry conditions in sight, waiving the hours of service will allow commercial haulers to move the additional food and water that livestock producers need to maintain their herds and make it easier for ranchers to move their herds, the governor said in a statement. Work to stop bank erosion and preserve the walking trail at a popular Burleigh County lake is scheduled to be done this month. The effort will stabilize portions of the banks at McDowell Dam Recreation Area and move sections of walking trail farther from the waters edge to protect against wave action. A culvert will be added and another replaced at locations where surface runoff crosses the trail. The $135,000 project is more than 52% funded by a grant from the states Outdoor Heritage Fund, a program that uses oil and gas production tax revenue to enhance wildlife habitat and outdoor recreation areas, among other things. About 43% -- just more than $58,000 -- will come from the Burleigh County Water Resource District, the entity that owns the park. The Bismarck Parks and Recreation District, which manages the lake, will provide in-kind service contributions of machinery and labor totaling $6,900. Workers will plant more than 100 trees near the edge of the lake to slow erosion. Erosion below the trail was starting to eat into the hill, said Travis Johnson, engineer with Houston Engineering. We want to stop it before it progresses or well lose a chunk of the trail. William Cobb also had gunshot wounds and grazes to his forearms, indicative of a possible defensive posture, Massello said. The retired medical examiner didnt speak to a possible reason for such brutal attacks. He also couldnt determine the sequence of injuries for the deceased. He said the perpetrator could have carried out the attacks within minutes. The assailant would have been close enough at least within arms reach and probably closer to the people killed, who likely died within minutes, he said. Some injuries could have been made after the people were incapacitated or dead, he said. Massello said the bullets recovered during the autopsies were similar, and the stab wounds were consistent with being made with one weapon, a common or standard knife. Defense attorney Bruce Quick questioned Massello about autopsy procedures and the securing of evidence from the bodies, as well as the decedents injuries. The jury also heard from police investigators about the consideration of other suspects or persons of interest. Quick during his opening statements to the jury last week had maintained that police overlooked numerous people as possible suspects. The University of Mary is getting nearly $3 million in federal grant money to further American Indian education. The Office of Indian Educations Professional Development Program has awarded the private Catholic university in Bismarck two grants totaling just under $2.9 million over the next five years, starting with the upcoming fall semester. The first grant will fund scholarships for Native American students seeking a bachelors degree in teacher education or special education completed in a fast track of three years. The second grant is scholarship money for Native American graduate students wanting to enter the school's online masters of education program. It's the third time the university has received the grant, but the first time it has received the full amount. Grants in past years have benefited 110 Native American students; the program has had an 85% completion rate. This is Up and Down, where we give a brief thumbs up or thumbs down on the issues from the past week. Up A new technology training program within North Dakotas prison system aims to improve inmates job opportunities after theyre released from custody. The Last Mile is providing training to 12 prisoners at the State Penitentiary in Bismarck through a $250,000 contract funded by a federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act grant administered by Job Service North Dakota. The state's Commerce Department and its Corrections and Rehabilitation Department also are grant partners. The program has the potential to address critical technology workforce needs while also helping participants turn their lives around. Down vSphere 7 with Tanzu - The Fastest Way to Get Started with Kubernetes and Modernize Your Existing Apps There is a significant amount of industry challenges when it comes to cloud infrastructure like handling app modernization, avoiding vendor lock-in, integrating AI and ML, and of course navigating data privacy and security. This webcast dives into VMware vSphere 7 with Tanzu and explains why it may be one of the fastest ways to get started with Kubernetes to modernize your existing apps. Access it here to learn why you should care about this partnership, what the solution is, how it works, and more. Stem Mission Sharpened By Dmso Approach To Data Center In higher ed, uptime, security, and monitoring IT infrastructure have become more critical mandates than ever before. As one leading UK university felt the weight of these demands, they realized their existing maintenance was not up to the task, so they sought a solution to support their mission-critical IT. Explore this case study to learn about DMSO, a simplified and automated approach to discovering, monitoring, supporting, and optimizing digital infrastructures, and its key component, ParkView Hardware Monitoring, which delivers automated monitoring. To see the Presidential portraits of Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama I thought I would have to go to Washington D.C. Not that I had contemplated traveling there just to see these historic paintings, but if I found myself in the capitol for another reason I would be sure to give them a good looking at before I left. As it turns out, I inadvertently willed the paintings to come to the Art Institute of Chicago, which I am a member of, and got to see them up close without the air travel. Actually, the inseparable paintings don't end their 11-month tour in Chicago, but go to New York, LA, Atlanta and Houston through March of 2022, before returning to their permanent home at the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C. The experience was inspiring and hopeful. I was not necessarily parading around during the Obama years lauding their every moves, but I was definitely a fan. When one experiences the horror of 2016-2020 the appreciation of competence increases dramatically, as we all know. I would not go so far as to see an official presidential portrait of George W, even if it was hung at a Walmart near my house, just because his dull shine gained an element of luster during the recent dark years, to be clear. I was there to see my friends, the Obamas. These paintings Obama are really fantastic. I lost the staring contests with both of them. Barack, confident and approachable, enmeshed in ivy, painted by Kehinde Wiley. It almost seems like if you visited that painting annually the ivy would grow over and around him a bit more each year, signifying the positive growth he set forth, until the only thing of him still visible is his steadfast gaze. And eventually the man himself would become covered over by the work he's done. Michelle, refined and resilient. Her skin painted in Amy Sherald's signature gray, bucking stereotype and offering a new view and possibility of Blackness. The calm of her face belying the dynamism of a person whose constant motion continues to make things better. With spoilers of these paintings on banners, buses, and billboards, advertising their presence throughout Chicago, it stole a little of what might have been breathtaking for me. I already knew what both paintings looked like in detail and to sneer down my nose and say, "Yeah, I saw them in person because all of the other versions of them don't do them justice," would be an overstatement. As remarkable as seeing them bigger and up close really was, wasn't the point of my visit, nor was writing this. It was to get a sliver of a feeling of what it might be to share the same room with them and pay proper reverence. Thank them for what was and for what can still be. Sounds like the cops have quite a nice organized crime operation going in Philadephia. They are towing cars from legally parked spots and placing them in spots where it's not legal to park them. Then they impound the car and tell the owner if they don't pay them an exorbitant fine, they'll sell it and keep the money. My question is why don't the cops just steal any car they like and sell it? That seems much more efficient. From The Philadelphia Inquirer: Drivers who get sucked into the bureaucratic vortex describe it as city-sanctioned auto theft, often followed by punishing fines from the PPA if the car was moved to an illegal parking space, then ticketed, towed, or booted. The resulting fees can be difficult or impossible to fight. Michael Ippolito, a graduate student at Jefferson, had to pay $500 to retrieve his Volkswagen after it was courtesy-towed from his legal parking space in Old City to an illegal spot, then ticketed four times by the PPA and impounded. "They wouldn't give me any records of who towed it," said Ippolito, who finally got a refund a year later, in September, after threatening legal action. "It seems like they have a habit of stealing people's cars, then charging them a lot of money to get them back." Ippolito said he is exploring the possibility of filing a class-action lawsuit. Over the weekend, one of New York Governor Andrew Cuomo's alleged victims spoke to CBS News, describing an escalating pattern of manhandling, forced kisses and ultimately sexual assault. Cuomo's top aide, Melissa DeRosa, announced her resignation late Sunday. DeRosa's resignation comes on the eve of a meeting of the state Assembly's Judiciary Committee that could deliver a timeline for Cuomo's potential impeachment. The 38-year-old, who held the highest-ranking appointed position in the state, appeared throughout New York State Attorney General Letitia James' August 3 report, in which investigators concluded that Cuomo sexually harassed 11 women, including current and former state employees. The report detailed a "toxic" workplace environment under Cuomo and said that environment allowed for his allegedly harassing behavior to go overlooked. It also highlighted alleged instances of retaliation against at least one accuser. This particular rat served Cuomo's ship very wellDeRosa leaked personnel records and smeared the alleged victims, according the the Attorney General's reportso her departure is a good sign it's finally sinking. Siti Jaliah Erman (Jali) set a simple goal for herself: do something big before she turned 30 years old. That was a benchmark for me. I wanted to do something that took off the training wheels and put some hair on my chest, said Erman. Lucky for us, something big can also be something pretty small and deep-fried and delicious. One year ago, on August 9, Erman left her 9-to-5 job to start Moneybags Dumplings. Its a pop-up shop cranking out handmade crispy dumplings for farmers markets, outdoor festivals and online orders. The leap of faith enabled Erman to flex her culinary skills, share her culture and honor her hometown. Born in Singapore, Erman comes from a food-loving family. She learned how to cook from her mother. Because she also has 12 aunts, family parties where dishes were passed all day long were common. Though she fell in love with Buffalo while attending the University at Buffalo, Erman was committed to staying true to who she was and where she was from. Turkish cuisine and I go way back, at least in my head. That National Geographic cover story about Istanbul must have had photographs of Byzantine architecture, ancient waterways and centuries of artistic endeavors, but the glossy full-color image that stuck in my head decades later was iskender kebab. In this famed Turkish dish, meat shaved from a rotating vertical spit is layered over toasted pita bread croutons and drenched with tomato-chile sauce and lavish amounts of melted butter, along with a drift of yogurt and grilled peppers. Twice in my life I had gotten to experience the dish, once in Cleveland, once in Manhattan. So earlier this year, when I found out that there was a full-fledged Turkish restaurant in Rochester, I was in my car in five minutes, propelled by a hunger long denied. (I did call first, standard practice these days, because many small places cant keep their hours updated online.) What I found there thrilled me, the variety of topped breads made to order, tiny dumplings called manti in garlic-yogurt sauce, and of course, iskender. Delicious. But how Turkish was it? So I recruited a Turkish native, and went back. Which is how I can testify that As Evi Turkish Cuisine is the real deal, as well as being well worth the schlep. Selami Tulum's restaurant is in a strip mall next to a Turkish grocery. Theres no host presence, so go to the back of the restaurant, to the counter beside the kitchen, and ask someone for a table. While youre there, scan the soft drink cooler. Besides the usual soft drinks, theres sour cherry juice and a variety of yogurt drinks; I find the salty version best with kababs. A beverage made of fermented black carrots called salgam suyu made me think of beet kombucha, packing plenty of lactic tang to pep up your palate. If thats all beyond the pale, may I suggest Uludag, a bizarrely refreshing mineral water. At As Evi, you can meet lots of the usual Turkish characters. Lahmacun ($4.49) is dough stretched to hubcap size and topped with a spiced minced beef flavored with chiles and onions, served with lemon wedges. It comes out floppy and is often rolled or folded to eat on the go. Pide is another fresh flatbread, slightly thicker, more canoe-shaped with turned-up sides to keep the fillings in, whether cheese, mushroom, egg, meat or combinations. Theyre sometimes called Turkish pizza but pide has a much lower dough-to-payload ratio, meaning less bread, more filling. Patatesli pide ($10.99) packs mashed potatoes, peppers, garlic and cheese, for a stuffed-potato upgrade. Pastirmali pide ($15.99) sees the cheese topped with sliced pastrami that comes out frizzled from the oven. Karisik pide ($15.99) is the meat-lovers special (Turkish pastrami, sausage, ground beef, cheese). Coban salatasi, shepherd salad ($8.99 large), is a refreshing blend of fresh chopped cucumber, tomato, parsley, green bell pepper and onion. Cacik, cold cucumber yogurt salad ($3.49), is tzatzikis lighter cousin. Sandwiches are always better in bread made moments ago. Exhibit A: As Evi sandwiches ($7.99), centering shaved beef doner, ground beef, spicy ground beef or chicken, packed with lettuce, onion, tomato and garlic sauce. Kebabs are served over rice, with grilled peppers and tomatoes. Beef versions include adana ($13.99) beef with red peppers; kofte ($13.99) seasoned ground beef; beyti ($16.99) spicy garlic beef; shish ($16.99) marinated beef chunks. Yogurtlu kebabs ($16.99-$17.99) are adana, doner or shish kababs getting a bed of toasted pita croutons to rest on, and a blanket of garlic yogurt to comfort them. Ezo gelin ($4.99), red lentil soup, was hearty and homey. I was intrigued to note the description of the other soup, kelle paca ($6.99). Ask your server for details please, the menu said. My Turkish friend made a face at the name, but our server, Suleyman, Selami's son, said it was his favorite, that his mother made it for him when he got sick. Made of a lambs head, it tasted like beef butter soup with lamb huskiness. Then at Suleyman's direction, I dropped in the shot of minced garlic in vinegar. In an instant, I was with Suleyman on Team Paca. What a glorious dance of richness and vigorous tang, somehow once both mellow and rousing. Housemade manti ($16.99) are the smallest dumplings Ive ever seen, cranberry size. Inside is a pinch of ground beef, outside garlicky yogurt, and spiced clarified butter. Bless the cooks hands, they were comforting as a hug. For dessert, consider kunefe ($7.99). An ancient dessert of salty cheese in shredded phyllo dough is baked until molten and crispy-sided, then doused with syrup and sliced, creating some intense cheese-pull action. Service might seem a bit poky, but the folks here care, and your patience will be rewarded. Its worth it to experience one of the worlds great cuisines, brought within striking distance by Selami and his crew. Besides, take it from me: Hunger makes the best sauce. If nothing else, one trip to Rochester will rearrange your definition of Turkish delight. RESTAURANT REVIEW As Evi Turkish Cuisine 315 E. Ridge Road, Rochester, facebook.com/asevirochester, 585-544-0101 Hours: noon to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday, closed Monday Prices: appetizers $2.49-$9.99, lahmacun and pide $4.49-$16.99, entrees $13.99-$21.99 Atmosphere: family casual Parking: lot Wheelchair accessible: yes Gluten-free: salads, some kababs on rice Outdoor seating: no Send restaurant tips to agalarneau@buffnews.com and follow @BuffaloFood on Instagram and Twitter. The Buffalo News: Food & Drink Get what you need to know about Western New York's dining and bar scene, including restaurant openings and closings, delivered to your inbox every Wednesday. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. "I think it's in the future. I think this has shown us what it's like to be apart," she said. Alex Christie of Boston, Mass., was sidelined by a testing delay, too. His 72-hour PCR results had not come back by the time he had planned to cross the border Monday morning to visit his house on Lake Muskoka in Ontario. He had been to the property twice during the pandemic because he has dual Canadian citizenship. Monday was the first time he could visit without quarantining for 14 days, but his dual citizenship was no help without the proper negative Covid-19 test (antigen tests are not accepted). Already in Buffalo, Christie decided to spring $140 for the rapid PCR test at D'Youville College's Vital Pharmacy on Connecticut Street. "I had to pay, but I'm really hoping to get up there," he said. "This is right by the bridge and it's fast." Just 30 more minutes and he was on his way. Claudia Miller of Niagara Falls welled up at the thought of reuniting with her daughter Katie White and 22-year-old granddaughter Haley Pletcher in St. Catharines. Miller helped raise Haley from childhood and they are "incredibly close," she said. Not seeing or touching her for a year and a half has been beyond difficult," Miller said. But both are frantically preparing behind the scenes for the post-Labor Day blitz. Deputy Mayor Betsey Ball, who is overseeing Brown's campaign for an unprecedented fifth term, said the mayor has slated "literally dozens of meet and greet neighborhood events" through the summer. With Walton expected to gain support from liberal groups across the nation, Ball is already noting that 70% of new contributions to the mayor stem from Buffalo residents at an average of $94. "The mayor has always had the necessary resources, and will again to advance the educational component of how to do a write-in," she said. "Everyone understands the stakes here." She also emphasizes the broad nature of Brown's support, while acknowledging the special interest of a business community expected to back the mayor through various fundraising mechanisms. Rod Watson: Money talks and says campaign funding is about more than ideology "All of which brings to mind the aphorism that whoever pays the piper calls the tune. It has never been more true than in a campaign finance system that relies on private contributions rather than public funding," Watson says. "Wherever you sit if you have invested in a home, a business, or looking at what has been done by developers, it's all relevant," she said, "and you want to see the value of that investment continue." Not many people give Andrew Cuomo much chance of surviving his current troubles. And if he is headed soon for the dustbin of New Yorks political history, then Hamburgs own Kathy Courtney Hochul moves into the governors mansion. She would be the 57th governor of New York and, as frequently mentioned, the first woman. Of the previous 56 governors going back to 1777 New York State had a constitution and governor before the United States had a constitution and president most have come from New York City and the Hudson Valley. But seven had ties or roots in Western New York. Here is a look at them: John Young Pardoned farmers who led rebellion 1847-1848 (terms were either two or three years from 1777 to 1938) Young was born in Vermont in 1802, and his family moved to Conesus in Livingston County soon after. Young was self-taught, and he was a teacher and lawyer in Geneseo before entering politics. Hospice and Palliative Care Buffalo will require its employees to be vaccinated for Covid-19, becoming one of the largest health care providers in the region to mandate inoculation. More than 80% of Hospice Buffalo employees are already vaccinated, said Dr. Christopher Kerr, the CEO. But in light of the rising threat of the Delta variant, and the amount of data about the safety and effectiveness of Covid vaccines, Hospice Buffalo decided it was time to move to a requirement to inoculate, he said. "We're taking care of the absolutely most vulnerable patients in our community," Kerr said. "That includes 125 very ill children a day." It's also more difficult for Hospice Buffalo to control its workplace circumstances than a typical health care employer, since employees are going in and out of patients' homes, he said. "If you put it all together, I just think the facts are what they are, and it's ultimately the right thing to do, and I would imagine others are going to follow." Around the country, employers have wrestled with going beyond urging their employees to get vaccinated, to making vaccination a condition of employment. The Assembly Judiciary Committee will meet Monday morning, in what should be a mix of public and private sessions, just days before it has given Cuomo until Friday evening to produce any further evidence to support his defense before the panel moves to recommend the impeachment of the third-term Democratic governor. If Cuomo does not resign, he could be impeached as early as later this month or early September by the Assembly, which would automatically remove him from office before an impeachment trial is held in the Senate this fall. Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Buffalo Democrat, would take over for Cuomo. Covid cases, hospitalizations and deaths kept rising again over the weekend, as the state governments response was disrupted by the swirl around Cuomos political and legal future. Against the complaints by local health officials around the state, Cuomo singlehandedly seized control of the states Covid pandemic response last year and later cut a $5.1 million book deal to tell his story about the crisis and the infrastructure of the government is now grappling with how to cope with a worsening public health situation while its chief executive is facing his own political demise. Just prior to the time of the fire, the cabin was in the process of being dismantled by a representative of the property owner, as directed by a judge, Gamache said. The investigation indicates a probability that this fire began as a result of unintentional/accidental means," he said. Gamache said the investigation identified several potential causes of the fire, but the origin and cause are still undetermined. Lidstone, who is currently staying with friends, said he tried to go back to the site to collect some things, but was told he had to go to police first. The main thing I wanted out of the whole thing was my Bible," he said. Hopefully, Canterbury police took it home. ... I had the keys to camp and the camps just ashes. So I have the keys to Gods heart, and thats all I got." The woodlot Lidstone called home was just a few miles away from Interstate 93, north of the capital city of Concord. But it was hidden by the trees; its on 73 acres that have been used for timber harvests. The property has been owned by the same family since 1963. There are no plans at this time to develop it. Lidstone had said a prior owner gave his word years ago that he could live there, but had nothing in writing. He later disputed that he was even on the property. In addition, acknowledging the existence of systemic racism and the harm that it has done to communities of color for centuries is the morally and ethically responsible thing to do as a Christian and as a human being, for the simple reason that it exists, harm has been done, and we need to do something to repair the harm as a church and society. The Upper New York Annual Conference chose to affirm the passage of these laws out of a commitment to the greatest commandments stated by Jesus in Matthew 22:35-40 and Mark 12:28-34: We shall love God with all our heart, with all our soul, with all our mind, and with all our strength, and we shall love our neighbors as ourselves. We also hope to affirm that we are following the requirements of God found in Micah 6:8: to do justice, love mercy and walk humbly with God. In doing so, we are following the United Methodist Social Principles, which state that We affirm all persons as equally valuable in the sight of Gods sight, and We hold governments responsible for the protection of peoples basic freedoms. At least now, theres a figure to work with: A new report concludes that it will cost up to $297 million to restore the Central Terminal, Buffalos last remaining architecture jewel without serious money committed to its salvation. Its a figure that might make many people blanch, especially given that previous estimates had come around one-third of the new figure. Nevertheless, it appears to be an honest number, based on the most in-depth study ever done on the historic building, according to Monica Pellegrino Faix, executive director of the nonprofit Central Terminal Restoration Corp. But two observations can put the cost in context: Developer Douglas Jemal, who has taken on other challenging projects in Buffalo and is thirsting to add the terminal to his list, said that in his experience, such estimates are frequently incorrect. Theres no practical alternative but to begin the work, anyway. The building cant be left to continue to deteriorate and the costs of demolishing it would be prohibitive. That leaves the happy choice of planning a future for it. As with the ongoing restorations of the Statler Hotel and of Buffalos Richardson towers the latter project initially led by Pellegrino Faix its important to find a way. Dublin, Aug. 09, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Air Separation Plant Market by Process (Cryogenic, Non-cryogenic), Gas (Nitrogen, Oxygen, Argon, Others), End-Use Industry (Iron & Steel, Oil & Gas, Chemical, Healthcare, Others) and Region - Global Forecast to 2026" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The global market for air separation plants was valued at USD 4.5 billion in 2021 and is projected to reach USD 5.9 billion by 2026, at a CAGR of 4.9% between 2021 and 2026. The global market for air separation plants is driven by strong growth in demand, especially from the iron & steel, oil & gas, chemical, healthcare, and other end-use industries. The cryogenic process is the largest segment of the global air separation plant market, by the process. Cryogenic technology was commercialized in 1902 and has since been used extensively by companies across multiple industries that require gases such as nitrogen, oxygen, and others. Being the oldest air separation technology available, it has evolved considerably over the years, resulting in improved efficiency and high purity of yield gases. The growing demand for fabricated metals and alloys across the globe, the increasing dependency on pure gases for enhancing metal properties, and rapid industrialization are expected to drive the air separation plant market during the next five years. Nitrogen is the largest segment of the air separation plant market, by gas. Cryogenic technology was commercialized in 1902 and has since been used extensively by companies across multiple industries that require gases such as nitrogen, oxygen, and others. Being the oldest air separation technology available, it has evolved considerably over the years, resulting in improved efficiency and high purity of yield gases. The growing demand for fabricated metals and alloys across the globe, the increasing dependency on pure gases for enhancing metal properties, and rapid industrialization are expected to drive the air separation plant market during the next five years. Story continues Iron & Steel is the largest segment of the air separation plant market, by end-use industry. Iron & steel are used in cars, appliances, roads, bridges, ships, airplanes, and in engineering and construction applications. Hence, with the development and growth of any country, the production and consumption of iron & steel increase proportionately. Countries such as China, the US, Japan, Russia, Italy, Germany, India and Brazil lead in the production and consumption of steel. The Asia Pacific is projected to lead the air separation plant market during the forecast period. Market growth in the Asia Pacific region can be attributed to the increasing metal production, fabrication, and consumption in countries such as Japan, China, and India. The Asia Pacific region accounts for the highest production and consumption of steel in the world, along with one of the highest oil refining capacities. It is also the manufacturing hub of the world, with abundant heavy machinery and equipment manufacturing companies. Key Topics Covered: 1 Introduction 2 Research Methodology 3 Executive Summary 4 Premium Insights 4.1 Attractive Opportunities in Global Air Separation Plant Market 4.2 Air Separation Plant Market, by Gas 4.3 Asia-Pacific Air Separation Plant Market, by End-Use Industry and Country 4.4 Air Separation Plant Market, Major Countries 5 Market Overview 5.1 Introduction 5.2 Market Segmentation 5.3 Market Dynamics 5.3.1 Drivers 5.3.1.1 Growing Demand for Industrial Gases from Dynamic Manufacturing Sectors 5.3.1.2 Increased Demand for Medical Oxygen due to COVID-19 5.3.2 Restraints 5.3.2.1 High Costs Associated with Fabrication, Component Assembly, and Operations 5.3.3 Opportunities 5.3.3.1 Demand for Industrial Oxygen in the African Region due to COVID-19 5.3.3.2 Emerging Applications in Glass, Gasification, and Gas-To-Liquid Industries 5.3.4 Challenges 5.3.4.1 Development of Affordable as Well as Effective Technologies 5.3.4.2 Hazards Associated with Cryogenic Air Separation Technology 5.4 Porter's Five Forces Analysis 5.5 Supply Chain Analysis 5.6 Value Chain Analysis 5.6.1 Prominent Companies 5.6.2 Small & Medium Enterprises 5.7 Case Study Analysis 5.8 Trends/Disruptions Impacting Customer's Business 5.9 Ecosystem for Air Separation Plant Market 5.10 Patent Analysis 5.11 Technology Analysis 5.12 Import & Export Trade Analysis 5.13 Regulatory Landscape 5.14 Macroeconomic Indicators 6 Air Separation Plant Market, by Process 6.1 Introduction 6.2 Cryogenic 6.2.1 Increasing Demand for Gases for Industrial Activities Drives Cryogenic Segment 6.3 Non-Cryogenic 6.3.1 Healthcare, Food & Beverage, and Glass Industries Contribute to Growth of Non-Cryogenic Segment 6.3.1.1 Pressure Swing Adsorption (Psa) 6.3.1.2 Vacuum Pressure Swing Adsorption (Vpsa) 6.3.1.3 Membrane Separation 7 Air Separation Plant Market, by Gas 7.1 Introduction 7.1.1 COVID-19 Impact on Gas Segment 7.2 Nitrogen 7.2.1 Use in Blanketing and Inerting Across Multiple End-Use Industries Boosts Demand for Nitrogen 7.3 Oxygen 7.3.1 Need for Medical Oxygen for Treatment of COVID-19 Patients Fuels Segment Growth 7.4 Argon 7.4.1 Argon Widely Used in Industrial and Electronics Applications 7.5 Others 8 Air Separation Plant Market, by End-Use Industry 8.1 Introduction 8.2 Iron & Steel 8.2.1 Iron & Steel Industry Commands Largest Share of Market 8.2.2 COVID-19 Impact on Iron & Steel Industry 8.3 Oil & Gas 8.3.1 Use of Industrial Gases for Downstream and Upstream Processes Boosts Segment Growth 8.3.1.1 Upstream 8.3.1.2 Downstream 8.3.2 COVID-19 Impact on Oil & Gas Industry 8.4 Chemical 8.4.1 Resurging Global Chemical Industry Expected to Drive Demand for Air Separation Plant Gases 8.4.2 COVID-19 Impact on Chemical Industry 8.5 Healthcare 8.5.1 Increasing Consumption of Medical Gases Like Oxygen Drives Healthcare Segment 8.5.2 COVID-19 Impact on Healthcare Industry 8.6 Others 8.6.1 COVID-19 Impact on Other Industries 9 Air Separation Plant Market, by Region 10 Competitive Landscape 10.1 Overview 10.2 Market Evaluation Framework 10.3 Market Share Analysis: Air Separation Plant Market (2020) 10.3.1 Market Share Analysis of Top Players in Air Separation Plant Market 10.3.2 Revenue Analysis of Top Players in Air Separation Plant Market 10.4 Company Evaluation Matrix, 2020 10.4.1 Star 10.4.2 Emerging Leaders 10.4.3 Pervasive 10.4.4 Participants 10.5 Competitive Benchmarking 10.5.1 Strength of Product Portfolio 10.5.2 Business Strategy Excellence 10.6 Sme Matrix, 2020 10.6.1 Progressive Companies 10.6.2 Dynamic Companies 10.6.3 Responsive Companies 10.6.4 Starting Blocks 10.7 Key Market Developments 11 Company Profiles 11.1 Key Players 11.1.1 Linde plc 11.1.2 Air Liquide Sa 11.1.3 Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. 11.1.4 Messer Group GmbH 11.1.5 Taiyo Nippon Sanso Corporation 11.1.6 Daesung Industrial Co., Ltd. 11.1.7 Air Water Inc. 11.1.8 Enerflex Ltd. 11.1.9 Yingde Gases Group Co., Ltd. 11.2 Sme Profiles 11.2.1 Inox Air Products Private Limited 11.2.2 Hangzhou Hangyang Co., Ltd. 11.2.3 Universal Industrial Gases, Inc. 11.2.4 Nikkiso Cosmodyne, LLC 11.2.5 Siad Macchine Impianti S.P.A. 11.3 Other Companies 11.3.1 Ranch Cryogenics, Inc. 11.3.2 Technex Limited 11.3.3 Phoenix Equipment Corporation 11.3.4 Amcs Corporation 11.3.5 Universal Ing. L. & A. Boschi Plants Private Limited 11.3.6 China National Air Separation Plant Corporation 11.3.7 Gas Engineering, LLC 11.3.8 Cryotec Anlagenbau GmbH 11.3.9 Novair Sas 12 Appendix For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/l4hmzn CONTACT: CONTACT: ResearchAndMarkets.com Laura Wood, Senior Press Manager press@researchandmarkets.com For E.S.T Office Hours Call 1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call 1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 Carevoyance Territory Manager Medical Device Companies Powered by Territory Manager Medical Device Companies Powered by Territory Manager NEW YORK, Aug. 09, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- H1 , which provides the largest global healthcare platform that connects healthcare professionals, announced today that it has acquired Portland, Oregon based Carevoyance , which offers the best targeting, sales enablement, and physician segmentation platform to medical device sellers. The acquisition enables H1 to expand its presence in the medical device market, and allows Carevoyance - which will continue to operate independently, as a subsidiary of H1 - to include H1s proprietary data in its product offering to provide more value to clients. Both companies will continue to serve customers in their respective markets. The transaction provides for synergies to expand the market presence of both companies. Carevoyance has a strong history of evaluating healthcare data to surface actionable insights for life sciences, medical device and provider partners to help those companies reach the right buyers. The company counts among its clients some of the biggest medical device companies in the world, including Olympus, Nuvasive and Insightec. H1 has built the premier intelligence platform for Healthcare Providers around the globe, searching scholarly data and medical claims data to surface the most relevant researchers or clinicians given any criteria. H1s world-class teams and operations pros can help meaningfully accelerate Carevoyances growth. Carevoyance has always been singularly focused on delivering actionable insights through software to provide our clients with a competitive edge in market, said Anatoly Geyfman, Founder, Carevoyance. We are thrilled at the opportunity to join forces with H1 and bring best-of-breed commercial intelligence to every life sciences team. The combination of H1 and Carevoyance will allow customers to make excellent data-driven decisions at every stage of the product lifecycle - from research through commercialization. Story continues Acquiring Carevoyance strategically accelerates H1s entry into the medical device space and adds depth to our engineering and client facing teams said Ariel Katz, co-founder and CEO of H1. Perhaps most importantly, after spending time with Anatoly and the rest of the Carevoyance team, we thought theyd be a strong culture fit and together we can continue to drive towards supplying a source of truth of HCP information to the life sciences industry. About Carevoyance Carevoyance uses unique data science, engineering and physician insight to synthesize opaque, disparate and diverse sources of healthcare data to enable medical technology companies to understand, interpret and take smarter actions. About H1 H1 provides the largest global healthcare platform to help life sciences companies, hospitals, academic medical centers and health systems connect with providers, find clinical research, locate industry experts, and benchmark their organization. As the trusted source of information on healthcare professionals and institutions, H1 connects the entire healthcare ecosystem through real-time data and clinical findings. Learn more at https://h1.co/ . Media contact: Kerry Metzdorf Big Swing 978-463-2575 kerry@big-swing.com A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/78fce612-5fea-4aef-9b19-ae70bbe76e44 Woman using smartphone in front of aeroplane The mobile operator Vodafone is following EE's lead by introducing extra charges for some of its customers using their phones in Europe from next year, after the UK left the EU. Since 2017, UK consumers have, within reason, been able to use the minutes, texts and data included on their mobile phone tariffs when travelling in the EU. But since January 2021, UK operators have been allowed to reintroduce so-called roaming charges because the UK's Brexit trade deal with the EU, signed at the end of 2020, did not rule them out. What charges will there be? From January 2022, EE will charge customers who joined or upgraded their contracts after 7 July, 2 a day to use their tariff allowances in 47 European destinations. Customers will not be charged to use their phones in the Republic of Ireland. There will also be 30-day packages available for people travelling for longer periods. EE said the charges would "support investment into our UK-based customer service and leading UK network". Vodafone is also introducing charges for some of its new or upgrading customers, which will be applied from 6 January. The operator will then have three types of tariffs: Its cheapest sim-only deals do not allow any use apart from emergency calls outside the UK and Ireland Some of its more expensive Xtra plans will include roaming at no extra charge The rest of its tariffs will offer roaming for 2 a day. Eight-day and 15-day passes will be available for 1 a day. Will other networks be charging? All four of the big operators previously said they had no plans to introduce roaming charges. Three and O2 still say that. But there are "fair use limits" on the amount of time that customers will be allowed to use their phones abroad. You could not, for example, get a mobile phone contract from Greece and then use it all year round in the UK. UK customers have been told that their operators will charge extra if they spend more than half their time overseas, generally measured by being in another country for more than 62 days in a four-month period. Story continues That could have happened while the UK was still part of the EU, but some operators have only just started enforcing it. Similarly, data limits are also subject to fair use restrictions. Customers of O2 have a monthly data limit of 25GB and will be charged 3.50 for each GB after that. Vodafone's limit is also 25GB with a 3.13 charge per GB after that. Three has cut its fair use limit from 20GB a month to 12GB and will charge 3 per GB above that. Two women using their mobile phones in France The planned 2-a-day fees are still relatively small compared with the costs customers had to pay before the EU banned roaming charges. In the past some people returned from European trips to face bills for hundreds or even thousands of pounds. Are there any limits to what can be charged? The UK's trade deal with the EU said that both sides would encourage operators to have "transparent and reasonable rates" for roaming. The UK government also passed legislation to provide some safeguards for consumers: A 45-a-month limit on the amount they could be charged for using mobile data abroad before having to opt into further use Requirements for customers to be informed when they have reached 80% and 100% of their data allowance Operators also have to take "reasonable steps" to avoid customers being charged for accidental roaming in Northern Ireland, which could happen if a phone there locked on to a mobile signal coming from the Republic of Ireland Will other companies end up charging customers more? It's not clear. Without the EU rules in place, the charges levied depend on agreements between UK operators and their counterparts in EU countries. While these agreements may mean costs haven't increased so far, there's no guarantee that they won't do so at a later date. However, there is a reasonable chance that some UK operators may choose to keep offering inclusive roaming: Some UK operators are already part of companies that also operate in other EU countries Individual companies can make reciprocal deals. For example, a UK and French operator could agree to offer each other's customers inclusive roaming while in the other country Each EU country has more than one operator, so UK operators have a choice of companies with which to deal The four main operators in the UK declined to comment on the commercial deals they have with other operators. The UK government recommends that customers check the details of their individual tariff with their phone operator before travelling. The regulator Ofcom has also issued some guidance. Reality Check branding What do you want BBC Reality Check to investigate? Get in touch Read more from Reality Check Cebu (CNN Philippines, August 9) - Cebu City is considering to put up a mass burial site for patients who died of COVID-19. City counselor and Emergency Operations Center (EOC) deputy chief implementer Joel Garganera said on Monday the establishment of the mass grave in Barangay Adlaon or Barangay Babag is being studied. He added that the city government is also planning to use freezer vans to keep the remains while awaiting the availability of crematoriums. We have to make sure and do everything so the bodies will be buried immediately, said Garganera. Garganera also noted that the citys COVID-19 situation is currently not in good shape. "Ingon ana (With this) na situation, we are not in good shape. It's alarming," he said. "And I talked with some of the infectious disease experts, they told me that we are just about to start this third surge." EOC data showed that Cebu City has tallied 7,576 new COVID-19 cases from July to August and 151 deaths from June to August. Garganera said that the number of deaths could still be higher as there are other cases that are reported late. Overwhelmed Garganera also pointed out that hospitals in the city are overwhelmed due to rising COVID-19 cases. He said that the occupancy rate of the 15 hospitals in Cebu City is 69.5 percent. There are 673 out of the 969 COVID-19 beds that are already occupied in by patients. The Cebu City councilor also said that the 296 vacant are even not yet useable because there are no medical personnel assigned to them yet. With the surge of cases, he said that the 296 could be gone easily in a matter of days. Cebu-based correspondent Dale Israel contributed to this report Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 9) Dozens of crew members of a ship currently docked in Batangas have tested positive for COVID-19, the Philippine Coast Guard said on Monday. In a Facebook post Monday evening, the PCG said 28 out of 82 crew members of M/V Saint Anthony de Padua sailed from Batangas to Caticlan and back without any passengers onboard. Upon arriving in Batangas, one seafarer experienced symptoms and was made to undergo a RT-PCR test. He then tested positive for the disease. Tests done on the seafarers companions on the ship yielded 27 positive results, added the PGC. Three out of the 28 COVID-19 patients are currently isolating at San Juan Doctors Hospital, Golden Gate General Hospital, and Chateau Royale Kalinga Hotel with the assistance of the Batangas provincial health office. The Coast Guard likewise clarified that the remaining 25 crew members who tested positive remain isolated in the ship and are receiving medical assistance from the doctor onboard. Batangas Port Manager Joselito Sinocruz earlier told CNN Philippines Balitaan that shipping line 2GO is coordinating with authorities on the incident. A real-time vessel traffic management system is also in place so they can communicate with the head of the vessel from time to time. Nakatutok naman ang PHO (provincial health office) Batangas sa pagbibigay ng karagdagang tulong sa iba pang tripulante na nananatili sa naturang barko na naka-angkla sa Bauan Bay, the PCG said. [Translation: The PHO Batangas remains focused on providing assistance to other seafarers onboard the ship currently docked at Bauan Bay.] Meanwhile, in a separate statement, 2GO said it has suspended all M/V St. Anthony de Padua trips while it is anchored off Batangas. It also said there are no passengers currently on the ship. "Furthermore, we are closely working with both local government units and national authorities for active case investigation and contact tracing to track passengers who may have come into direct contact with the crew," it added. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 10) The country's Food and Drug Administration recognized the risk of children contracting the more transmissible Delta variant, but remained firm that adults must be prioritized in the current vaccination program. FDA chief Eric Domingo made the remark on Monday in response to the question of President Rodrigo Duterte in the weekly Inter-Agency Task Force meeting on why the vaccination of children has suddenly cropped up. "Dito sa Delta variant, mas mabilis siyang makahawa ng bata at mas maraming bata ang nagkakaroon ng severe disease," Domingo told the President. [Translation: The Delta variant can be more infectious to children and many of them are suffering from severe disease.] RELATED: Are kids vulnerable to the Delta variant? More children getting infected with COVID-19 Domingo added that the safety of COVID-19 vaccines must be first tested on adults before they are administered to children. Health Secretary Francisco Duque III echoed the same opinion, saying further studies must be made to ensure that the vaccines are safe for children, especially those who are immunocompromised. Domingo emphasized that once the current vaccine priority groups are fully vaccinated, they will consider starting the inoculation of children. RELATED: Yes, children can be affected by Covid-19. Here's why doctors say they need to be protected When Duterte asked if the danger of children being infected with the Delta variant is now the same with adults, Domingo said older people are still more vulnerable to it. "Kailangan pa rin nating i-prioritize ang older people kasi more than 13 times ang possibility nila na magkaroon ng severe disease at mamatay from COVID-19 compared to the younger people," Domingo explained. [Translation: We need to prioritize older people because they are 13 times more vulnerable to have a severe disease and die from COVID-19 compared to the younger people.] Vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. on Sunday said the government is looking to expand the country's COVID-19 vaccination program to include children and teenagers after seeing how they are impacted by the more transmissible Delta variant. Infants, children with comorbidities more at risk of severe COVID-19 While coronavirus-infected children usually only experience mild or no symptoms, the president of the Pediatric Infectious Disease Society of the Philippines said it may be different for certain kids. Citing international data, Dr. Mary Ann Bunyi said infants as well as children with underlying medical illnesses are more at risk of developing severe COVID-19 complications compared to other minors. This is because they have a weaker immune system to fight off the virus, she explained in a CNN Philippines interview on Tuesday. Even so, Bunyi said before including children in the national COVID-19 vaccination program, her group believes more adults should be inoculated first as they are still more prone to hospitalization and death. Kapag nabakunahan sila, indirectly, ma-poprotektahan din naman nila 'yung mga batang kasama nila sa bahay, she said. [Translation: Once theyre vaccinated, they would also indirectly protect the children they stay with at home.] Ultimately, Bunyi added, the observed increase in infections among children -- who she noted generally just stay at home -- is an effect of the rise in cases among adults whom they live with. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 9) - The distribution of cash assistance to people in Metro Manila as a result of the hard lockdown will begin on Wednesday, August 11, the Department of Interior and Local Government said on Monday. The cash aid totals 10.89 billion and will be disbursed through the local government units, which have the leeway to give ahead of schedule. They would also be given enough time to disburse to beneficiaries. Doon po sa meeting ng mga NCR mayors, napagkasunduan po nila na magsimula sa Miyerkules. Sa Miyerkules po imo-monitor po 'yan ng DSWD [Department of Social Welfare and Development] and DILG ang actual na distribution ng ayuda sa National Capital Region, Interior Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya said in a media briefing Monday. [Translation: During the meeting of NCR mayors, it was agreed upon that the distribution will start on Wednesday. On Wednesday, the DSWD and the DILG will monitor the actual distribution of cash aid in the National Capital Region.] Malaya said local governments can begin distributing cash ahead of the said date. The Department of Budget and Management released to local government units 10.89 billion worth of financial assistance to nearly 11 million low-income people. Each will receive 1,000 or a maximum of 4,000 per household. Local governments have 15 days to release the cash, Malaya said, and they will be given an extended time if needed. Dahil po dito sa Delta variant na ito, mahigpit pong ipapatupad ang social distancing at wala pong mass gathering sa pamimigay ng ayuda, he said. [Translation: Because of the threat of Delta variant, we will strictly implement social distancing and avoid mass gathering in distributing the cash aid.] Pumayag naman po si [DILG] Secretary Eduardo Ano at [DSWD] Secretary Rolly Bautista ng extension upon the request of the local government unit, kung ang dahilan ay dahil sa challenges in distributing during the time of pandemya, Malaya added. [Translation: Secretary Eduardo Ano and Secretary Rolly Bautista both agreed to allow the request of the local government unit for extension, only if the reason is due to the challenges brought by the pandemic in distributing.] Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Chair Benhur Abalos told CNN Philippines' Newsroom Ngayon house-to-house distribution of cash aid in the capital is unlikely. "Wag i-expect na i-bahay bahay dahil tatagal po ito," he said. [Translation: Don't expect that this will be done house-to-house because that will take time.] He said Makati, Muntinlupa, Caloocan will tap digital services providers to roll out the cash assistance. Other cities, meanwhile, will implement the manual distribution of the subsidy. Abalos said Filipinos should await the schedule of the distribution from their local government units, and be wary of misinformation posted on social media platforms. Metro Manila is under enhanced community quarantine on August 6 to 20 due to the Delta variant threat. The National Economic and Development Authority estimates that the economy could lose around 150 billion per week under a hard lockdown for the capital region, the main economic hub. Bataan and Laguna Meanwhile, Malacanang said low-income families in Bataan and Laguna will also receive cash aid to cope with the ECQ. Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said the Budget department proposed 2.715 billion for Laguna, while the DILG and the local government are still determining the cash aid for Bataan. "Sapat naman po ang ating savings and dividends para bayaran po itong ayuda sa Laguna at Bataan," said Roque. [Translation: Our savings and dividends are enough to provide for the cash aid in Laguna and Bataan.] Laguna is under ECQ on August 6 to 15, and Bataan as well on Aug. 8 to 22. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 9) - More than two million COVID-19 vaccines procured by the national government will arrive this week. In a press briefing on Monday, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said 813,150 doses of Pfizer vaccine will arrive on August 11, while two million doses of Sinovac's CoronaVac will arrive on August 12. As of August 8, more than 38 million vaccines arrived in the country. The most recent shipment was the 326,400 doses of Moderna on Sunday. National Task Force Against COVID-19 deputy chief implementer Vince Dizon said the Department of Health released three million doses to Metro Manila last week. To date, 24,479,750 shots were administered. At least 13,087,781 received their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine, while 11,391,969 are fully vaccinated. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 9) The House of Representatives' inquiry on the OCTA Research Group will likely be done once the quarantine restrictions have been lifted, a chamber official said Monday. Deputy House Minority Leader Stella Quimbo told CNN Philippines' The Source that there is no schedule yet for the inquiry, but it will likely take place "after the lifting of the lockdown." Quimbo was one of the five lawmakers who filed House Resolution 275 calling for a House probe on the "qualifications, research methodologies, partnerships, and composition" of OCTA Research. The Marikina City representative defended the proposed inquiry, following criticisms it would just be a "waste of time, energy, and money." READ: 'Waste of time, energy, money': Congress cannot legislate OCTA qualifications - House leader Quimbo bared that part of the things they want to find out is the utilization of 15 million allocated to OCTA through the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act or Bayanihan 2. She said the money was given to UP-Diliman Institute of Mathematics, which processes and analyzes COVID-19 related data. "Congress has the responsibility to look into this. And not only that, tumanggap sila ng pondo from Bayanihan 2. Kinilatis na po namin lahat lahat ng ahensya na tumanggap ng pondo from Bayanihan 2, pero yung 15 million na pumunta sa UP Diliman Institute of Math, inamin naman po nila sa TV na nakatanggap sila dito," she said. [Translation: They also accepted funds from Bayanihan 2. We already assessed all agencies that accepted funding from Bayanihan 2, but the 15 million that went to the UP Diliman Institute of Math, they admitted on TV that they received it.] "We have to understand, hindi lang public funds ang involved (it's not just public funds which are involved), but at the same time, its a situation as I said earlier where the government is now following the recommendations of a private sector group," Quimbo added. The lawmaker, who is also an economist, stressed that Congress has to step in to see who should be accountable when the government follows OCTA's recommendations on pandemic response since hard lockdowns are a "matter of life and death." She said she is even open to the possibility of turning over the data analysis function of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases to OCTA if the former could not really get the job done. "Kung tama sila at hindi kaya ng gobyerno ang ginagawa nila, e di tanggalan nalang ng pondo ang IATF data analytics group, ilipat na lang sa kanila," she said. [Translation: If they are indeed correct and the government cannot do what they are doing, then funds must then be given to the IATF data analytics group.] Last week, OCTA said said it was willing to participate in the probe. In an online forum, OCTA Research fellow and biologist Fr. Nicanor Austriaco also stressed that everyone must simply work together to defeat the virus, which he said is the "common enemy." Metro Manila and some parts of the country are under the strictest enhanced community quarantine to control the spread of the highly transmissible coronavirus Delta variant. OCTA earlier pushed for a "circuit-breaking" lockdown before cases spike further. READ: OCTA pushes for 'circuit breaking' lockdown in Metro Manila amid ongoing COVID-19 surge Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 9) Malacanang refutes claims President Rodrigo Duterte's remark warning unvaccinated Filipinos against going out led to thousands flocking to vaccination centers to receive their COVID-19 shots. "'Yung pag-uunahan po, Thursday na po 'yun. Lunes po nagsalita ang Presidente. Kung talagang reaksyon po 'yan sa sinabi ni Presidente, dapat po 'yan eh nagsiksikan na Tuesday pa lang o Wednesday pero di po nangyari 'yun," said Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque on Monday. [Translation: The flocking happened on Thursday. The President spoke on Monday. If that was a reaction to what he said, it should have happened as early as Tuesday or Wednesday but that didn't happen.] On July 29, Duterte directed local authorities to escort "spreaders" back home as he warned unvaccinated Filipinos to avoid going out. Thousands of people hoping to get inoculated against COVID-19 rushed to inoculation sites last Thursday, a day before Metro Manila's return to a hard lockdown. This came after rumors that more restrictions await unvaccinated individuals. Roque likewise clarified the chief executive made that statement bearing in mind members of priority groups that refuse to receive COVID-19 shots. "Wala pong pagkakamali ang ating Presidente sa kanyang pananalita. At kung paniniwalaan po natin ang mga (There's nothing wrong with the President's way of talking. And if we are to believe the) survey, the President remains to be the best communicator and the best positive communicator in the country today," said Roque. Opposition lawmakers earlier said Duterte should be blamed for the vaccination mess. "Whether in terms of procuring vaccines, or encouraging health-seeking behavior rather than treating a health crisis as a law-enforcement matter, the buck always stops with the President. Any credit would go to him, but so does the blame," said Sen. Risa Hontiveros late last week. MERRITT RESERVOIR Nebraska lacks majestic mountains and scenic ocean views, but it has something few states possess heavenly, dark night skies. Last week, more than 380 stargazers from across the country gathered along this remote reservoir to peer into the cosmos at the 28th annual Nebraska Star Party. Its among half a dozen star parties of its size in the country, and the main attraction is the lack of light pollution in this part of Cherry County, a sparsely settled grassland area known for its treeless vistas of sandhills and widely scattered ranches. There are 50 times more cattle than people. The party is held on moonless nights at a campground about 30 miles from the nearest town, Valentine, far from any streetlights. On cloudless nights, the Milky Way is so bright that it creates shadows on the hilltops and campground roads where clusters of people gather around telescopes. This touches your soul out here, said Tyler Goosic of Grand Island as he stood behind his telescope. On a real good night, minus the clouds, minus the smoke we have to deal with, a seasoned astronomer will have a hard time making out the basic constellations, because theres that many more stars in the sky. Source: iStock/Harvepino Ukraine could be set to allow its citizens to protect their wealth in cryptoassets, a minister has claimed but will move to block direct crypto-powered payments and will regulate exchange in line with international guidelines. In an interview with Minfin, Oleksandr Bornyakov, the Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Digital Transformation, spoke about the governments plans for the draft bill named 'On Virtual Assets', a first reading of which was approved by the nations parliament in December 2020. The bill is now being updated and amended ahead of a second reading. Bornyakov was quoted as stating that preparation for the second reading was ongoing, but hinted that while the law would likely stop short of directly permitting crypto payments, it would nonetheless seek to legalize exchanges and protect investors, without suffocating crypto trading platforms in red tape. He stated, Due to the fact that there will be legislative regulation in this area, [crypto investors] will at least be able to protect their wealth in virtual assets. They will also be able to legally exchange cryptoassets, and declare [their transactions]. This process will be completely above board. Bornyakov added that he expected a market of intermediary services to expand, allowing people to pay for goods and services using cryptoassets. But although the bill will clearly state that cryptocurrency is not a means of payment, it will not move to block indirect crypto pay initiatives. He explained: Currently, legislation in Ukraine also does not allow citizens and firms to pay in United States dollars, but you can safely pay for purchases using a USD card. When you pay [with a card like this], a real-time currency conversion is made. The deputy minister said that the terms of the bill assumes that companies will be able to provide services for such transitions, so that it will be quite legally possible to pay with cryptocurrency, as long as this is done through an intermediary. Bornyakov added that he wanted to clearly establish that transactions with virtual assets are not subject to VAT, another possible boon for crypto investors. He stated that conversations were ongoing about taxes on income from transactions involving cryptoassets, with a rate of only 5% being floated. He remarked that this figure was much lower than the current 19.5% levy on asset sales. However, he said that proposals of this sort were still being discussed with the Ministry of Finance and the parliamentary tax committee. There was also news for crypto exchanges, which he claimed would need to obtain permission to operate in Ukraine. But Bornyakov claimed that while operating licenses would not be required, permits would be a requirement. The procedure involved with obtaining these would be easier, he indicated. The deputy minister explained that international requirements would likely mean ushering in anti-money laundering protocols for trading platforms. He said: We have to adhere to international recommendations in this regard. But I would not say that they are excessive or unjustified. If [the sector] does not comply with international standards, then there is a high probability that the cryptocurrency will be used for money laundering. Bornyakov also remarked that when granting a permit, regulators would likely check documents on the establishment of the company and its authorized capital, while overseas platforms that provide services to Ukrainians will also eventually need to fall into line although such a process would not take place overnight. He concluded: During the first stage of market regulation, we will not be able to check to see if every crypto exchange provides services to Ukrainians. Therefore, the companies themselves will need to take responsibility for obtaining permits. For our part, we will do everything possible to warn [platforms] about legislative changes and the need to obtain a permit. Over time, it is possible that global regulatory body-led joint efforts aimed at exchanging [crypto-related] information will be established. ____ Learn more: - Hurry up and Regulate Crypto, Urges Ukrainian Central Bank - Legalize Crypto, Urges Ukrainian Cybercrime Chief - Ukrainian Finance Minister Says Crypto Is Promising - Ukrainian MPs Want to Jail People Who Dont Disclose Crypto Holdings Andrea Mosterman, an associate professor of history at the University of New Orleans, was already dismayed that she had to wait three days to secure a COVID-19 test at a Walgreens near her home after being in contact with someone who had tested positive. But on Aug. 1, when she showed up at the pharmacy drive-thru, she was told the store had run out of test kits and none was available anywhere in the city. I told them I had a reservation, but they said it didnt matter, she said. The following day, eager to know her status and get back to work, she waited at an urgent care center for four hours to get tested. Within minutes, she was told she had tested negative. While relieved, Mosterman said the process upset her. It was incredibly irresponsible for them to promise me a test and have me wait three days to have the test and then to say, We dont have it. That was so frustrating, she said. As the nation confronts its latest and worsening surge of COVID-19 cases, consumers are again facing delays getting tested, many turning to social media to complain. The problem appears mostly in the South and Midwest, where infections driven by the viruss delta variant are proliferating the fastest. That was a lot of sewing, Krier said with a laugh. When I sit that long, I get a kink in back. My only exercise was trips to the refrigerator. Thats not to say Krier is simply sitting back. She still mows her own lawn on an old lawn tractor and is invited to take part in a ceremony on Dec. 7 for the 80th anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. The trips are expensive. Brumley said itll cost $14,000 to take Krier and two other Rosies to Oahu; so far, theyve raised $8,000. In 2019, Brumley collected $33,000 in contributions to send Krier and four other Rosies to France for the 75th anniversary of D-Day. Despite her age, Krier loves to travel, a joy she first indulged when she turned 17 in her native Dawson, N.D. On a lark, she and a friend ventured to Seattle, where they set about building B-17 bombers. Krier drove endless numbers of rivets into the planes metal sheathing for 93 cents an hour half of what men got. She kept at it for two years, helping fill the skies with machines that saved the world from fascism. Hitler once said American women were too interested in makeup to work, Krier said. We showed him what American women were made of. As the delta variant of the coronavirus sweeps across the United States, a growing number of colleges and universities are requiring proof of COVID-19 vaccination for students to attend in-person classes. But the mandatory requirement has opened the door for those opposed to getting the vaccine to cheat the system, according to interviews with students, education and law enforcement officials. Both faculty and students at dozens of schools interviewed by the Associated Press say they are concerned about how easy it is to get fake vaccine cards. Across the internet, a cottage industry has sprung up to accommodate people who say they won't get vaccinated for either personal or religious reasons. An Instagram account with the username "vaccinationcards" sells laminated COVID-19 vaccination cards for $25 each. A user on the encrypted messaging app, Telegram, offers "COVID-19 Vaccine Cards Certificates," for as much as $200 apiece. "This is our own way of saving as many people as we possibly can from the poisonous vaccine," reads the seller's message, viewed by at least 11,000 app users. An increasing number of inquiries to these sites and similar ones appear to be from those who are trying to get fake vaccination cards for college. Election officials have long complained they were underfunded, but never more so than last year when they had to instantly revamp their entire operations at the peak of the pandemic. There was a huge shift to mail voting, while even in-person voting required new protective measures, and hazard pay for poll workers. Democrats pushed for an extra $2 billion for election offices in the initial coronavirus aid bill in April but only got $400 million. After a spring and summer of troubled primaries and partisan deadlock over more funding, Zuckerberg stepped in. He and Chan donated a total of $400 million to election offices $350 million in the form of grants to local offices that were distributed through CTCL. The selection of CTCL raised eyebrows among some conservatives because of the group's roots. Some of its founders, including Epps-Johnson, once were at the New Organizing Institute, which provided data and training to liberal activists Still, CTCL has become respected among election officials and includes a Republican, Pam Anderson, former elected clerk of a suburban Denver-area county, on its board. In an interview, she said the group was 100% nonpartisan. Joel Villanueva, owner of Primo's Mexican Grill in White Rock, British Columbia, about 2.5 miles (4 kilometers) north of the U.S. border, is more than ready for Americans to return. Lets get this thing going, he said. A lot of our customers are from the United States, and we are literally minutes from across the border." Villanueva said he supports people coming who are fully vaccinated and doesn't think there will be a rush of Americans initially. Near the border in Washington state, Blaine Chamber of Commerce board member Carroll Solomon called the reopening a step in the right direction for businesses. For people who need to get up there (to Canada) for family reasons, it's wonderful, said Solomon, who also volunteers at the Blaine Visitor Information Center. Steve Blake, who lives in Stanstead, Quebec just across the border from Derby Line, Vermont, is hoping his siblings living in the United States will be able to visit Canada soon so they can hold a memorial service for their mother who died in early 2020. But given the requirements, he doesn't know how quickly that will happen. Id like it to be sooner rather than later, he said. There were speakers that were specialists in these areas: CARES Act, ARPA funding, Human Resources Grants and county employment, he said. The ARPA has guidelines that are not official. We cannot certifiably say we are going to do it this way. We hope we are doing everything going forward OK, but it can come back and bite us in the rear end. There was recommendations to use the money initially for county jails, mental and public health, public service, law enforcement, prosecutor funding for new hires to offset the COVID-related backlog, but no raises involved. A broadband taskforce is to be formed and delay spending money as the new infrastructure bill being discussed is probably going to pick that up. Seiberlich stated that the "Wayfair" tax goes into effect at the end of this month, but the county will not receive that county use tax money for possibly another year, and the commissioners will have to act on it. Another big discussion for the auditors was the difficulty hiring employees. Seiberlich noted some counties are using hiring incentives where an extra lump sum is paid to new employees. Editors note: this is a developing story and will be updated with further information on Wednesday, July 29. The Greene County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to request withdrawal from the Rapidan Service Authority (RSA) at its Tuesday, July 28, meeting, citing the fact that RSA has not completed its second purpose in its 50 years: to build an impoundment near Stanardsville. RSA was established in 1969 as regional authority with the counties of Greene, Orange and Madison. Another reason cited in the resolution the 4-2 decision of the RSA Board of Members at its regular meeting on Thursday, July 16, to end facility fee billing on monthly water and sewer bills from RSA, effective immediately, and voted to require water hookup fees be submitted to RSA. The RSA board is comprised of two members from each of the member counties. The two opposing votes came from Greene County Board of Supervisors Chairman Bill Martin, Stanardsville, and Greene County Planning Commissioner Ron Williams. That vote occurred two days after the Greene County Board of Supervisors unanimously voted on Tuesday, July 14, to move forward with the plan to fund its water project by raising facility fees for users annually for the next four years, beginning Jan. 1, 2021. The copy of the motion was given to Mr. Martin for the first time when the motion was made orally to the RSA board. The motion was being so hastily acted upon that Mr. Martin had to interrupt the RSA board chairmans call for a vote, Greene County Administrator Mark Taylor said. Each of these actions is contrary to agreements signed by RSA and Greene County. The RSA boards actions at their meeting on July 16 demand response from Greene County. Taylor said it appears that RSA board thinks Greene County taxpayerseveryone who pays real estate taxshould pay a bigger share of the cost of the water project. But, setting Greene Countys tax rates is the Board of Supervisors job, not RSAs, he said. In September 2017 the county heard from Stantec a plan to pay for the Greene County Water Treatment Plan and White Run Reservoir project using facility fees, water hookup fees, water costs and 7.5 cents per $1 of real estate taxes. Greene County has been moving forward on our water supply plan and weve spent millions of dollarsmore than $11 million, in factadvancing our plan forward, Taylor said during the boards emergency meeting on July 21. RSA has participated in our design meetings, has visited a water treatment plant to see the technology in our design in a situation where its in use and they have commented on our plans. The county has purchased 125 acres for a proposed 900-million-gallon reservoir and a 1,460-foot-long, 75-foot-high dam on land between Watson, Fredericksburg and Dairy roads in Ruckersville. Currently, water is pumped from the Rapidan River to the treatment plant, which is on U.S. Route 29 south. The county is permitted to withdraw up to 1.5 million gallons of water per day and has an average daily demand, according to an engineering consultant for the county, of 1.2 million gallons of water per day. Greene County Director of Planning and Zoning Administrator Jim Frydl told the supervisors on July 21 that RSA has signed off on the entrance road to the site. The site plan for the water intake has been through engineering approval and is awaiting owner signature by RSA, Frydl said. Site plans for the water treatment plant and the lake and dam are both under review now by RSA and the county has been receiving comments. I hope the public understands; were doing it for the citizens of Greene County, Ruckersville Supervisor Davis Lamb said. The approved resolution will be sent to the boards of supervisors for both Madison and Orange counties, whose approval is required before Greene is released from its relationship with RSA. Greene notes in the resolution it will take legal action for breaches of contracts by RSA identified within the resolution. There were representatives of RSA on the Zoom meeting call, no one directed any questions to them in open meeting. The next regular Board of Supervisors meeting is Tuesday, Aug. 4. The next regular RSA Board of Members meeting is Aug. 20. Fairfax and Loudoun counties are also continuing to pursue changes for names of major highways running through their territory. In Fairfax, the effort is focused on Lee Highway and on Lee-Jackson Highway, which are named for generals Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson. Loudoun County solicited the public for new names for John Mosby Highway, named for a Confederate cavalry commander who conducted raids throughout northern Virginia, as well as Harry Byrd Highway, named after a 20th century politician who led the state's massive resistance campaign against federal demands to desegregate public schools. But the counties are taking a different approach to the many side streets in the region that also carry Confederate names, both well known and long forgotten. Fairfax is leaving it up to residents to seek a name change on those streets identified by its history commission. So far, not a single street has come forward with a petition to do so. Jeff McKay, chairman of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, said he doesn't see the inaction as an endorsement of the Confederacy. We've raised awareness about where these streets are, and we're leaving it up to the petition process to allow those who are motivated to press for a change, he said. WASHINGTON A House committee investigating the Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol has hired former Republican Rep. Denver Riggleman as a senior staff member, bringing on the one-term Virginia lawmaker as GOP leaders have criticized the panel as too partisan. The committees chairman, Mississippi Rep. Bennie Thompson, announced Rigglemans hiring Friday evening, saying the former 5th District congressman from Nelson County has a deep background in national security and intelligence matters. Riggleman served in military intelligence and worked at the National Security Agency before he was elected to the House in 2018. He was defeated by Republican Bob Good in a nominating convention in 2020. Good went on to win the seat in the general election. The committee is investigating the insurrection by former President Donald Trumps supporters, who beat police, broke into the building and interrupted the certification of President Joe Bidens victory. The House voted to form the committee in June and has held one hearing with police officers who were injured and verbally attacked that day. That might be one of the reasons the report criticizes state higher education funding as inconsistent and non-transparent. But balanced against that criticism must be an understanding of Virginias distinctive philosophy of higher ed. Unlike most states, which have a tightly unified and centrally controlled state university system, Virginia believes students are better served by being able to choose among a diversity of schools and education models, and that schools are better served by being allowed a certain amount of autonomy in how they operate. This system generally has served Virginia well. But it also, by its very design, creates inconsistencies. And the limited autonomy granted to schools may be perceived as contributing to a lack of transparency, since schools funding histories must to some degree be traced individually. A case can be made that Virginia needs to re-evaluate its dollar commitment to higher education and reformulate the way it apportions aid. In other words, the state should change its approach on both a quantitative and a qualitative level. Yes. I will do my part to conserve household energy usage, even if I'm uncomfortable in my home. No. It is too hot to conserve household energy usage. I already conserve, even before ERCOT requested it. Maybe, depending on the reason ERCOT provides and whether or not I am home during that time. 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Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) is going to install a telecom monitoring system at a cost of Tk77.65 crore (USD 9.13 million) to oversee the activities of mobile operators and improve the quality of mobile phone services. The regulatory authority has signed a purchase agreement with Canada-based international company TKC Telecom. Under the agreement, TKC Telecom has to install a telecom monitoring system within 180 days. Minister of Posts and Telecommunications Mustafa Jabbar and Secretary of Posts and Telecommunications Md Afzal Hossain addressed the function as the chief guests. BTRC Chairman Shyam Sunder Sikder presided over the function. According to the presentation given at the event, once the system is implemented, the process of collecting and reporting information from mobile operators will be automated. At the same time, it will be possible to observe all the necessary information in real-time. This will ensure regular and reliable access to voice and data traffic, network usage, and quality information as well as BTRC's revenue. This will greatly improve the BTRC's policy-making system and make reporting to the government more efficient and faster. Speaking on the occasion, the minister said the signing of the agreement is another milestone to the journey of building a Digital Bangladesh. The monitoring system will contribute hugely to monitor telecom services and enhance its standard, he said. It will be possible to immediately verify the actual condition of the telecommunication network in urban as well as rural areas, islands, haors, coastal areas, and remote areas. Argentina's telecommunications regulator Ente Nacional de Comunicaciones (Enacom) approved funding totalling ARS 671.6 million (USD 33.5 million) to improve broadband connectivity in the country. The national communications entity said that as part of the public policies developed by the national State to shorten the digital divide and broaden the plurality of voices, the Board of Enacom approved the financing of works to improve broadband networks. "The Non-Refundable Contributions (ANR) of the Universal Service Trust Fund (FFSU), enabled the call for a Public Tender to regularize the situation of licensees of audiovisual communication services, and paid for new projects of the Development Fund Competitive for Audiovisual Communication Media (FOMECA)," it said. The 72nd monthly meeting had the participation of the plenary session of its members: the president, Claudio Ambrosini; the vice president, Gustavo Lopez; the directors appointed by the National Executive Power, Gonzalo Quilodran (virtually) and Maria Florencia Pacheco; the directors proposed by the Bicameral Commission for the Promotion and Monitoring of Audiovisual Communication, Telecommunication Technologies and Digitization, Alejandro Gigena and Silvana Giudici; the Chief of Cabinet of the Entity, Ariel Martinez; the Director of Legal and Regulatory Affairs, Diego Leiva, and the Minutes Secretary, Maria Jose Vazquez. Expansion of connectivity Continuing with the financing policies through the FFSU for the expansion and improvement of broadband networks, the Board of the Agency approved the following ANR projects in order to materialize the right to quality Internet access in all of Argentina. "With a series of decisions and measures, Enacom authorities reinforce their commitment to guarantee access to the basic human right of connectivity, promoting the expansion of ICT services to democratize the use of networks together with productive and economic development throughout Argentina," the statement said. Two recent news stories from Nigeria underline the fact that efforts are continuing in the country to expand connectivity to less-well-served areas, in these two cases through rural satcoms and urban Wi-Fi. YahClick, the satellite broadband service offered by global operator Yahsat and its partner Hughes Network Systems, has signed a strategic partnership with core telecommunications services provider Global Communications Extension Services Limited (GCES) to provide satellite connectivity for 9mobile, one of Nigerias leading mobile network operators. YahClicks partnership with GCES will, the partners say, bring satellite connectivity to hundreds of cellular backhauling sites, delivering 9mobile with what is described as a reliable and robust means of rural connectivity across its entire Nigerian operations. YahClicks satellite services now reach more than 60 per cent of the population in Africa, and the agreement with GCES extends the companys reach to more regions within Nigeria. YahClick says that the satellite backhauling option makes it feasible to offer cellular services in areas that are prohibitively expensive to reach using traditional terrestrial means. Meanwhile, Nigerian ISP Fiam WiFi has expanded its use of Facebook Connectivity's Express Wi-Fi platform to Ajegunle, a suburb of Lagos that is densely populated with lower-income earners. Over the next three months, Fiam Wi-Fi plans to bring Express Wi-Fi services to some of the most deprived communities in Lagos, providing, as the company puts it, 1GB of data for N200 (a little under $0.49) without validity or expiration period. Fiam Wi-Fi is one of Nigerias newest telecommunications companies, providing internet via hotspots to high-density, low-income communities that, the company says, have been short-changed for internet by incumbent operators. Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Fiam Wi-Fi, Akin Marinho, describes the companys mission as to connect 50 million more Nigerians to the internet over the next decade. Statement by Minister Ryan at the UNSC Open Debate on Maritime Security Statement Thank you Mr President, Ireland, as you know, is an island nation. Indeed, taking our seabed area into account, Ireland is one of the largest EU states; with sovereign or exclusive rights over one of the largest sea to land ratios of any EU State. Throughout our history, the sea has protected us, nourished us, and, indeed, defined us. The Atlantic Ocean, which crashes against our west coast, is often forbidding and wild; however, for Ireland and the Irish, the sea has been a highway that has connected us to the world. For this reason, maritime issues have always been important to us. Ireland has a developed maritime action plan called Harnessing our Ocean Wealth, which emphasises that healthy, sustainable ecosystems, international cooperation and collaboration underpinned by good governance, with maritime safety and security are key enablers of a sustainable maritime future. We were so pleased to be able to learn from and share our experiences with many of the other small island nations at our most recent Ocean Summit. Such cooperation goes to the heart of the issues that we are discussing here today and I would like to commend India for its initiative in bringing this vital topic to the Councils attention today. I would also like to thank the briefers for their informative presentations. I also welcome the agreement of a Presidential Statement by the Council on todays important subject. Mr President, The free and peaceful use of the seas and oceans is vital for us all, not least for island nations such as Ireland. Delivering on this objective means that the seas remain a resource for all nations, as well as a medium for interconnectivity and mutual understanding. The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted every aspect of our world, including maritime security. During these uncertain times, global cooperation is essential to safeguard our seas against increasing threats and security challenges. It is also imperative that we protect our seas and oceans from climate change and other environmental threats. The two are, of course, connected, and Ireland recognises the need for this Council to consider climate-related security risks in delivering on its mandate. Mr President, I will make three points on todays important topic the centrality of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS); the importance of a comprehensive approach to maritime security; and Irelands contribution to this issue, including through the European Union. Mr President, All activities at sea are regulated within the legal framework established by the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which the Secretary-General has described as the constitution for our oceans. UNCLOS sets down a series of rights and duties for coastal states and is central to the peaceful settlement of maritime disputes. As an island state, Ireland has played an active role in the development of these rules. Ensuring respect for this landmark Convention is critical for maritime security, as it settles rules for the mutual benefit of all states. Ireland calls on all states that have not yet ratified or acceded to UNCLOS to consider doing so now, as well as to other international instruments developed within its framework, including the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) Convention, the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code, the recent UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, and the Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs. My second point is that international cooperation is fundamental to achieving global maritime security and safety. As the Secretary-General said on the 25th anniversary of the UNCLOS We must ensure that activities are sustainable, relationships among stakeholders are adequately regulated, needs and challenges are addressed, and peace and security is maintained. Achieving this is, of course, complex. To address maritime security effectively, we need a comprehensive approach that addresses all aspects efforts to counter transnational crime at sea, including piracy; the freedom of navigation; the protection of the marine environment and the safeguarding of the oceans resources. There are numerous existing Security Council resolutions that promote maritime security and the implementation of these resolutions keeps our seas safer. Finally, Mr President, As a committed troop contributing country, to both UN and EU peacekeeping and crisis management operations, Ireland is very aware that efforts to preserve peace and international security have to take account of the maritime context. As a committed member of the European Union, Ireland supports and promotes the dedicated strategy on maritime security developed by the European Union. Ireland and the EU depend on open, protected and secure seas and oceans for economic development, free trade, transport, energy security, tourism and good status of the marine environment. I want to particularly highlight the EUs cooperation with the UN in responding to risks and threats in the maritime domain, including the naval operations set up to prevent and disrupt illicit activities at sea. These operations also provide support to, and complement, UN peacekeeping and peacebuilding efforts, with missions such as EUCAP Somalia which, led by the former Head of the Irish Coast Guard, contributes to the establishment and capacity building of maritime civilian law enforcement capability in Somalia. The EUs Operation Atalanta has successfully helped to counter piracy and armed robbery at sea and illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing off the coast of Somalia, while also addressing the illicit charcoal trade and weapons trafficking. As Chair of the Somalia Sanctions Committee, Ireland closely monitors developments in these areas. As many are aware, one of the guiding principles for our Security Council tenure is accountability. Ireland recognises the role of sanctions in the promotion and maintenance of international peace and security at sea. In this regard, I would like to highlight the important role played by the EUs Operation IRINI in the Mediterranean, which implements the arms embargo imposed on Libya, in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution 2292. On specific maritime security tasks, it monitors and gathers information on illicit exports from Libya of petroleum, crude oil and refined petroleum products, and contributes to the capacity building and training of the Libyan Coast Guard and Navy. Mr President, Each of us benefits from our oceans and, in turn, we must each meet our responsibilities to protect this resource that sustains so many of us. Addressing maritime security directly contributes to achieving the goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, not only in relation to SDG 14 but across the Agendas economic, social and environmental dimensions. A concerted, coordinated response is what is required and multilateralism is key to solving this challenge. That is our global responsibility. Previous Item | Next Item When the pandemic first started, all we could do was hope and pray for some miracle to get us out of this mess, Nafziger said. The miracle has come, and it has come in the form of the vaccine. These vaccines have been studied more than any other vaccine in the history of man. They are very safe, and there is no data that suggests otherwise. We have the vaccine. We have the end to this pandemic in our hands, so lets get vaccinated and put this pandemic behind us once and for all. August 4 Criminal mischief third degree was reported from South Eufaula Avenue. One Bowie knife ($25) was recovered. One Cat lock ($50) was reported damaged. Possession of methamphetamine was reported from Wall Street. One bag containing methamphetamine ($50) was recovered. Larceny/theft-miscellaneous fourth degree (less than $500) and fraudulent use of credit/debit card were reported from Dickerson Drive. Approximately $350 was reported stolen. Fraud-identity theft was reported from Reeves Drive. Burglary/non-residence/forced third degree was reported from South Eufaula Avenue. Five storage locks ($100) were reported damaged. Larceny/theft-vehicle parts fourth degree (less than $500) was reported from South Eufaula Avenue. Two catalytic converters ($300) were reported stolen. Burglary/residence/no force third degree and larceny/theft-from residence first degree were reported from Old Clayton Road. assorted clothing ($300), one flat screen television ($1,080) and one yellow Polar riding lawn mower ($2,000) were reported stolen. State health leaders have blamed low vaccination rates combined with the highly contagious delta variant of the virus for the rise in cases and hospitalizations. Every county in the state except for Choctaw County have a high overall community transmission level. Houston County has reported 12,782 cases of COVID-19 since March 2020 with 294 deaths attributed to the virus 111 of those reported in 2021. Of the 1,400 tests done for COVID-19 in the last seven days, 477 have been positive, and the countys current 7-day moving average for its positivity rate is 34.1%. Of Houston County residents eligible to be vaccinated, 29.81% are fully vaccinated and 37.78% have received at least one dose of vaccine. Culver said the county will continue its mask mandate for county buildings as long as it is believed to be in the best interest of employees and citizens. We continue to battle this, and we just ask everyone to sanitize your hands and do the things that we asked a year ago when we were talking about distancing and when appropriate, wear masks if you will, Culver said. And for goodness sakes, if you are comfortable doing so, please get vaccinated. Hopefully this wont be too long, but we just have no way of knowing. In other business, Monday: We had a trip to India planned for last spring, and several months beforehand, I convinced myself that I needed a new digital camera to capture the sights. The camera arrived before Halloween, and I set it aside. I later opened it, took a picture of a lamp, and set it aside again. Soon the time to leave for our trip was drawing near, but the novel coronavirus got to India first. They closed the border about 10 days before our planned arrival, and we started the process of cancelling everything. A year passed before I really took the new camera for a spin. Its nothing like the F3. Everything is electronic, and the language isnt the same. The instruction manual is voluminous. In spite of my ineptitude, I have gotten some interesting photographs. Of course, the best of them occurred when I didnt have my hands on the camera. Id stumbled across a setting called intervalometer, so I turned it on and set the camera on the ground while I was feeding ducks. It was pointed toward the ducks and took a photo every three seconds. A couple of them look as though they were deliberate. With Vietnamese phone brand Vsmart stopping production, Chinese smartphones grabbed a 50 percent market share in the second quarter of this year, according to Counterpoint Research. Of five prominent Chinese brands, Xiaomi, Oppo and Vivo accounted for a 45 percent share, according to the global research firm that specialized in technology, media and telecom. South Koreas Samsung from and the U.S.s Apple account for another 44 percent. Smartphone sales grew by 11 percent year-on-year in the second quarter. Pent-up demand and a new user base coming from the feature phone segment largely contributed to this growth, according to Counterpoints Monthly Vietnam Channel Share Tracker. Samsung topped with a 37-percent share riding on the Galaxy M31, Galaxy A12 and Galaxy A02s. Xiaomi was in second spot with 17 percent driven by the Redmi 9 and Note 10 series. OPPO and Vivo took third and fourth spots. The OPPO A series was the volume driver for the brand and it was the Y series for Vivo. Apple continued to do well in Vietnam and became the fifth largest brand in the market. Retailers reported similar trends. Six of the 10 best-selling smartphones at FPT Shop in the second quarter were Chinese, including Oppo the A15, Oppo Reno 5 and Vivo Y20. 5G-capable smartphones have a 14-percent share of the market, and it will grow as mobile phone operators are gearing up to launch 5G services, according to Counterpoint. Vietnam has already started 5G trials, with Viettel becoming the first company to do so. A woman gets Covid-19 vaccine in HCMC, August 5, 2021. Photo by VnExpress/Ha An. Ho Chi Minh City will receive 600,000 AstraZeneca vaccine doses from Pasteur Institute to continue mass inoculation. The new batch of vaccines will be transferred to 21 districts and Thu Duc City on Monday, said Nguyen Hoai Nam, deputy director of the municipal Health Department. The city has administered 2.97 million vaccine doses as of Monday noon. If more vaccines are not allocated in time, the city could run short by the end of Monday, the Health Department said Sunday. HCMC has been boosting the progress of its vaccination program with a fifth campaign launched on July 22. Accordingly, the city aimed to inject all people from 18 and above, including migrants and foreigners. During its four previous campaigns, the city had vaccinated just 991,322 people, with 48,107 getting two jabs. On Tuesday, the city of 13 million, including migrants, entered its sixth campaign, continuing to have all people over 18 across the city vaccinated. The same day, the city administration sent a document to Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam, head of the Steering Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control, requesting 5.5 million Covid-19 vaccine doses from Aug. 5 to 31 to immunize seven million residents above 18. Following the citys proposal, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh requested the Ministry of Health to continue prioritizing to the supply of vaccines to southern localities, including HCMC, and simultaneously, develop plans to allocate the next batches. The biggest city in Vietnam and the epicenter of the countrys ongoing Covid-19 wave, HCMC has been allocated the most vaccines among all localities, at more than four million doses. The city has recorded 124,153 community Covid-19 cases so far in the wave that broke out in late April, with 2,744 fatalities, as confirmed by the Health Ministry. Around 20 percent of the city's population have received their first Covid vaccine doses, and 1 percent been fully vaccinated. People keep distance from each other as they purchase food from a market in Hanoi, July 25, 2021. Photo by VnExpress/Giang Huy. Social distancing measures are still needed in Hanoi to curb rising numbers of Covid-19 infections at present, according to Hanois Party chief Dinh Tien Dung. The capital has extended a two-week social distancing order starting July 24 until Aug. 23 amid rising numbers of coronavirus cases. Dung, secretary of Hanoi Party Committee, said the decision was made as coronavirus cases had exceeded 100 a day at certain points. "Social distancing is the correct measure to keep outbreaks in the city under control," he said, adding that the majority of citizens have been closely adhering to these measures. Besides a rising number of new infections nationwide, many cases were asymptomatic and could not be contact traced, presenting great challenges to the coronavirus fight. Certain localities have also struggled to properly manage outbreaks and allowed social distancing violations to slip through, Dung said. Hanoi has so far observed around 10 coronavirus clusters, with over 700 community transmission cases displaying symptoms like coughing or fever detected within the city. While the social distancing period has done its job to curb infections and contain clusters, the Delta variant's high transmissibility means contact tracing efforts would be complicated, Dung said. Most notably, clusters have been detected in high-risk areas like hospitals, factories, markets and industrial parks, which could dramatically increase the number of new cases if left unchecked, he added. The best things Hanoi and its people could do at the moment is abide by social distancing measures while isolating coronavirus cases from the community. Clusters must be extinguished from their infancy to prevent them from metastasizing to other parts of the community, Dung said. Ramping up vaccinations is also vital to Hanoi's battle against Covid-19, he added. Supply chains must also be kept intact to provide food and necessities to the people, he urged. So far, the capital has enhanced its Covid-19 testing capabilities, increased its number of beds and set up ICUs, among other measures, to receive and treat severe Covid-19 patients, Dung said. "The coronavirus fight has a long way to go, and it keeps getting harder... Without the people's support, all policies and measures would be for naught." Hanoi has recorded 2,005 local Covid-19 cases ever since the fourth coronavirus wave hit Vietnam in late April. Several past cases were contained inside quarantine zones and other locked down areas. Nguyen Hue pedestrian street in downtown HCMC is empty amid social distancing order, July 2021. Photo by VnExpress/Ngo Tran Hai An. With most flights suspended and travel restrictions imposed due to the ongoing Covid outbreak, domestic tourism demand has decreased sharply since May. Online searches for tourist accommodation and flights in Vietnam between May 1 and Aug. 2 fell from 50 to 88 percent against the same period last year, according to data from Googles Destination Insights. The drop in domestic tourism demand is ascribed to the new wave of Covid that hit the country in late April. Statistics from the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism showed the number of domestic tourists had reached nine million in April, decreasing to 3.5 million a month later, and even 500,000 last month. Domestic flight searches also plunged by up to 85 percent during May-August against the same period last year as most domestic flights connecting Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi with famous tourist hotspots have been suspended amid strict social distancing orders to contain coronavirus spread. According to Googles Destination Insights, the 10 most searched domestic tourist destinations were HCMC, Da Lat, Phu Quoc, Hanoi, Da Nang, Nha Trang, Vung Tau, Quy Nhon, Phan Thiet and Hue. Though now might have been the peak summer travel season, over 20 localities, including HCMC and Hanoi and many beach towns, have been put under lockdown amid the worsening Covid situation. Four firefighters were taken to the hospital Friday after being struck by a fallen branch. More 20 people were initially reported missing, but by Saturday afternoon authorities had contacted all but four of them. The fires cause was under investigation. The Pacific Gas & Electric utility has said it may have been sparked when a tree fell on one of its power lines. A federal judge ordered PG&E on Friday to give details about the equipment and vegetation where the fire started by Aug. 16. Cooler overnight temperatures and higher humidity slowed the spread of the fire and temperatures topped 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 degrees Celsius) instead of the triple-digit highs recorded earlier in the week. But the blaze and its neighboring fires, within several hundred miles of each other, posed an ongoing threat. Studebaker sought shelter at an evacuation center before setting up her tent in a friends front yard. She is counting on returning to her job if the restaurant where she works stays open. Her boss also evacuated when the town of Chester, northwest of Greenville, lost power and the smoke was so thick that it made it hard to breathe. Experts hail country's commitment to cutting emissions, fighting climate change China is set to beef up its role as a provider of global public goods, including COVID-19 vaccines and its response to climate change, amid the rapid worldwide spread of the Delta variant and growing calls for global coordinated action in the face of multiple challenges, analysts said. Meanwhile, the nation now has both the capacity and the willingness to provide more quality public goods that the world now urgently needs, they said. China has acted on its promise to make its COVID-19 vaccines global public goods, having supplied 750 million vaccines to other nations as of August. President Xi Jinping has renewed the commitment in a speech delivered at the first meeting of the international forum on COVID-19 vaccine cooperation, announcing that the nation will provide 2 billion doses of vaccines globally this year, in addition to making a $100 million donation to the COVAX global vaccine initiative. Huang Tianlei, a research fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics, a think tank in the United States, said COVID-19 vaccine distribution needs to be made equal in order to bring the pandemic to an end, "as no one can truly be safe until everyone is safe". Huang said the COVID-19 crisis occurs at a time of rising nationalism around the globe where beggar-thy-neighbor policies, such as vaccine nationalism and export restrictions on medical supplies, adopted by many governments, have resulted in a great shortage the supply of global public goods. "It is therefore critical that China expands its role in global public goods provision during the pandemic," he said. "Obviously, COVID vaccines are among the most important global public goods the world urgently needs now. But COVID vaccines are still in short supply in many developing countries," said Huang. He noted that China can play a more active role in improving the COVAX initiative, aside from what China has already been doing in terms of providing greater vaccine access. "Improving the COVAX initiative and providing the developing world with greater access to effective vaccines can probably be a first step for China to forge a new global norm around vaccine distribution across the globe," he said. Last month, China unveiled a $3 billion aid package to facilitate the pandemic response and economic recovery of developing nations. Xu Xiujun, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences' Institute of World Economics and Politics, said China's provision of global public goods has been multidimensional, covering aspects such as materials, visions and mechanisms, with developing nations always being the focus. With infrastructure development as a focal point, the nation has provided developing nations with a variety of infrastructure projects in transport, energy and public wellbeing, improving the accessibility of people in developing nations to basic public goods, he said. In Africa, China helped with the maintenance and renovation of public facilities such as the Algiers Opera House in Algeria, the National Wrestling Arena and the Museum of Black Civilizations in Senegal, the Culture Palace of Abidjan in Cote d'Ivoire and the Cotonou Convention Center in Benin. According to a white paper on China's international development cooperation released early this year, China has constructed a total of 423 projects for other developing nations, including 58 hospitals, 86 schools and another 60 public facilities. The nation also started ahead of schedule the construction of the Africa CDC headquarters last year, as part of broader efforts to help Africa's response to COVID-19. In addition, Xu said, the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence proposed by China have become a universally recognized norm for international relations, with the Belt and Road Initiative, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and the Silk Road Fund contributing significantly to the improvement in global governance. "When China offers public goods, it actively amplifies the common values of mankindincluding peace, development, fairness, justice, democracy and freedomsafeguarding the common interests of human beings and endeavors to build a community with a shared future for mankind," he said. Global agenda and BRI Another key focus of China's public goods is to help the least developed nations attain the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, including the elimination of hunger and poverty and ensuring access to quality healthcare and education. By the end of 2019, China had dispatched 81 agricultural technology teams composed of 808 experts to 37 Asian and African countries, helping farmers increase productivity and boost their confidence in development. The country has also dispatched 3,588 medical workers overseas in 202 groups, offering treatment to 11 million patients, and has organized professional training for local medical workers and has donated medicines and equipment. In Nepal, Armenia, Mozambique, Namibia, Peru and Uruguay, China assisted in building a number of primary and secondary schools and offered computers, lab equipment, stationery and sporting goods to improve basic education conditions. Some analysts said that the BRI has become an immensely popular global public good, the largest platform for cooperation and a broad avenue for shared progress. China has signed more than 200 cooperation documents with 140 countries and 31 international organizations. Ivona Ladjevac, deputy director with Institute of International Politics and Economics in Belgrade, Serbia, said the BRI has best exemplified the global public goods offered by China, with numerous infrastructure projects having been and still being conducted worldwide. Frank Jurgen Richter, founder and chairman of Horasis, an independent international organization committed to enacting visions for a sustainable future, noted China's increasingly significant role as a provider of global public goods, especially infrastructure development. Richter said he believes infrastructure development will continue to be the most important public good China will focus on in the near future, given China's strong expertise and history of successful infrastructure development. "Besides, the provision of infrastructure has a strong multiplying effect on economic development," he said. Green commitments China's top leadership has pledged a quicker rollout of an action plan to peak the country's carbon emissions before 2030, with steps to support the development of new energy vehicles and curb the development of projects that produce high rates of emissions into the atmosphere and consume large amounts of energy. A number of China's State-owned enterprises have also rolled out plans to peak carbon emissions and achieve carbon neutrality. Xi announced at the virtual Leaders Summit on Climate in April that China will strictly control coal-fired power generation projects, and strictly limit the increase in coal consumption over the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25) period and phase it down in the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) period. Ladjevac said she believes the nation should share more environmental protection technologies with other nations to help with global climate change mitigation. Richter, from Horasis, added that China has also been at the forefront of developments in renewable energy, as it looks to cut carbon emissions and become carbon-neutral by 2060. "Given the progress China has made in pushing its clean energy agenda, this is not impossible. For what is essentially still a developing economy, China's commitment to cutting emissions and leading the drive against climate change is exemplary," he said. A girl holding toys celebrates birthday for giant panda twins Bao Di and Bao Mei at the Pairi Daiza zoo in Brugelette, Belgium, Aug. 8, 2021. Giant panda twins Bao Di and Bao Mei celebrated their two-year birthday on Sunday at the Pairi Daiza zoo. Pairi Daiza hosts five giant pandas currently, including father Xing Hui, mother Hao Hao, and three children Tian Bao, Bao Di and Bao Mei. Bao Di and Bao Mei are twins born in August 2019 after the birth of Tian Bao in June 2016. (Xinhua/Zhang Cheng) Disclaimer The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author's, GMW.cn makes no representations as to accuracy, suitability, or validity of any information on this site and will not be liable for any errors, omissions, or delays in this information. The mobile network operator Vodafone Ukraine has signed a contract with Raiffeisen Bank International AG for the management of derivatives. The mobile operator said on Monday that the international contract allows Vodafone Ukraine to hedge currency risks on the international borrowed capital market with the help of Raiffeisen Bank International AG, which is one of the main international partners of Vodafone Ukraine in the banking sector. "The agreement has become another effective financial instrument for Vodafone. The company has been successfully operating in the international debt capital market since 2018. In February 2020, Vodafone Ukraine successfully issued loan participation notes on the external stock market five-year $500 million LPN at 6.20%. The notes were rated 'B' by Fitch and S&P as of May 24, 2021," - the operator said. As the operator said, this is the first derivatives management contract, which was concluded after the entry into force of the law of Ukraine on capital markets and organized commodity markets in July 2021. At the age of 59, Director of Odesa Art Museum, Ukrainian artist Oleksandr Roitburd passed away, the Internet edition Babel reports, citing a source at the museum. "The artist died after a long illness," the message says. Minister of Culture of Ukraine Oleksandr Tkachenko and MP of Ukraine Oleksiy Honcharenko expressed condolences on their Telegram channels to the relatives, colleagues and friends of the deceased member of Odesa Regional Council from the European Solidarity party. "It's hard to believe. A genius and an amazing person passed away. He had made hundreds of thousands of people fall in love with art. I remember how just recently we walked through the halls of his museum [...] And today the Great Artist is no longer with us," Tkachenko wrote. Despite attempts to influence the judges of the High Anti-Corruption Court (HACC), the HACC has already passed 14 verdicts with a real term of imprisonment, Director of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) Artem Sytnyk has said. "Today we already have dozens of sentences of the anti-corruption court, sentences that are associated with real imprisonment. Some 11 sentences against 14 persons have already entered into force," the NABU director said on Monday at a press conference in Kyiv. According to him, there are sentences that have entered into force against four judges, four heads of large state enterprises, two officials of the prosecutor's office, one of whom is an employee of the Prosecutor General's Office, and two heads of local self-government bodies. Sytnyk added that about 300 cases are pending in court. "When making decisions, the anti-corruption court is faced with attempts to influence judges [...] For example, when the issue of extending the investigation period in the case of Kyiv District Administrative Court was being decided, on the same day the High Council of Justice cynically considered the case against the presiding judge in this case and, in fact, brought him to disciplinary responsibility for nothing. The system of pressure on the HACC has already been launched," he said. In this context, the NABU director pointed out that the productive work of the HACC will largely depend on the implementation of the law on the High Council of Justice and the law that will unblock the work of the High Qualification Commission of Judges. Lukashenko to Ukrainian special services: Please, get to work, tell us who killed Shyshov in Kyiv President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko, whom the EU and the U.S. do not recognize as legally elected, says that the Ukrainian special services must answer who killed Head of the Belarusian House in Ukraine Vitaliy Shyshov. "Shyshov was in Ukraine. And he was supported by the special services of Ukraine. You know what they were doing. He was on your territory, he hanged himself, or he was hanged on your territory. You, please, investigate and give us an answer, who hanged, how the citizen of Belarus was hanged," Lukashenko said. He noted that relations between Belarus and Ukraine should not be overshadowed by all sorts of fakes and nasty things. "Listen, Shyshov, who hanged himself, who is he for me and for Belarus in general? He was, well, just nobody for us. What madman in Belarus would go and hang him? Except if there are some disputes. It is pretty basic, they hanged one, and tomorrow there will be someone else. You can't hang everyone, it's nonsense. Why are they making a big deal out of it in Ukraine?" Lukashenko said. As reported, last week in Kyiv, Head of the Belarusian House in Ukraine, citizen of Belarus Vitaliy Shyshov was found hanged. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky, during a working trip to Zmiyiny Island, introduced the newly appointed commanders of the Air Force and Airborne Assault Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the presidential press service said. "By my decrees, they have been appointed to the following positions: Commander of the Air Force, Major General Mykola Oleschuk, Commander of the Airborne Assault Forces, Colonel Maksym Myrhorodsky," the president said. The relevant personnel decrees dated August 9 on the dismissal of Serhiy Drozdov from the post of Commander of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the appointment of Oleschuk to this position, as well as on the appointment of Myrhorodsky as the commander of the Air Assault Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were released on the presidential website. As the press service said, Colonel Myrhorodsky was previously the commander of the 95th separate airborne assault brigade. He is also the first participant in the war in eastern Ukraine to become a full Knight of the Order of Bohdan Khmelnytsky. "I also agreed, and by order of the Minister of Defense they were appointed to the following positions: commander of the operational command Pivden (South) Major General Andriy Kovalchuk, commander of the operational command Skhid (East) Major General Oleh Mikats, commander of the operational command Zakhid (West) Colonel Serhiy Lytvynov, Deputy Chief of the General Staff, Colonel Volodymyr Koval. These are experienced officers, and, most importantly, what is our approach now, they all have combat experience," the president said. In particular, Major General Andriy Kovalchuk holds the title of Hero of Ukraine. During active battles in Donbas, he commanded the 80th airmobile brigade. Member of the defense of Luhansk airport. Wounded twice. He was awarded two Orders of Bohdan Khmelnytsky. Major General Oleh Mikats has been in charge of the defense of Donetsk airport since September 2014, and is considered one of the key commanders in these battles. Colonel Serhiy Lytvynov for his personal contribution to strengthening the defense capability of Ukraine, courage and dedication shown during hostilities, high professionalism and exemplary performance of official duties was awarded the Order of Courage, third degree. "I know that each of them at his post will do everything that depends on him to protect our Motherland," the president said. Open letter on the processes of just transition of coal regions by the Platform for Sustainable Development of Coal Towns of Donetsk region We, the mayors of Donetsk regions nine coal towns, three local NGOs and Donetsk Chamber of Commerce and Industry, have united and created the Platform for Sustainable Development of Coal Towns. Our goals are the development of the region, transformation of our economies, attraction of investment, creation of new jobs, strengthening partnerships in the towns socio-economic development and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. We understand the global trend towards decarbonization, of which Ukraine is also a part of. A number of actions by several of Ukraine's key international partners testify to the inevitable transformation of the energy sector and the gradual phasing-out of coal: ratification of the Paris Agreement in 2016, establishment of the energy partnership between Ukraine and Germany in 2020, public statements about Ukraines contribution to the European Green Deal at last year's EU-Ukraine summit and the creation of the Initiative for the Transformation of Coal Regions for the Western Balkans and Ukraine. That is why we see the main goal of our Platform as the preparation, development and implementation of a common strategic vision for the just transition of our coal mining region. We support the establishment of the Coordination Center for the Transformation of Coal Regions, the development of the Concept of the National Program for the Transformation of Coal Regions of Ukraine until 2030, as well as the government's decision to develop the Concept for the Reform of the Coal Industry. These steps confirm the systematic approach and strategic nature of the actions of the Ukrainian authorities in matters of socio-economic development of coal mining communities and the early transition to the use of renewable energy sources. These actions are important and relevant, and they correlate well with the priorities and actions identified by our Platform. Our first common steps were to identify areas for development and preparation of joint project concepts for reforming programs of local educational institutions, installation and use of renewable energy sources on municipal buildings, and the reuse of mine water. At this stage, with the support of international partners, we are finalizing the Strategy for the Transformation of Coal Communities of Donetsk Region which are part of the Platform. We have identified a vision and strategic fields of action, developed a hierarchy of goals and are actively working to develop an action plan to ensure a just transition of the Platforms communities. At the same time, in recent years we have been actively studying global trends in the transformation of coal regions, in particular, in exchange with German and Polish coal communities and in meetings with the Coal Regions in Transition / Just Transition Platform (Brussels), which was attended by over 350 representatives from across Europe, and the EU Initiative for the Transformation of Coal Regions of the Western Balkans and Ukraine. International experience of the just transition of coal regions shows that success on this path is possible only with the cooperation of state and local authorities, public associations and business. We want to emphasize the leading role of the state in these processes, which is to create appropriate basic conditions that enable the process of a just transition as such. First of all, it concerns the creation of appropriate conditions for the security of investment, an overall positive investment climate, favorable conditions for foreign economic activity, as well as for energy transition, environmental security, social stability, ensuring the availability of all resources, including the creation of funding for project activities in communities. It should also be noted that the current socio-economic situation in the coal communities of Donetsk region is characterized by a number of challenges that require a special approach by the state during the transformation of our economy: 1. Low investment attractiveness, in part due to high financial risks because of a close territorial proximity to the contact line. The experience of Georgia, Moldova, Israel and other countries in attracting investments to regions that border armed conflict or occupied territories shows the need to introduce a wide range of economic incentives in these territories, as well as mechanisms to ensure return on investment. 2. Negative image of the region in a state of armed conflict. This challenge is due to the fact that potential national and foreign investors do not yet see the interest of the state in rebuilding the economy and infrastructure of our region. Currently, the state is only forming a strategic vision and developing a state policy for the sustainable development of the government-controlled parts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions. 3. Mono-Economy. Historically, the Platform's communities have been established as mining settlements for newly established coal companies. Only thanks to the state support of coal enterprises it was possible to keep the production in place until today. The lion's share of enterprises of other industries was liquidated during the reforms of the transition period. Thus, the structure of the economy of the Platform communities in the vast majority consists of coal enterprises and enterprises that serve them. Small and medium-sized businesses belong to the sphere of trade and provision of household services to the population and depend entirely on the level of miners' wages and the timeliness of their payments. 4. Deterioration of the demographic situation, high level of labor migration of the most active part of the population. Due to the lack of jobs, decent and timely pay, people are forced to go to other towns and cities in Ukraine and abroad in search of new employment. Unsatisfactory living standards and poor quality of medical services lead to a natural population decline. 5. Environmental consequences of the coal industry. As a result of the transformation of coal regions, a significant number of environmental problems arise, which become more and more acute over time. At present, there are no clear mechanisms for closing mines, which would take into account all the environmental and man-made consequences from the moment of decommissioning of equipment to the development of a strategy for sustainable operation of coal mining regions. In most cases, environmental problems that arise at different stages of liquidation of mines significantly affect the further development and use of the surrounding areas. The cessation of mines economic activity does not guarantee the improvement of the ecological and socio-economic conditions of these territories. The environmental situation of coal mining regions requires the urgent implementation of a set of measures that will ensure the ecologically balanced functioning of these territories and allow citizens to effectively exercise their rights to environmental safety. When closing mines, it is necessary to provide funding for measures aimed at preventing environmental violations, which will improve the living conditions of the population in these areas. Solving environmental and socio-economic problems of areas where mass liquidation of mines is taking place should become a key component of sustainable development of these regions. 6. Low awareness of the local population about the socio-economic risks for coal communities associated with the global low-carbon economic development and the transformation of coal regions. Decarbonization and transformation of coal regions are global trends, of which Ukraine is also a part of. This year, for the first time, our state has declared its goal of becoming climate-neutral by 2060. An important component of this process is the local level, climatic ambitions and the transformation of individual cities/towns. We believe that there is currently a lack of information in the region on all processes taking place at the national level. We are convinced that increasing the number of public consultations and establishing a national dialogue on the transition to a low-carbon economy is the basis for successful reforms. For our part, we are ready to join and help accompany these processes on the ground. 7. The threat of rising unemployment due to technological and structural changes in the coal industry. It is worth noting that the population of the Platform's communities is highly dependent on the coal industry. Most of the residents are employed in coal mining enterprises, or in enterprises that depend on their operation. Opportunities for employment outside of coal companies are very limited in the region. The process of transformation of coal regions will inevitably lead to a sharp rise in unemployment, to the release of miners, population migration, the decline of infrastructure, which in turn can create a great aggravation of social and economic tensions. As of today, there are no programs for re-profiling of local educational institutions, there is a lack of opportunities for the development of dual and non-formal education, which can lead to an even further deterioration of the employment situation. Based on the above, we offer: 1. The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine to take a legislative initiative to recognize the Platform communities as priority development territories and introduce a special regime of investment activities, paying special attention to defining a specific goal for small and medium business development as a basis for sustainable local development. 2. The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine to initiate a national dialogue on decarbonisation and transformation of coal regions of Ukraine, including the creation of open platforms for discussion with stakeholders, the population and the media on social, economic and environmental issues of transformation, the roadmap for decarbonisation. 3. The Ministry of Development of Communities and Territories of Ukraine together with the Ministry of Economy, as well as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to create a platform for finding national and international investors in order to create new industries in the communities of the Platform. 4. The Ministry of Development of Communities and Territories of Ukraine to make changes in strategic documents for the development of Donetsk and Luhansk regions, to determine one of the priority areas for active promotion of these regions at the national and international levels. 5. The Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine to create favorable conditions for the introduction of dual education, an effective system of training qualified personnel, focused on providing new types of economic activity. 6. The State Property Fund of Ukraine together with the Ministry of Development of Communities and Territories of Ukraine to develop a regulatory framework that will ease the use of objects and territories of state-owned mines by local governments, as well as industrial waste for projects aimed at developing relevant territorial communities. 7. To create a Just Transition Fund for joint, effective and transparent use of the state and international financial resources concerning social and economic development of our region. 8. The Ministry of Finance together with the National Bank of Ukraine and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs should develop mechanisms to guarantee the return of foreign investments by, inter alia: - concluding bilateral investment guarantee agreements with other countries; - involvement of leading international insurance organizations on the terms of public-private partnership; - active cooperation with international financial institutions on lending and guaranteeing return on investment. We are aware that the success of these state measures will also depend on the active position and support of local governments. Our role and capacities, first of all, we see in the following: - Creating a favorable economic environment for businesses (through local regulations, etc.), promoting the region as a place attractive for doing business; - Development of a unique advertising campaign for the region with an emphasis on the potential for innovation, economic development and cultural heritage / tourism; - Creation of local and regional programs of economic and social development; - Organization of regional events (workshops, conferences etc.) for municipal entities, strategic planning sessions with the involvement of all stakeholders (local authorities, public, trade unions, businesses, NGOs, scientific community, etc.) - Involvement and consultations with the local population, representatives of civil society on all processes of just transition. We call for unity in addressing the just transition of coal regions, as this process will cover many aspects, from energy transition and economic diversification to the restructuring of educational institutions and social and environmental security. Mayor of Bilozerske - Serhiy Makieiev Acting Mayor of Dobropillia - Vitaliy Shevchenko Mayor of Myrnohrad Oleksandr Brykalov Mayor of Novodonetske - Dmytro Brazhnikov Mayor of Novohrodivka - Oleksandr Shevchenko Mayor of Pokrovsk - Ruslan Trebushkin Acting Mayor of Selydove - Ruslan Sukov Head of the Toretsk civil-military administration - Vasyl Chynchyk Head of the Vuhledar City Council - Andrii Silych President of the Donetsk Chamber of Commerce and Industry - Maksym Anufriiev NGO "Vuhledar Development Agency" - Fedir Sorokin NGO "Dobropillia Youth Center "DOBRO" - Volodymyr Oros NGO "Platform of initiatives "MOVE" - Shylenko Denys Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has asked the Libyan unity government of Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah to pay a debt of 5 billion dinars for companies that were operating in the North African state, sources told Sky News Arabia late Sunday. According to the sources, Erdogan spoke with Dbeibah about the issue during a closed meeting in the Turkish capital Ankara. This came ahead of a formal session where delegations from both sides sat together. This is not the first time that Turkey has asked for the money, according to the sources, which say that it is related to compensations or price of weapons. For years, Turkey along with thousands of mercenaries has provided political and military support to the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA) against the Tobruk government, which received the support of commander Khalifa Haftars Libyan National Army (LNA), Egypt, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), France, and Russia. Last August, a UN-sponsored peace process resulted in a ceasefire between rival authorities in Tripoli and Tobruk that ended a six-year split. In June, French President Emmanuel Macron announced that Erdogan vowed to withdraw foreign mercenaries from Libya. "We agreed to work on this withdrawal [of foreign mercenaries]. It does not just depend on the two of us. But I can tell you President Erdogan confirmed during our meeting his wish that the foreign mercenaries, the foreign militias, operating on Libyan soil leave as soon as possible," Macron told reporters after a NATO summit in Brussels. Short link: The Airbus A330-300, which is operated by Egypt's flag carrier EgyptAir, carried 300 Russian tourists. Lamia Kamel, the assistant of the Minister of Tourism and Antiquities for promotion, was among dignitaries who welcomed the Russian tourists upon arrival at the airport. All tourists received souvenirs and travel guides in Russian. All coronavirus precautionary measures were implemented and observed. The CEO of EgyptAir Airlines Amr Abul-Enein said the flights from Russia to the Egyptian Red Sea resorts, operated by EgyptAir for the first time, come in line with the recent decision to resume flights between Russia and Sharm El-Sheikh and Hurghada airports. Abul-Enein added that the flights to the Red Sea resorts also come in addition to the ongoing daily flights between Cairo and Moscow, which will help provide new services and travel options that attract the largest possible number of Russian tourists to Egypt. Sharm El-Sheikh International Airport is set to receive on Tuesday another EgyptAir flight from Moscow. EgyptAir will operate four direct flights per week from Moscow to Hurghada and three other direct flights weekly to Sharm El-Sheikh, Abul-Enein said. The flag carrier will use the Airbus A330-300, which can carry up to 301 passengers, in order to accommodate the expected volume of Russian tourists to Egyptian tourist destinations. Ready for Russian tourists In October 2015, Russia suspended direct flights to Egyptian airports following the crash of a Russian flight in Sinai that killed all 224 people on board. Egypt has since upgraded its safety and security measures at all airports nationwide. The country also received several Russian security delegations to inspect safety measures at the Red Sea and other airports. Russian travellers are a major contributor to the country's tourism industry, a key source of hard currency. Russian tourists in Egypt surpassed 3.1 million in 2014, representing 33 percent of all tourists that year, but they have dropped to average 100,000 tourists per year since the airliner crash in 2015. In April 2018, Russia resumed flights to Cairo International Airport, ending a 30-month suspension, but the Russian ban on flights to Egypt's Red Sea destinations was only lifted last month, as per Russian President Vladimir Putins decree. The Russian president's decision came on the heels of a phone call between Egypts President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi and Putin in April, during which they agreed on the resumption of direct flights between Russia and Red Sea airports. The decision to resume flights to Red Sea airports was based on joint cooperation between Egypt and Russia and the security measures at Egyptian airports, the Egyptian presidency said at the time. Talks on more flights Egyptian Ambassador to Russia Ihab Nasr said on Sunday the two capitals are discussing means to increase the number of recently-resumed direct flights between Russia and Red Sea resorts. Twenty direct flights will be operated between Moscow and the Red Sea resorts of Sharm El-Sheikh and Hurghada on a weekly basis, Nasr said on Al-Hayah TV channel. Nasr said 10 of the 20 weekly flights will be operated by EgyptAir with planes carrying 320 passengers each. The other flights will be operated by the Russian airline Rossiya with a flight capacity of 570 passengers, he added. Nasr said the Egyptian and Russian sides are now discussing additional flights between Russia and the Red Sea resorts, besides the planned 20 weekly flights. Six Egyptian aviation companies have requested to operate flights from Sharm El-Sheikh and Hurghada to Moscow and other Russian cities, he stated. Moreover, 29 Russian companies have requested to launch direct flights from Russia to the two Red Sea cities, Nasr said. Discussions are ongoing between Cairo and Moscow to determine the number of additional flights in the coming period, given the coronavirus circumstances, the ambassador added. Nasr said there is a high turnout from Russian passengers on flights to the Red Sea, saying all tickets for the current flights are fully booked. The high turnout was recorded despite the fact that August is not the high season for Russian tourists wanting to visit Egypt, he noted. Short link: Egypts President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi discussed on Friday bilateral relations with his Russian counterpart President Vladimir Putin in a telephone call, where the two agreed to resume direct flights between Russia and Egypt's Red Sea airports. These airports include Hurghada and Sharm El-Sheikh, the Egyptian presidency said in a statement. The decision to resume flights to Red Sea airports was based on joint cooperation between Egypt and Russia and [was] according to what the Egyptian airports provide in tourist attractions from safety and comfort to incoming tourists, the Egyptian presidency added. According to the Egyptian presidency, President El-Sisi welcomed - during the phone call that he received from his Russian counterpart - the decision to resume flight movements between the two countries, expressing that this decision will push forward bilateral relations between the two countries and boost the movement of tourists between them. From his side, President Putin expressed how his country was keen on boosting the different aspects of strong bilateral relations with Egypt, praising the long partnership between the two countries as well as the recent achievements Egypt made in the economic and social developments in addition to the national mega projects and developing infrastructure fields. The Russian president stressed that his country was counting on Egypt's pivotal role in stabilising the region, the statement read. The two presidents also discussed the latest developments about a number of regional issues above them the situation in Libya along with developments in the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD). El-Sisi and Putin also discussed the joint cooperation projects between the two countries, including the Russian investment zone in the Suez economic zone and the Dabaa nuclear plants. Russia suspended direct flights to Red Sea resorts in Hurghada and Sharm El-Sheikh as well as other Egyptian airports following the crash of a Russian flight in Sinai in the October of 2015. Russias flight suspension to Red Sea resorts has taken a heavy toll on Egypts tourism industry a key source of hard currency since Russian visitors were major contributors to the tourism market in the country prior to 2015. Since 2015, Egyptian authorities have upgraded all safety and security measures at all of the country's airports. As a result of Egyptian efforts, Russia resumed flights to Cairo International Airport in April 2018, ending a 30-month suspension but did not resume flights to Egypt's Red Sea destinations. Egypts Minister of Health Hala Zayed announced that the first shipment of the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine had arrived at Cairo International Airport on Sunday night. The shipment comprises 261,600 doses of the vaccine, she said, asserting that other shipments will follow. The step, which comes in cooperation with the African Union (AU), is in line with the country's plan to make vaccines available for Egyptians and those travelling abroad, the minister added. Health Ministry Spokesman Khaled Megahed said the shipment will be tested at the Egyptian Drug Authority (EDA). The shipment will be available in 126 centres nationwide dedicated for vaccinating travellers after being tested, Megahed noted. The centres have been equipped to issue vaccination certificates starting Monday. The spokesman reiterated his call for Egyptians to register at the ministry's website to be jabbed. The African Unions special African Vaccine Acquisition Trust (AVAT) signed in March a $2 billion deal with Johnson & Johnson to purchase 220 million with funds from the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank). Three days ago, the AU said Africa will be receiving 6.4 million doses of coronavirus vaccines throughout August. African countries are scheduled to receive a total of 50 million doses by the end of the year, the union added. Short link: Egyptian Ambassador to Russia Ihab Nasr said on Sunday the two capitals are discussing means to increase the number of recently-resumed direct flights between Russia and Red Sea resorts. Twenty direct flights will be operated between Moscow and the Red Sea resorts of Sharm El-Sheikh and Hurghada on a weekly basis, Nasr said on Al-Hayah TV channel. Hurghada International Airport received on Monday morning the first flight from Moscow after almost six years of the suspension of direct flights from Russia to Red Sea resorts. The Airbus A330-300, which is operated by Egypt's flag carrier EgyptAir, carried 300 Russian tourists. Sharm El-Sheikh International Airport is set to receive on Tuesday another EgyptAir flight from Moscow. Nasr said 10 of the 20 weekly flights will be operated by EgyptAir with planes carrying 320 passengers each. The other flights will be operated by the Russian airline Rossiya with a flight capacity of 570 passengers, he added. Nasr said the Egyptian and Russian sides are now discussing additional flights between Russia and the Red Sea resorts, besides the planned 20 weekly flights. Six Egyptian aviation companies have requested to operate flights from Sharm El-Sheikh and Hurghada to Moscow and other Russian cities, he stated. Moreover, 29 Russian companies have requested to launch direct flights from Russia to the two Red Sea cities, Nasr said. Discussions are ongoing between Cairo and Moscow to determine the number of additional flights in the coming period, given the coronavirus circumstances, the ambassador added. Nasr said there is a high turnout from Russian passengers on flights to the Red Sea, saying all tickets for the current flights are fully booked. The high turnout was recorded despite the fact that August is not the high season for Russian tourists wanting to visit Egypt, he noted. In October 2015, Russia suspended direct flights to Egyptian airports following the crash of a Russian flight in Sinai that killed all 224 people on board. Egypt has since upgraded its safety and security measures at its airports nationwide. The country also received several Russian security delegations to inspect safety measures at the Red Sea and other airports. Russian travellers are a major contributor to the country's tourism industry, a key source of hard currency. In April 2018, Russia resumed flights to Cairo International Airport, ending a 30-month suspension, but the Russian ban on flights to Egypt's Red Sea destinations was only lifted last month, as per Russian President Vladimir Putins decree. Short link: Related Thursday 12 August declared paid holiday for private sector to commemorate Hijri new year Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi greeted the Egyptian people and the Muslim world on Monday for the advent of a new Hijri year, 1443. This glorious occasion has embodied the meanings of struggle for the sake of the homeland and patience in the face of affliction and lifes hardship, El-Sisi said in a tweet. The president prayed to God to protect the Egyptian people and the country and for the whole world to enjoy further security and stability. Monday marks the first day of Muharram 1443, the first month of the Islamic calendar, during which Prophet Muhammad emigrated from Mecca to Medina in what is now Saudi Arabia, a journey known as the Hijra. The Egyptian government has announced that Thursday 12 August will be a paid holiday for public and private sector employees instead of Monday. This comes as per a governmental decision last year to grant Thursdays as a day off in cases where national holidays fall on weekdays. The presidents spouse, Intisar El-Sisi, also hailed the occasion in a Facebook post, saying: [The day] in which the noblest meanings in terms of sincerity of intention, determination, sacrifice, and loyalty to the homeland are manifested. Short link: Algerian President Abdel-Madjid Tebboune revealed on Sunday that there was a positive response from Egypt, Sudan, and Ethiopia concerning an Algerian initiative to resolve the Great Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) dispute. There is a very great [positive] reaction from the three countries, Tebboune said, noting that our Egyptian brothers also accepted [the initiative] with open arms. This is significant, especially since the [United Nations] Security Council has not decided on the issue and has returned it to the African Union, the Algerian president added. The Algerian mediation will never stop and, God willing, we will succeed in it, Tebboune said, affirming that the initiative is 100 percent Algerian and has not been dictated by anyone. We have no horse in the race, Tebboune said, affirming that his country only aims to ensure brotherhood, African stability, and the return of Africa to the international forums. Tebboune said his country has really demanded from the beginning that our Egyptian, Sudanese, and Ethiopian brothers do not escalate their conflict in terms of the GERD issue to a crisis that leads them to hot water. Late in July, Ethiopias Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Demeke Mekonnen asked his Algerian counterpart FM Ramtane Lamamra during his visit to Addis Abba that Algeria play a role in correcting what he described as the Arab Leagues misperceptions about the GERD. Ethiopia also asked Algeria to persuade Sudan to solve their border dispute peacefully. Following his visit to Addis Abbas, Lamamra headed to Khartoum and Cairo directly, where he held talks with Sudanese FM Mariam Al-Sadiq Al-Mahdy and Egyptian FM Sameh Shoukry. Sudan welcomed the Algerian initiative inviting the leaders of the three countries to hold a direct meeting to reach a solution to the GERD dispute. In a press conference with his Algerian counterpart in Cairo, Shoukry did not comment on the GERD issue, but Lamamra said that his country was keen that Egypt, Ethiopia, and Sudan reach satisfying solutions that preserve their right in the GERD issue. The GERD talks reached a deadlock after Ethiopia unilaterally implemented the second phase of filling the dam in July, a step that Egypt and Sudan have warned against due to the absence of a legally binding agreement on the filling and operation of the dam. Egypt and Sudan have warned against the consequences of the unilateral filling, citing concerns over their water rights and peoples lives. Algeria is the latest country to offer mediation in an attempt to resolve the GERD dispute. Last year, the United States held a round of mediated talks in Washington between Egypt, Sudan, and Ethiopia, but the talks ended after Ethiopia withdrew without signing the agreement supported and signed by Egypt. Last week, Russia offered to exert all possible efforts to reach a solution that puts into consideration the interest of Egypt, Sudan, and Ethiopia, according to its envoy to Cairo Ambassador Georgiy Broisenko. Short link: Hurghada International Airport received on Monday the second direct flight coming from Moscow as direct flights from Russian airports to Egypts Red Sea resort cities resumed today after a 6-year hiatus. The second flight carried 500 Russian passengers aboard a plane that belongs to a Russian airline, a statement read. The airport staff received the visitors with roses and chocolate, with oriental and western music pieces being played amid a state of joy that overwhelmed the airport and tourism workers, the statement added. According to AP, the Russian flight, FV5361, was operated by Rossiya, a subsidiary of Russias state-owned flagship carrier Aeroflot, and took off from Moscows Sheremetyevo airport. The first flight, which was operated by EgyptAir, arrived from Moscow to Hurghada Airport earlier on Monday, carrying 300 Russian tourists. According to AP, a flight operated by Rossiya will arrive on Monday to Sharm El-Sheikh; and local reports say that another EgyptAir flight from Moscow will also be arriving the following day to the same destination. In October 2015, Russia suspended direct flights to Egyptian airports following the crash of a Russian flight in Sinai that killed all 224 people on board. Egypt has since upgraded its safety and security measures at all airports nationwide. The country also received several Russian security delegations to inspect safety measures at the Red Sea and other airports. More than 3.1 million Russian tourists came to Egypt in 2014, representing 33 percent of all tourists that year, but they had dropped to an average of 100,000 tourists per year since the airliner crash in 2015. In April 2018, Russia resumed flights to Cairo International Airport, ending a 30-month suspension, but the Russian ban on flights to Egypt's Red Sea destinations was only lifted last month, as per Russian President Vladimir Putins decree. According to AP, Rossiya appears to be currently the only Russian airline with scheduled flights to Sharm El-Sheikh and Hurghada from Sheremetyevo airport. However, Egyptian Ambassador to Russia Ihab Nasr said on Sunday the two capitals are discussing means to increase the number of direct flights between Russia and the Red Seas resort cities. Twenty direct flights will be operated between Moscow and the Red Seas Sharm El-Sheikh and Hurghada on a weekly basis, Nasr said on Al-Hayah TV channel. Short link: Minister of Irrigation and Water Resources Mohamed Abdel-Ati asserted the importance of maximising the levels of cooperation between Egypt and Iraq to achieve the objectives of sustainable development for the peoples of the two countries and stand against mutual challenges. The minister's remarks were made during his meeting with Irrigation Ministry Undersecretary Ragab Abdel-Azim and members of an Egyptian delegation that paid a visit to Iraq earlier in August. He said the delegation's visit to Iraq was an outcome of the first meeting of the Egyptian-Iraqi Advisory Technical Committee on Water Resources and Irrigation, which convened in June. The delegation visited the Iraqi Underground Water Authority and the sites of water management projects in various Iraqi governorates. Abdel-Ati explained that the visit aimed to discuss all possible opportunities for improving cooperation in the field of water management, as the two countries signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation spheres in October. Short link: Related Tunisia tries to accelerate vaccine drive Three Egyptian military planes, loaded with several tonnes of medicine, medical supplies and equipment, took off from Cairo and arrived in Tunis on Monday to help Tunisia face its current coronavirus crisis. The shipments, provided by the Egyptian health ministry with the aim of alleviating the burden on the Tunisian people, was sent upon the directives of President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi, a statement by the Egyptian military spokesman said. The Tunisian government thanked Egypt for its continued support. Egypt has sent several shipments of medical aid due to the rising occupancy rate at Tunisian hospitals as a result of the spread of the COVID-19 Delta variant. Tunisia is seeking to speed up the vaccination process amid the rise in reported positive cases. So far, the country has had a total of 610,660 cases, including 20,931 deaths and 542,210 recoveries. Short link: The chair of the Egyptian parliament's tourism committee Nora Ali has said that the resumption of direct Russian flights to the Red Sea on Monday represents a big boost for Egypt's economy and the tourism industry. "The landing of the first direct Russian flight at Hurghada airport on Monday morning should be considered a moment of great happiness for the tourist industry in Egypt," said Ali, adding that "Russian tourists represent a big force for the Egyptian tourist industry." According to Ali, "the return of direct flights between Russian cities and the two Red Sea resorts of Hurghada and Sharm El-Sheikh is set to increase Egypt's tourism revenues by at least $2 billion." "Before 2015, Russian tourists were at the top of tourist arrivals in Egypt, and once they are back I think they will be the main force in the coming stage," said Ali, adding that "Russian tourists are very important for the Egyptian economy because they are a major earner of foreign exchange revenues," said Ali. MP Sahar Talaat Mostafa, the chair of the Egyptian Russian Business Council, also said in a statement that the return of direct flights between Russian cities and the two Red Sea resorts of Hurghada and Sharm El-Sheikh after a six-year hiatus comes after a long period of cooperation between Russian and Egyptian authorities. "Egypt has done all it can to make sure that direct flights between Russia and Egyptian Red Sea tourist resorts operate smoothly and that Russian tourists enjoy holidays in Hurghada and Sharm El-Sheikh," said Mostafa. According to Mostafa, Hurghada and Sharm El-Sheikh are expected to see 20 direct flights from Russian cities. "The national carrier EgyptAir alone is expected to run 10 weekly flights, not to mention that Russian airlines will also run 10 direct flights, and in total we expect that as many as 9,000 Russian tourists will visit Hurghada and Sharm El-Sheikh a week," said Mostafa, adding that "Russian tourism is very important for Egypt and its economy and this explains why Egyptian authorities did their best over the last few years to regain the confidence of Russian tourists." Short link: Plans for pumping Israeli natural gas to Egypt for liquefication for re-export were discussed by Egypt's Petroleum Minister Tarek El-Molla and Israel's Energy Minister Karine Elharrar on Monday. The pair, who spoke by phone, also exchanged views about cooperation within the framework of the Eastern Mediterranean Gas Forum (EMGF), according to a joint statement by the Egyptian and Israeli ministries. El-Molla and Elharrar stressed the necessity of strengthening bilateral and multilateral cooperation between the EMGFs members "to unlock the full potential of gas in the region," the statement added. Established in 2019 as an international organisation headquartered in Cairo, the forum aims to establish a regional gas market in the Eastern Mediterranean and enhance trade relations among the member states. The EMGFs founding countries are Egypt, Palestine, Israel, Cyprus, Greece, Jordan, and Italy. "Reinforcing bilateral and multilateral cooperation in the field of natural gas among the members of the Eastern Mediterranean Gas Forum will have a substantial impact and will extend beyond the Eastern Mediterranean region," the statement quoted El-Molla as saying during the call. "Egypt is an important partner for Israel in all fields," Elharrar said, adding that "the geographical proximity, in addition to the similarity of environmental characteristics, gives this cooperation in the energy sector great significance." The Israeli minister expressed her wish for such cooperation to help in benefiting from the capabilities and expertise of each country to achieve what she called energy security for all the peoples of the region, the statement concluded. In early 2020, Israel began exporting natural gas to Egypt under a deal signed between a private firm in Egypt, Dolphinus Holdings, and Israel's Leviathan and Tamar offshore fields over 15 years, according to Reuters. Under the deal, the first in decades, the gas is being supplied via a subsea pipeline connecting Israel and Egypt's Sinai Peninsula. Dolphinus Holdings is using the gas imported from the two fields to supply large industrial and commercial consumers in Egypt, as well as re-exporting some to outside markets, mainly in Europe. Egypt, which achieved self-sufficiency in natural gas by the end of September 2018, has since then been seeking to become a regional energy hub. The booming of the North African country's gas production was supported by huge gas discoveries and production, which reached over seven billion cubic feet per day. The giant Zohr field, discovered by Italian energy company Eni in 2018, was one of the most important finds. It is currently producing about 3 billion cubic feet of natural gas per day from 13 wells. Short link: Sharm El-Sheikh International Airport received on Monday morning the first Russian flight, operated by Rossiya Airlines, coming from the Russian capital Moscow, after the end of a six-year suspension of direct flights from Russia to the Egyptian Red Sea resorts. The flight was carrying 517 tourists on board, according to a statement by the Civil Aviation Ministry on Monday. South Sinai Governor Khaled Fouda and Russian Ambassador in Cairo Georgiy Borisenko were present at the airport to receive the tourists upon arrival. Also, Board Chairman of the Egyptian Airports Company Ahmed Mansour and Director of Sharm El-Sheikh Airport Nabil El-Mallah were present, the statement added. Earlier today, Hurghada International Airport received the first two flights from Moscow since 2015. In October 2015, Russia suspended direct flights to Egyptian airports following the crash of a Russian flight in Sinai that killed all 224 people on board. Egypt has since upgraded its safety and security measures at all airports nationwide. The country also received several Russian security delegations to inspect safety measures at the Red Sea and other airports. Russian travellers are a major contributor to the country's tourism industry, a key source of hard currency. Russian tourists in Egypt surpassed 3.1 million in 2014, representing 33 percent of all tourists that year, but they have dropped to average 100,000 tourists per year since the airliner crash in 2015. In April 2018, Russia resumed flights to Cairo International Airport, ending a 30-month suspension, but the Russian ban on flights to Egypt's Red Sea destinations was only lifted last month, as per Russian President Vladimir Putins decree. The Russian president's decision came on the heels of a phone call between Egypts President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi and Putin in April, during which they agreed on the resumption of direct flights between Russia and Red Sea airports. The decision to resume flights to Red Sea airports was based on joint cooperation between Egypt and Russia and the security measures at Egyptian airports, the Egyptian presidency said at the time. Short link: Egypt and the UAE are on their way to establish a joint company to manufacture vehicles with a bi-fuel system (natural gas and gasoline), a step that serves Cairo's plans to make use of the countrys plentiful natural gas production. A cooperation agreement was signed on Monday in Cairo between the Egyptian Ministry of Military Production and the UAEs M Glory Holding to set up a 22,000-square-metre-sized factory named the Egyptian Emirates Company for the Automotive Industry (under the acronym EM). Under the deal, the Cairo-based company is planned to manufacture and market pickup trucks than operate on natural gas and gasoline, with different models, according to a statement released by the Egyptian military production ministry following the signing ceremony, which was attended by the Minister of Military Production Mohamed Ahmed Morsy and Minister of Trade and Industry Niven Gamea. Egypts main aim is to achieve maximum benefit from the resources and mineral wealth available in the country in light of the directives of President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi, Morsy said. With the emergence of the Go Green initiative, Egypt has been exerting constant efforts to create and develop an environment-friendly industry through localising modern industrial technologies and creating professional technical cadres to fight pollution and reduce harmful emissions. Minister Gamea said the production of the EM pickup car in Egypt represents an important step for the transformation towards clean energy and attracting new investments in this regard, the statement added. Earlier in July, Egypt inaugurated Cairos first integrated station in the Abbassiya district that serves vehicles running on natural gas, gasoline and electric charging, with plans in the works to increase the number of stations to 1,000 nationwide. The fuel station is part of a national plan to expand the use of natural gas as cost-effective transportation fuel in the country, Petroleum Minister Tarek El-Molla said in previous remarks. President El-Sisi has directed the expansion of natural gas stations in all cities and major axes to facilitate and encourage citizens to use them, El-Molla added. The booming of Egypt's gas production was supported by huge gas discoveries and production, including the giant Zohr field that was discovered by Italian energy company Eni in 2018. Short link: Twelve Burkina Faso soldiers were killed and eight wounded in an ambush by suspected jihadists near the West African country's border with Mali, the government said Monday. "Members of the ground forces and the rapid intervention force GARSI were ambushed" in the northwest Boucle du Mouhoun region on Sunday, Communications Minister Ousseni Tamboura said in a statement. "The provisional toll indicates 12 soldiers fallen and eight wounded." Short link: Iran, grappling with its most severe surge of the coronavirus to date, reported more new infections and deaths across the country on Sunday than any other single day since the pandemic began. Health authorities logged over 39,600 new cases and 542 deaths from the virus. The fatality count shatters the previous record set during Irans deadliest coronavirus surge that gripped the country last November, signaling the current wave will likely only get worse. The new all-time highs push Irans total number of infections over 4.1 million and death toll over 94,000 the highest in the Middle East. The crush of new cases, fueled by the fast-spreading delta variant, have overwhelmed hospitals with patients too numerous to handle. The country has never seen so many COVID-19 patients in critical condition, with 6,462 more severe cases reported Sunday. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has the final say on all state matters, last week ordered officials to discuss the possibility of a total national shutdown. The government has been loath to enforce such a lockdown, fearing the damage it would do to an economy reeling from years of American sanctions. Irans sputtering vaccination campaign hasnt helped matters. Only 3.3% of the total population of some 80 million has been fully vaccinated, according to data compiled from government sources by the Our World in Data project at the University of Oxford. In the face of U.S. sanctions that complicate banking transactions and deep-rooted suspicion of the West, Iran has vigorously promoted the local production of coronavirus vaccines, doling out the experimental COVIran Barekat vaccine to most healthcare workers. Irans government announced that its domestic vaccine provides 85% protection from the coronavirus, without disclosing data or details. The countrys newly inaugurated hard-line president, Ebrahim Raisi, publicly received his first dose of the COVIran Barekat shot on Sunday. He urged public health officials to speed up vaccinations before winter weather sets in, state-run media reported. Short link: Short link: A power transmission line in Iraq's Nineveh has been stopped due to a sabotage act, INA reported Monday.A statement by the General Company for Northern Electricity Transmission stated that the line east of Mosul - Mosul Dam with a voltage of 400 kV was stopped due to an act of sabotage, by detonating the tower numbered (23) type (XYB) with IED; which led to its fall and a cut in the wires in Salamiyah area near the village of Al-Kasr, Nineveh province.The incident caused weakness in the supply of electric power throughout the Nineveh province.The northern electric power transmission system has been subjected to a large number of sabotage acts during the past few days, which led to the stop of several power transmission lines and the fall of 16 power transmission towers in the provinces of Nineveh and Kirkuk. Israeli occupation forces at dawn Monday arrested six Palestinians from Beita town in Nablus governorate in northern the West Bank. The detention operation was carried out after the Israeli army pushed deep into a number of houses in the town. Meanwhile, a Palestinian youth was injured by Israeli bullets, while four others suffered suffocation after the Israeli armt fired tear bombs to disperse Palestinians protesters during clashes in the town. Search Keywords: Short link: Hundreds of Greek islanders packed up their belongings and fled their homes on the Greek island of Evia on Sunday as wildfires continued to rage after a record heatwave. Greece and neighbouring Turkey have been battling the devastating fires for nearly two weeks, with 10 people confirmed dead and dozens needing hospital treatment. While rain brought some respite from the blazes in Turkey over the weekend, Greece continues to suffer a hot, dry summer. "They burnt our paradise," 46-year-old islander Triantafyllos Konstantinos told AFP. "We are done." The blazes have destroyed homes and reduced thousands of hectares of land to ash on Evia, Greece's second-largest island just northeast of the capital Athens. Civil protection deputy minister Nikos Hardalias said a fire front in the north of Evia was being pushed by strong winds towards beach villages. "We have ahead of us another difficult evening, another difficult night," he said, adding that 17 aircraft were helping to fight the fires on Evia. However, fires in the southwestern Peloponnese region and in a northern suburb of Athens had abated, he added. 'In God's hands' The rugged landscape and dense pine forests on Evia that so appeal to tourists are helping to spread the flames and make the work of firefighters almost impossible. Even waterbombing planes are struggling, with an official telling local media much of the water was evaporating before it reached the ground. Hundreds of people have already fled the island and another 349 were taken to safety early on Sunday, the coast guard said. In Pefki village, young people carried older and disabled people over the sand on to a ferry. Elsewhere, villagers joined in the battle against the flames, helping firefighters. "We are in the hands of God," 26-year-old Evia resident Yannis Selimis told AFP. "The state is absent. If people leave, the villages will burn for sure." Local officials were critical of the efforts to control the fires, which erupted on the island on Tuesday. "I have no more voice left to ask for more aircraft. I can't stand this situation," local mayor Giorgos Tsapourniotis told Skai TV on Saturday. Many villages were saved only because young people ignored evacuation orders and stayed on to keep the fires away from their homes, he added. Alexis Tsipras, leader of the main opposition Syriza party, said the government did not appear to be listening to local concerns about a lack of coordination and equipment. "Is there a management plan? HOW LONG will this drama drag on?" he wrote in a tweet. Local officials were struggling to shelter those forced to flee their homes. Hardalias said on Saturday that provisional shelter had been provided to 2,000 people evacuated from the island. 'Trying times' From July 29 to August 7, 56,655 hectares (140,000 acres) were burnt in Greece, according to the European Forest Fire Information System. The average area burnt over the same 10 summer days between 2008 and 2020 was 1,700 hectares. Britain, France, Spain and other countries have answered Greece's appeal for help, and on Sunday, Serbia announced it was sending 13 vehicles with 37 firefighters and three firefighting helicopters. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis thanked foreign countries for their help on Sunday. "On behalf of the Greek people, I would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to all the countries that have sent assistance and resources to help fight the wildfires," he tweeted. "We thank you for standing by Greece during these trying times." Police said on Sunday they had arrested at least 10 people for arson, among them three young men in Pireaus for attempting to start a fire in nearby Perama. Short link: Egypt and Austria inked an 8.5 million development financing agreement for the Egyptian National Railways (ENR) to purchase machinery and equipment, including four maintenance machines, to develop Egypts vital mode of transport, Minister of International Cooperation Rania Al-Mashat said on Monday. The signing was witnessed by Austrian Ambassador to Egypt Georg Stillfried. The agreement is meant to improve railways safety, reduce the number of accidents and maintenance cost, and increase operation efficiency and the number of operational trains. The Ministry of International Cooperation is keen to boost economic relations with multilateral and bilateral development partners and provide the necessary financing and technical support for various sectors, Al-Mashat said. The ministry wants to support the development agenda of each sector, which aligns with Egypts Vision 2030 and is consistent with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, she added. Over the years, Austria took part in several joint committees, signing agreements that aim to strengthen economic relations between the two countries," Al-Mashat said, pointing to Egypts distinguished joint relations with Austria that go back to the 1970s. "The latest agreement is an interest-free accord that reflects the national efforts to support the revival of the transportation sector and enhance its sustainability, she explained. Al-Mashat further elaborated that the transportation sector accounts for over 20 percent of the ministrys ongoing development cooperation portfolio at the value of $5.13 billion. These funds are used for the implementation of many projects, including the development of metro lines, the construction of national road projects, and the modernisation of the railway network. In 2020, the ministry secured development financing for the transportation sector that amounted to $1.7 billion, Al-Mashat illustrated. We are pleased to enhance cooperation with the government of Egypt by signing a development financing agreement that will develop and modernise the countrys railway infrastructure via the exchange of expertise, technology, and knowledge, said Ambassador Stillfried. In 1975, Egypt and Austria signed an economic and technical cooperation agreement leading to seven joint committee sessions that were held to stimulate cooperation across various development fields, such as electricity, agriculture, housing, and transportation. In 1996, a new agreement was signed after Austria joined the European Union, following which two sessions of the Egyptian-Austrian committee were held. Short link: The $15 billion natural gas deal signed in 2018 between the Egyptian company Dolphinus Holdings, the US-based company Noble Energy, and Israels Delek Drilling will come into effect by mid-January, it has been reported. The news comes after the beginning of production at the offshore Leviathan Field on 31 December, following final approval by Israels Energy Ministry in mid-December for the start of production at this giant field after a court order lifted a temporary injunction granted over environmental concerns. Although there has been no official announcement of the exact date for Egypt to start importing natural gas from Israel, several reports have suggested that this could happen in the first half of January, with Egypt receiving gas from the Leviathan and Tamar fields operated by Noble Energy and Delek Drilling. A spokesperson for the Egyptian Ministry of Petroleum said no information was available. Leviathan, one of the largest gas fields in the Mediterranean, was discovered 130km west of the Mediterranean port city of Haifa in 2010. It is estimated to hold 535 billion cubic metres of natural gas, along with 34.1 million barrels of condensate. Tamar, which began production in 2013, has estimated reserves of up to 238 billion cubic metres of gas. Gas from both fields will reach Egypt through the East Mediterranean Gas Company pipeline connecting the coastal city of Askalan with the northern Sinai Peninsula. About 60 billion cubic metres (bcm) of natural gas will be imported from Leviathan, in addition to 25 bcm from Tamar over the next 15 years. According to the agreement announced in 2018, Dolphinus Holdings will use the gas imported from the two fields to supply large industrial and commercial consumers in Egypt, as well as re-exporting some to outside markets, mainly in Europe. According to the news agency Reuters, an amendment to the initial agreement was made in October 2019 to increase the amount of natural gas imports from the two Israeli fields to reach 85 bcm in total instead of 64 bcm, with an estimated value of $19.5 billion, $14 billion from Leviathan and $5.5 billion from Tamar. Israeli officials have called it the most significant deal to emerge since the peace agreement was signed with Egypt in 1979. A similar 15-year agreement has been struck with Jordan, which started receiving Israeli gas shipments from the Leviathan Field earlier this week. The $10 billion agreement was finalised between Noble Energy, Delek, and the state-owned National Electricity Company of Jordan. Exporting liquefied natural gas from Egypt to Europe and other destinations is possible because of the processing and transportation infrastructure available through the Edco and Damietta Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) facilities. Egypt achieved self-sufficiency in natural gas by the end of September 2018, backed by huge gas finds and production which reached over seven billion cubic feet per day, thanks to the Zohr Field which started production in 2018 and is currently producing about three billion cubic feet of natural gas per day from 13 wells. It then started to look into becoming a regional energy hub. Egypt currently has two LNG facilities in Edco and Damietta. The LNG plant in Edco was launched in 2005 and is the largest project for the liquefaction of natural gas in Egypt and includes two units for liquefaction with a capacity of 4.1 million tons of gas per year for each. The Edco plant is located about 50km east of Alexandria and is owned by the General Petroleum Corporation (EGPC) (12 per cent), the Egyptian Natural Gas Holding Company (EGAS) (12 per cent), Shell (35.5 per cent), the Malaysian Petronas Company (35.5 per cent), and the French Engie Company (five per cent). EGAS announced in October 2019 that the amount of liquefied gas exported from Edco amounted to 172.8 billion cubic feet through 45 gas shipments during fiscal year 2018-19. Production at Damiettas LNG plant, located 60km west of Port Said, was halted a few years ago after the failure to supply sufficient gas feedstock, but the government announced the resumption of production at the countrys second LNG plant several times in 2019. However, ongoing legal disputes between the operating company and the government have postponed resuming operations at the plant. SEGAS, which operates the Damietta facility, is 40 per cent owned by the Italian company Eni, 40 per cent by the Union Fenosa of Spain, 10 per cent by EGAS, and 10 per cent by EGPC. *A version of this article appears in print in the 9 January, 2020 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly. Short link: Russian tourists Russian tourists being greeted with roses and sweets as they arrive to Hurghada International Airport on Monday, 9 August, 2021. Al-Ahram Russian tourists Russian tourists being greeted with roses and sweets as they arrive to Hurghada International Airport on Monday, 9 August, 2021. Al-Ahram Russian tourists Russian tourists being greeted with roses and sweets as they arrive to Hurghada International Airport on Monday, 9 August, 2021. Al-Ahram Russian tourists Russian tourists in Hurghada International Airport on Monday, 9 August, 2021. Al-Ahram Russian tourists Russian tourists in Hurghada International Airport on Monday, 9 August, 2021. Al-Ahram Russian tourists Two Musicians one is playing violin as the other is singing to welcome Russian tourists arriving to Hurghada International Airport on Monday, 9 August, 2021. Al-Ahram Russian tourists A Russian tourist with Egyptian officials pose for an image after she arrived in Hurghada International Airport on Monday, 9 August, 2021. Al-Ahram Russian tourists A Russian tourist pose for an image after she arrived in Hurghada International Airport on Monday, 9 August, 2021. Al-Ahram Russian tourists A Russian tourist pose for an image after she arrived in Hurghada International Airport on Monday, 9 August, 2021. Al-Ahram Russian tourists A Russian tourist holds his passport at the Egyptair check-in desk at the Domodedovo International Airport outside Moscow, Russia, Monday, Aug. 9, 2021. AP Russian tourists Russian tourists gather at the Egyptair check-in desk at the Domodedovo International Airport outside Moscow, Russia, Monday, Aug. 9, 2021. AP Russian tourists Russian tourists gather at the Egyptair check-in desk at the Domodedovo International Airport outside Moscow, Russia, Monday, Aug. 9, 2021. AP Similar to the events of Chronicle of a Death Foretold by Garcia Marquez, where an entire village is aware of two brothers intention to commit murder, the Houthi militia in Yemen does not hide from the world its plan to complete its holy war against the Yemenis, killing them and destabilising the entire region. The world, like the village described by Marquez in his famous novel, knows what will happen yet does not attempt to stop the crime. We are faced with a truly gloomy scene in a country that is overwhelmed by sorrows and a long war, a country that is almost forgotten because of the world's preoccupation with events elsewhere. The voice that tries to call attention to the Yemen issue is screaming into a barren valley. This week, US special envoy to Yemen Linder King came and found nothing in the region but a state of sheer stupefaction. The UN has been unable to complete the necessary procedures to appoint its new envoy to Yemen to succeed Martin Griffiths, who departed after all parties were unanimous in their disappointment in his performance. The nomination of Swedish diplomat Hans Grundberg for the second month was stalled, while fierce battles continued in different areas, most notably the Houthis continued attack on Marib. During the past months, several Houthi attacks were launched on this oil province, leaving hundreds dead or wounded, leaving behind the painful image of body parts and piles of children's bodies taken to the incinerators. The Houthis believe that such atrocities are a small price to pay for what they call the Quranic march, whose advance must reach Mecca. The requests to put an end to the Houthi attack on Marib, and the calls to engage in a political dialogue, have been turned down by the Houthis, who hear naught but the calls from Iran, with sights set on the coveted Marib, the most important city in the equation now as the capital of Eastern Yemen, the historical Sheba province, and a refuge for more than 2 million displaced people. Marib is also an oil province whose capture by the Houthis would constitute not only a morale boost, as it is the most prominent stronghold against their religious ideas, but also a huge financial asset in the achievement of their plan. It is the continuation of the fight under what they call the banner of liberation for the remaining governorates of Yemen, as well as the consolidation of the Quranic march towards Mecca, which would draw a new geography affiliated to Iran in the Arabian Peninsula, especially with the rise of the new Iranian government in Tehran and the radical President Ibrahim Raisi. This plan has been publicly announced and the Houthis follow it, refusing to listen to the advice of brothers and ignoring the opinions of friends, ignoring all calls for diplomacy, which in any case would be meaningless and unsustainable, as there have been no direct losses within the core of the Houthi militia and its leadership that would make them threatened with an existential danger. Rather, the militias interests are growing every day, further served by the prevailing fragmentation nationwide, from which the Houthis benefit without exerting much effort. In fact, the Houthis do not achieve victory and do not increase in strength, but the parties who reject this entity have not united their ranks as they should, which makes the Houthis appear more cohesive than they really are, despite the heavy losses they suffer and the growing rejection of this entity. Therefore, the Houthis will not respond to diplomatic dialogues unless the fragmentation of the national ranks is brought to an end and the legitimate Yemeni government returns to the ground with military power and public services. If Aden is not the safe and prosperous capital for all Yemenis, the imbalance on the other fronts shall persist and the rest of Yemen will be in turmoil. If we do not succeed in creating an internal dialogue as well as a genuine reunification of the opponents of the coup detat and the advocates of the restoration of the legitimate state institutions, there will be no possibility whatsoever to stop the murderous Houthi plot. In short, the battle for Marib does not only constitute the defence of the stronghold of legitimacy, but is also a battle for the Arabian Peninsula, and its loss would have an impact that would reach beyond Yemens borders, forming a new regional map for which we must be prepared. It would be the biggest shift towards the consolidation of the Iranian presence in the region, especially with the rise of the radical movement in Tehran. This will further be exacerbated by the international withdrawal of the US, which is reducing its costly military presence in the region, as is evident in Afghanistan and Iraq. So, the US will have no presence or interaction in Yemen. According to this reading, whoever controls territory gets to impose their vision, and we have a lesson to learn from the situation of the Taliban in Afghanistan or the growth of the popular mobilisation in Iraq. This is why the leaders of the Houthi militias in Yemen believe they are capable of creating a new map at the regional and international levels. No matter how pathetic and ridiculous this may sound to the rest of us, the Houthis are still attempting to impose this plot by force and madness and are seeking supporters and advocates. Unless the Houthis realise the catastrophe they are causing in Yemen, and unless they are confronted with a rigorous seriousness that makes them feel an existential danger, the illusion of superiority shall persist. The Houthis operate under the conviction that they are an instrument of divine providence, which drives their daily murderous oppression that will cause a country of civilisation to revert to prehistory. *The writer is the Yemeni ambassador to Morocco Short link: Jihadists attack Malian villages; at least 40 killed AP, , Monday 9 Aug 2021 Civilians are increasingly coming under attack as well, with hundreds killed since January in a series of mass killings in villages near the border of Niger and Mali Gunmen have attacked several villages in northern Mali, ``shooting at anything that moved'' and killing at least 40 people in apparent retribution for the recent arrest of several jihadi leaders, authorities said Monday. The latest violence took place in the volatile area along the borders of Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso where extremists linked to the Islamic State group are active. The attackers identified themselves as jihadis when they arrived Sunday around 6 p.m. in the communities of Ouatagouna and Karou, local official Oumar Cisse said. ``Most of the victims were in front of their houses; others were going to the mosque,'' he told The Associated Press The attack comes a week after the Malian army arrested two jihadi leaders who had been denounced by residents of Ouattagouna and Karou. Islamic extremists have been a threat in the area for years. The jihadi rebels first seized control of cities in northern Mali back in 2012. Although a French-led military drive forced the rebels out of the urban centers the following year, the militants quickly regrouped in rural areas and have continued to launch devastating attacks on military targets. Civilians are increasingly coming under attack as well, with hundreds killed since January in a series of mass killings in villages near the border of Niger and Mali. France, the former colonial power, announced last month that it would be withdrawing more than 2,000 troops by early next year from the Sahel region, the vast area below the Sahara Desert that stretches across several countries. https://english.ahram.org.eg/News/418713.aspx Irrigation minister asserts necessity of Egyptian-Iraqi cooperation to achieve sustainable development MENA , Monday 9 Aug 2021 The minister's remarks were made during his meeting with Irrigation Ministry Undersecretary Ragab Abdel-Azim and members of an Egyptian delegation that paid a visit to Iraq earlier in August Minister of Irrigation and Water Resources Mohamed Abdel-Ati asserted the importance of maximising the levels of cooperation between Egypt and Iraq to achieve the objectives of sustainable development for the peoples of the two countries and stand against mutual challenges. The minister's remarks were made during his meeting with Irrigation Ministry Undersecretary Ragab Abdel-Azim and members of an Egyptian delegation that paid a visit to Iraq earlier in August. He said the delegation's visit to Iraq was an outcome of the first meeting of the Egyptian-Iraqi Advisory Technical Committee on Water Resources and Irrigation, which convened in June. The delegation visited the Iraqi Underground Water Authority and the sites of water management projects in various Iraqi governorates. Abdel-Ati explained that the visit aimed to discuss all possible opportunities for improving cooperation in the field of water management, as the two countries signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation spheres in October. https://english.ahram.org.eg/News/418718.aspx KYODO NEWS - Aug 9, 2021 - 22:22 | All, World The United States has the responsibility to ensure that nuclear weapons are never used again, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Monday as Japan's Nagasaki city marked the 76th anniversary of the U.S. atomic bombing in World War II. "On the solemn anniversary of the atomic bombing of Nagasaki, we remember the horrific power of nuclear weapons -- the enormity of the death and destruction they can deliver -- and reaffirm the responsibility of the U.S. and all nations to ensure such weapons are never used again," he tweeted. On the solemn anniversary of the atomic bombing of Nagasaki, we remember the horrific power of nuclear weapons -- the enormity of the death and destruction they can deliver -- and reaffirm the responsibility of the U.S. and all nations to ensure such weapons are never used again. Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) August 9, 2021 Blinken's remarks come as nuclear superpowers remain under scrutiny with a U.N. treaty to ban atomic weapons coming into effect in January with the support of many non-nuclear states. U.S. President Joe Biden said during last year's election campaign that he will "work to bring us closer to a world without nuclear weapons, so that the horrors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki are never repeated." The United States dropped atomic bombs on the two Japanese cities in 1945, making them the world's first and second locations to come under nuclear attack in war. But Biden also said during the campaign that creating "a world free from the threat of nuclear weapons" is an "ultimate" goal. Biden served as vice president under Barack Obama, the winner of the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize who, however, failed to achieve his vision of a world without nuclear weapons. The Biden administration, launched in January, has agreed with Russia to extend their nuclear arms reduction treaty and has launched a bilateral Strategic Stability Dialogue toward future arms control initiatives. In July, on the eve of the 76th anniversary of the world's first nuclear test conducted in the U.S. western state of New Mexico, Biden said Hiroshima and Nagasaki "opened our eyes to the truth that a nuclear war must never be fought." Related coverage: Nagasaki marks 76th A-bomb anniv., urges Japan be nuke-ban proactive Ex-U.S. officials ask Japan leaders to accept no-first-use nuke plan Hiroshima marks 76th A-bomb anniv., urges end to nuclear deterrence KYODO NEWS - Aug 9, 2021 - 22:48 | All, Japan, Coronavirus A total of 84 coronavirus patients recuperating at home in Japan died in the six months through June, government data showed Monday, sparking concerns about a possible increase of COVID-19-related deaths at home amid strain on the country's medical system. The data showed nearly half the patients died in several days after their infections were reported to the health ministry, a sign that the people saw their conditions suddenly deteriorate. The data came as the number of COVID-19 patients at home is feared to rise further, with the number of those recuperating at home in Japan topping 45,000 last week, up about 26,000 from a week earlier. The pace of increase has been accelerating due to the spread of the virus' highly contagious Delta variant, first detected in India. Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga decided earlier this month that in an effort to prevent hospital bed shortages, only patients with severe cases of COVID-19 and those at risk of developing severe symptoms can be admitted to hospitals in areas facing a virus resurgence. Of the 84 patients, 36 died in one to nine days after their infections were reported to the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare by local medical institutions. Eleven died in 10 to 19 days. Four died in 20 days or later, with the longest case being in 30 days. Nine had died at the time of reporting while the dates of death for 24 patients were unknown. Elderly patients accounted for over 80 percent of the 84 cases, with 36 being in their 80s or older, followed by 24 in their 70s and 11 in their 60s. Seven were in their 50s, one in their 40s, three in their 30s and one in their 20s. The age of one patient was unknown. Separate data showed that new coronavirus infection cases in Japan totaled 12,073 on Monday, up 43.8 percent from a week earlier. Of the total, Tokyo confirmed 2,884 cases, the highest level on record for a Monday. The capital's seven-day rolling average of the new infection cases has risen to 4,135.4 per day, up 28.7 percent from the previous week. Daily tallies in the country are being closely watched as Suga said earlier the COVID-19 situation will be considered in deciding whether Japan can hold the Paralympics, slated to start Aug. 24, with spectators. Suga said Monday that getting vaccinations and refraining from nonessential outings were keys in preventing the spread of the virus. The cumulative total of vaccine doses administered in the country has topped 100 million, he said at a press conference in Nagasaki, southwestern Japan. "With the Bon holidays starting this week amid the continuing spread of a highly contagious (COVID-19) variant, now is an extremely important period" to curb infections, the prime minister said. He was referring to the major summer vacation season in Japan when many people return to their hometowns or travel elsewhere. Suga called on younger people to refrain from traveling during the period, saying about 70 percent of new COVID-19 patients in Tokyo were in their 30s or younger. The government will continue providing information targeting them via YouTube and Twitter, he said. By Donican Lam, KYODO NEWS - Aug 9, 2021 - 14:14 | All, World, Japan Nagasaki marked the 76th anniversary Monday of the U.S. atomic bombing of the city in World War II, with its mayor urging the Japanese government to take a more active role in realizing a world free of nuclear weapons. At the annual memorial ceremony, Mayor Tomihisa Taue urged the government to sign and ratify a U.N. treaty banning nuclear weapons and join as an observer in its first meeting of state parties to the treaty, which came into effect in January, and explore building a nuclear-weapon-free zone in northeast Asia. After a moment of silence was observed at 11:02 a.m., the exact time of the bombing on Aug. 9, 1945, Taue praised the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons as a "new horizon" for nuclear disarmament but also expressed concern about the growing danger presented by an ongoing nuclear arms race. "In order to follow a single path toward a world free of nuclear weapons amidst these two conflicting movements, world leaders must commit to nuclear arms reductions and build trust through dialogue, and civil society must push them in this direction," Taue said in his speech at the city's Peace Park. Taue's call on Japan to join the nuclear weapon ban treaty followed a similar appeal made by Hiroshima Mayor Kazumi Matsui three days ago, when the city, also devastated by an atomic bomb during World War II, had its annual ceremony. But Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga again did not touch on the treaty when he addressed the crowd, which included survivors and families of the victims, reflecting the country's conflicted position. Japan has maintained its three principles of not producing, possessing or allowing nuclear arms on its territory. But the country sits under the U.S. nuclear umbrella and hosts its military facilities under a decades-old bilateral security accord. According to a research center at Nagasaki University, there were an estimated 13,130 nuclear warheads across the globe as of June, with the number in military stockpiles not decreasing amid reignited tensions among major nuclear powers. The British government also said in March it was raising the cap on its nuclear warheads to 260 from 180, in a policy shift from nuclear disarmament and apparently increasing dependence on nuclear deterrence. To counter the developments, Taue encouraged the international community to "speak out against the dangers inherent in nuclear weapons in order to bring about change in the world." Delivering an almost carbon copy of the speech he made three days earlier at the ceremony in Hiroshima, Suga made sure to include the section he had mistakenly skipped at the time. "As the only country to have suffered atomic bombings, it is Japan's unchanging mission to lead the efforts of the international community, step by step, toward the realization of a world free of nuclear arms," he said. Meanwhile, U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres heralded the entry into force of the nuclear ban treaty and the willingness of the United States and Russia to engage in arms control dialogue as "cause for hope," but warned much work was left to be done. "Prospects for the use of nuclear weapons are as dangerous as at any time since the height of the Cold War," Guterres said in a message read at the service by Izumi Nakamitsu, U.N. undersecretary general and high representative for disarmament affairs. While the Japanese government has repeatedly pledged to lead the international community toward the abolition of nuclear weapons, it has refused to participate in the nuclear ban treaty, along with the world's nuclear-weapon states. The pact, which currently has 86 signatory states, marks the first comprehensive ban on nuclear weapons. The ceremony once again cut attendance numbers to around 500 guests, roughly a tenth of the number in recent years, to prevent overcrowding amid a nationwide resurgence of coronavirus cases. Representatives from 63 countries, including all five recognized nuclear powers -- Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States -- were in attendance. Although there were concerns that a typhoon would cause heavy rainfall on the day, it had mostly passed by morning and only occasional raindrops fell when people visited the park to pray for victims ahead of the ceremony. Chiyoko Motomura, an 82-year-old survivor, recalled being stabbed in the back by a shard of glass at the time of the explosion. She was only 6 years old at the time and was at her home, located around 4.5 kilometers from the hypocenter, during the summer school holidays. "War and nuclear weapons are evil. We need to maintain peace," she said, adding that today's youth shouldn't take the current situation for granted. Hisako So, another survivor who was a child at the time of the blast, said she usually comes around 6 a.m. every year to pray. But this year, she had come a little later only to find the park already closed to the general public due to COVID-19 restrictions. "There are so many things I don't want to remember," the 83-year-old said. "But it couldn't be helped, since it was a time of war." A plutonium-core atomic bomb codenamed "Fat Man" exploded over Nagasaki three days after the United States dropped the world's first such weapon to be deployed on Hiroshima. An estimated 74,000 people died from the bombing in Nagasaki by the end of that year, according to the city. The combined number of surviving victims of the two atomic bombings, known in Japan as hibakusha, stood at 127,755 as of March, down about 8,900 from a year earlier, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare said, adding their average age was 83.94. Gist of Nagasaki Peace Declaration on 76th A-bomb anniversary -- The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, which came into force this January, marks the first time in human history an international law clearly states that nuclear weapons are unequivocally illegal. -- At the same time, the danger of nuclear weapons continues to grow amid an ongoing nuclear arms race. -- World leaders must commit to nuclear arms reductions and build trust through dialogue, and civil society must push them in this direction. -- Japan should join as an observer in the first meeting of state parties to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, and sign and ratify the treaty as soon as possible. -- Japan should look into building a nuclear-weapon-free zone in northeast Asia that would create a "non-nuclear umbrella" instead of a "nuclear umbrella." -- Leaders of nuclear-armed nations and countries under their nuclear umbrellas should make substantial progress toward nuclear disarmament at the next Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty review conference. -- The time has come for the international community to speak out against the dangers inherent in nuclear weapons, just as is being done in movements for decarbonization and sustainable development goals. -- Nagasaki will continue to communicate the truth about what happened 76 years ago, while joining forces with young people of the last generation to directly hear the voices of the hibakusha. -- Nagasaki demands relief measures to be extended to people not yet officially recognized as survivors despite experiencing the atomic bombings in the city and Hiroshima. Gist of PM Suga's speech in Nagasaki on 76th A-bomb anniversary Suga says: -- Japan to maintain its three non-nuclear principles and do its utmost to realize a world without nuclear weapons. -- Japan, as the only country to have suffered atomic bombings, has a mission to lead the world's efforts toward the realization of a world free of nuclear arms. -- nations need to work to remove mistrust and find common ground through mutual engagement and dialogue, amid the current harsh security environment and divergent opinions on nuclear disarmament. -- Japan to contribute to making the next Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty review conference fruitful by endeavoring to find concrete measures countries can work on together. -- the government remains determined to pass on the memory of the horrors of nuclear weapons in cooperation with atomic bomb survivors. -- the government will continue promoting comprehensive relief measures for atomic bomb survivors. Related coverage: Hiroshima marks 76th A-bomb anniv., urges end to nuclear deterrence KYODO NEWS - Aug 2, 2021 - 22:59 | All, Japan, Coronavirus Japan on Monday expanded its COVID-19 state of emergency, raising the alert over a recent spike in coronavirus cases that comes amid the Tokyo Olympics and threatens to trigger a collapse of the medical system. The government of Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga decided the same day that only patients with severe cases of COVID-19 can be admitted to hospital, an effective policy U-turn. It had said that all patients except for those with mild symptoms should be hospitalized in principle. The state of emergency, which had covered Tokyo and Okinawa, has now expanded to include the western prefecture of Osaka as well as three prefectures -- Chiba, Kanagawa and Saitama -- near the capital. It is effective through Aug. 31. The emergency period in Tokyo and Okinawa was also extended to the end of the month from the initially planned Aug. 22. Establishments serving alcohol or offering karaoke in the six prefectures under the emergency are asked to close during the period, with the government providing money for compliance. Those not serving alcohol are requested to close at 8 p.m. The government is expected to outline how it will ease restrictions as inoculation of the population progresses, but the end of the epidemic is not in sight yet in the country. The surge in infections comes amid the spread of the virus's highly contagious Delta variant, first detected in India. On Monday, the nationwide tally of new infections totaled nearly 8,400, after the country logged more than 10,000 additional cases for four consecutive days through Sunday. "Patients other than critically ill people and those with a high risk of symptoms deteriorating should recuperate at home basically," Suga told a meeting of relevant ministers amid growing concern about hospital bed shortages. Outside the six prefectures, a quasi-state of emergency, which carries fewer restrictions on business activity than the state of emergency, was imposed Monday on parts of five prefectures -- Hokkaido, Ishikawa, Kyoto, Hyogo and Fukuoka -- through the end of August. Serving alcohol is banned and restaurants not serving liquor are requested to close at 8 p.m. in the five prefectures under the quasi-state of emergency as well. Governors are authorized to relax restrictions based on improvements in the situation. However, many people in Japan have grown skeptical about the effectiveness of states of emergency partly because they are tired of restrictions, with some ignoring authorities' stay-at-home requests as the country hosts the Olympic Games. "Since the Olympics are being held, many people might be thinking that it is fine to go out," said Narumi Sakai, a 54-year-old woman who was on her way to work, at JR Tokyo Station. "The train was as packed as ever," said Tetsu Shiozawa, 46, at JR Kannai Station near the Kanagawa prefectural government office, doubting the effectiveness of the emergency declaration. Yoshitaka Yamazaki, a 73-year-old lawyer, said at JR Osaka Station that he felt the train hub was as crowded as before the spread of the coronavirus, adding that he believes most of those out on the streets are young people "with little sense of caution." A 38-year-old public servant in the city of Chiba forecast "a continuous repetition" of virus emergencies in Japan. The surge in the number of COVID-19 infections in the country became particularly notable after a four-day weekend late last month, fueling worries about the strain on the health care system. According to data released by the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry, the number of COVID-19 patients quarantining or being taken care of at home stood at 18,927 last Wednesday, 1.8 times the number a week earlier. Hospital bed occupancy rates for COVID patients in Tokyo, Saitama, Ishikawa, and Okinawa prefectures were 50 percent or higher, the level that the government's COVID-19 subcommittee designates as stage 4, the highest level of alert. Related coverage: Tokyo's daily new COVID-19 cases top 3,000 for 5th day in row Tokyo Olympics CEO says COVID cases at Olympics "within expectations" Japan starts giving COVID vaccine shots to citizens temporarily returning KYODO NEWS - Aug 9, 2021 - 18:43 | All, World, Japan A group of former U.S. officials, including former Defense Secretary William Perry, and experts on nuclear disarmament sent an open letter Monday asking Japanese political parties not to oppose a "no-first-use" nuclear stance that may be announced by the United States. The letter, addressed to Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, among other party leaders, states how U.S. President Joe Biden is considering a declaration saying the United States would not use nuclear weapons in an initial attack, requesting Japan support the policy after the country expressed opposition earlier in the year. The move comes as Japan marked the 76th anniversary of the wartime atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki on Friday and Monday, respectively. "It would be tragic if Japan, the only country to suffer nuclear attacks, and a staunch advocate of the abolition of nuclear weapons, blocked this small but important step toward the abolition of nuclear weapons," the letter reads. Prior to his inauguration, Biden expressed support for the policy to the media, saying the United States' nuclear arsenal should exist solely to deter an attack. He suggested nuclear weapons should only be used to retaliate against a nuclear attack against the country or its allies. The Biden administration is expected to draw up nuclear plans as early as the beginning of next year. The letter says that the administration of former President Barack Obama, which had advocated for global nuclear disarmament, abandoned a no-first-use policy in 2016 amid fears that opposition by some allies including Japan may push those allies to attempt possession of nuclear weapons. Japan and some U.S. allies had opposed the declaration due to concern it would lead to "a weakening of the U.S. nuclear deterrence against non-nuclear attacks," the letter says. The letter urges Suga and other Japanese political leaders "to declare that you will not oppose a Biden administration declaration of a no-first-use or sole-purpose policy and affirm that such a policy would not increase the likelihood of Japan acquiring its own nuclear weapons." The statement was signed by 20 individuals including Perry and Morton Halperin, a former senior official at the State and Defense departments and the National Security Council, as well as six organizations including the Federation of American Scientists. It was addressed to Suga and the respective leaders of the Komeito party, the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, the Japanese Communist Party and the Japan Innovation Party, among others. Related coverage: Nagasaki marks 76th A-bomb anniv., urges Japan be nuke-ban proactive Hiroshima marks 76th A-bomb anniv., urges end to nuclear deterrence New Delhi: Shahid Kapoor left fans confused when he had said he would be working with Imtiaz Ali for his next film which never happened. Imtiaz Ali has now said that the queries about the movie should be directed to Shahid and not to him as he never announced it in the first place. Earlier, in December last year Shahid had expressed excitement about his new team up with his former film Jab We Met director for a new film. ALSO READ | Shankar Mahadevan puts out Breathless recreation highlighting government schemes The actor had said that he would team up with Imtiaz for the same after completing his upcoming film Batti Gul Meter Chalu. Shahid later told reporters that the film is not happening any time soon and they are working on something else. However, Imtiaz said There will be more news like this because the fact is, I keep meeting actors and there is always going to be some speculation... I never announced a film. I never said I am making a film. I never said I am working with Shahid Kapoor. So now when people ask me that the film is not happening, I reply, Which film? I never said it. Jisne bola usko bolo (Talk to the person who spoke about it). Theres no truth to it, the director said in an interview. Imtiaz is currently writing four stories and has developed two screenplays for the same. ALSO READ | This is the best phase for me as an actor: Akshay Kumar I have turned producer so I have to keep some material ready... The only asset that you have in this work is script. So, once these four scripts are ready, depending up on the availability of the suitable actors, I will start working. he said. For all the Latest Entertainment News, Bollywood News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Dhubri/Guwahati: A nine-year old boy, whose photograph of saluting the Tricolour in chest-deep flood water in an Assam school on Independence Day last year had gone viral, has failed to find a place in the final draft of the National Register of Citizens (NRC). Tajen Sikdar, the head teacher of the primary school in Dhubri district, who had stood in the flood water with Haider Ali Khan and two others, told PTI on Wednesday that Haiders name was not in the draft NRC that was published on July 30, though those of his family members were there. Also Read | There should be no politics over NRC: Rajnath The eligible documents, including Haiders linkage and legacy data drawn from his great grandfather Sukur Ali who was in the 1951 NRC, his birth certificate, family land records and a certificate from his school were submitted in 2015 for the inclusion of his name in the NRC, Sikdar said. The names of Haiders grandfather, Alom Khan; mother Jaibon Khatun, who works as a midday-meal cook; elder brother Jaidor and younger sister Rina are in the draft, said Sikdar, whose name is also on the list. Stating that Haiders mother was poor and does not know about the NRC, the head teacher said he would help her to file the form for inclusion of her sons name in the register when the claims and objection process starts. The boys father, Rupnal Khan, who was a scrap collector in neighbouring Kokrajhar district, had lost his life in the 2012 ethnic clash there, Sikdar informed. Read More | Assam NRC: TMC delegation stopped at Silchar airport; alleges violation of democratic right The lower primary school is situated about 2.5 km from Fakirganj town in the district and 200 km west of Guwahati. The NRC is being updated with March 24, 1971, as the cut-off date to include the names of genuine Indian citizens and identify illegal migrants. Over 2.89 crore people were found to be eligible for inclusion in the draft NRC out of a total 3.29 crore applicants. Around 40.07 lakh applicants, however, did not find a place in the document. The claims and objections to the draft NRC will start from August 28 before the final list is out as per the directive of the Supreme Court. Assam, which has witnessed an influx of people from neighbouring Bangladesh since the early 20th century, is the only state having an NRC, which was first prepared in 1951. New Delhi: Swami Agnivesh was allegedly heckled and assaulted near the BJP headquarters in Delhi on Friday by some people, who the social activist said were BJP workers when he was on his way to pay homage to former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. A video of the alleged attack that circulated on social media showed some people heckling the 79-year-old social activist. ALSO READ: Monsoon fury in seven states claim 868 lives I was attacked while walking towards BJP headquarters to pay my respects to Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Around 20-30 BJP workers came and surrounded me and pushed me. My pagdi fell down and they started calling me a traitor, Agnivesh told reporters. They pushed me towards the Vishnu Digamber roundabout and kept abusing me. Some policemen were standing there but these persons, including some women, carrying slippers, kept abusing me, he added. ALSO READ: Watch: Lata Mangeshkar's musical tribute to Atal Bihari Vajpayee The social activist claimed that he had informed BJP leader and Union minister Harsh Vardhan before visiting there and will be lodging a formal complaint with the police about the assault. The police have so far not reached out to me. I will be filing a police complaint. I was attacked earlier also and no arrests have been made in the case. There is an atmosphere of violence and intolerance, he said. Last month, he was allegedly assaulted by Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) activists, during his visit to Pakur in Jharkhand. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Melbourne: A Muslim woman was on Wednesday appointed as a member of the Australias Senate, becoming the first female from the minority community to achieve the position amid a bitter row over racism in the country. Mehreen Faruqi, the Pakistani-origin Greens Party MP for New South Wales, was selected by the legislative council to fill a vacant senate seat. The New South Wales Parliament has selected Dr @MehreenFaruqi to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Senator @leerhiannon, the Australian Senate tweeted. Also Read | Vienna is world's most liveable city; New Delhi on 112, Mumbai 117 Faruqi, who will sworn in next week, became the first Muslim to hold any political office in Australia when she was elected to the state parliament in 2013, the BBC reported. She had migrated from Pakistan to Australia in 1992 with her young family. Prior to entering politics, she held a distinguished career as an academic and has a doctorate in environmental engineering. Faruqi, who is in her 50s, said she would use her new role as senator to fight for a positive future for Australia where we are stronger for our diversity. Her joining coincided with the row sparked by Senator Fraser Anning who has sought a national vote on whether to ban Muslim migration. In his maiden speech in Parliament on Tuesday, Anning alleged that Muslims were responsible for acts of terror and crime and were dependant on welfare. Muslims account for less than three per cent of Australias population, census data shows. Read More | Pakistan celebrates 71st Independence Day; border guards exchange sweets with India The final solution to the immigration problem is, of course, a popular vote, Anning concluded, before proposing a plebiscite to allow the Australian people to decide whether they want wholesale non-English speaking immigrants from the Third World and, in particular, whether they want any Muslims. Commenting on Annings remarks, Faruqi said the Australian Party senator had spat in the face of millions of Australians, spewing hate and racism in his first speech to parliament. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: On the demise of his father figure Bharat Ratna Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Thursday laid bare his grief in an extremely emotional note. Giving words to his thoughts, Modi penned a soul-stirring blog dedicated to Vajpayee, the Bharatiya Janata Partys (BJP) first national president and one of Indias tallest political leaders. "I can hear My Atal ji's voice within me, how should I believe he is no more?" Modi wrote in the blog. Going down memory lane, Modi wrote about his first meeting with Vajpayee and how the former PM - a "leader for the ages" inspired everyone he met. Below is Prime Minister Narendra's extremely emotional blog on BJP stalwart Atal Bihari Vajpayee A leader for the ages, he was ahead of the times In times of turbulence and disruption, a nation is blessed to have a leader who rises to become its moral compass and guiding spirit, providing vision, cohesion and direction to his people. And, in such a moment at the turn of the century, India found one in Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who was gifted in spirit, heart and mind. For those of us who knew him, he was, first, the rarest of human beings, who touched and inspired everyone he met. He was compassionate to the core, generous in spirit, warm beyond measure and kind to a fault. He was deeply respectful of others and gifted with a rare sense of humour that he often turned upon himself. Also Read | Atal Bihari Vajpayee: 'Will continue till eternity.......' Orator without parallel, he could switch from disarming humour to a lofty vision with ease, with a rare ability to connect with people naturally, to stir them to self-belief and to a higher cause. Sharply perceptive, he could summarize the most complex issues and discussions in a single sentence or question. Born into a family of modest means and high ideals, he hailed from a small town in MP. His youth was defined by academic excellence and quest for public service during the gathering momentum of freedom struggle. Starting as an ordinary Karyakarta in the Jana Sangh, he organized the only truly national-level party to be formed in independent India the BJP and helmed its organization work after the passing away of Shri Syama Prasad Mookerjee and Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya. Through the four decades of leadership in Parliament, the struggle against Emergency (who can forget that memorable rally in Delhis Ramlila Maidan when his speech became the roar of the nation), the clarity to represent his party with passion but always speak for the nation, he defined the spirit of democracy in India. Firm in his political beliefs, but always accommodating and respectful of other points of view, he set the standards of debate in Parliament. In his simplicity and integrity, in his dignity and empathy, and a sense of personal non-attachment to the office, he became an inspiration for a nation of youth. He rescued the economy from the morass of the mid-1990s, when political instability at home and an uncertain global environment had threatened to derail a still incipient economic reforms process. He sowed the seeds of much of the economic success that we have experienced over the past two decades. For him, growth was a means to empower the weakest and mainstream the marginalized. Its that vision that continues to drive our governments policy. Also Read | 10 facts you should know about Atal Bihari Vajpayee It was Atalji who prepared the foundations of an India that is ready to take on the mantle of global leadership in the 21st century. The futuristic economic policies and reforms of his government ensured prosperity for several Indians. His thrust on next-generation infrastructure particularly roads and telecom contributed to our countrys economic as well as social empowerment. Atalji irreversibly changed Indias place in the world. He overcame the hesitation of our nation, the resistance of the world and threat of isolation to make India a nuclear weapons power. It was not a decision he took lightly, but one he knew was of paramount importance in the face of mounting challenges to Indias security. No longer would Indias security be vulnerable. At that moment of surge in national pride, his was a voice of restraint and responsibility. And, the world listened to the wisdom of the man of peace. Equally important, he then brought to bear his extraordinary understanding of world affairs and formidable diplomatic skills to gain global acceptance of new realities. Indeed, it is the combination of his legacies of creating strategic capabilities, promoting stronger economic growth, undertaking multi-directional diplomacy and harnessing of diaspora energies that is today the basis for the respect we command across the world. He transformed five decades of estrangement with USA into an enduring strategic partnership in the course of five years. He also steered India to deep friendship with a new post-Soviet Russia through a strategic partnership in 2000. I had the privilege of accompanying him on a visit to Russia in November 2001 when we concluded a sister province agreement between Gujarat and Astrakhan. With China, he made the boldest move for peace in an effort to overcome the burdens of a difficult past by establishing the mechanism of Special Representatives for boundary talks. Atal Jis conviction that these two ancient civilisations which are rising powers can work together to shape the global future continues to guide my thinking. A person of grassroots, our neighbours were his priority. In many ways, he was the inspiration for, and even pioneer of, our Neighbourhood First policy. He was unwavering in his support as an opposition leader towards Bangladeshs liberation. He went to Lahore in search of peace. With persistence and optimism that was his nature, he continued to search for peace and heal the wounds in J&K. But, he was resolute in winning the Kargil War. And, when our Parliament was struck, he made the world recognize the true nature and source of cross-border terrorism against India. Personally, Atalji was an ideal, a guru, and role model who inspired me deeply. It was he who entrusted me with responsibilities both in Gujarat as well as at the national level. It was he who called me one evening in October 2001, and told me to go to Gujarat as the chief minister. When I told him that I had always worked in the organization, he said he was confident I would fulfill the peoples expectations. The faith he had in me was humbling. Today, we are a self-assured nation, brimming with the energy of our youth and resolve of our people, eager for change and confident of achieving it, striving for clean and responsive governance, building future of inclusion and opportunity for all Indians. We engage the world as equals and in peace, and we speak for principles and support the aspirations of others. We are on the path that Atalji wanted us to take. He was ahead of the times, because he had a deep sense of history, and he could peer into the soul of India from his grasp of our civilizational ethos. A life is to be judged not just by the extent of grief that follows when its light goes out. It is also to be measured by the lasting impact on the lives of people and the course of time. For that reason, Atalji was a true Ratna of Bharat. His spirit will continue to guide us as we build the New India of his dreams. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: In the wake of severe floods in Kerala and other parts of the country, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said the entire country is standing with all its might to help people who have lost their kin and faced hardships due to the calamity. Heavy rains battered north India on Tuesday leading to flash floods in Jammu and Kashmir, killing four people, even as the death toll in Himachal Pradesh reached 19. Landslides have also been reported in several areas in Uttarakhand and Jammu and Kashmir. At the same time, the death toll in Kerala has risen to 44 as there is no let-up in the rains and the operations of the Kochi airport have been suspended till Saturday. "These days, we are hearing news of rains from different parts of the country. At the same time, there is also news of floods," Modi said during his last Independence Day speech ahed of Lok Sabha elections 2019. Read | PM Modis I-Day address to nation rings loud and clear sincerity of his purpose "Due to excess rainfall floods, families, who have lost their closed ones and had to go through hardships, the country is standing by them with all its might to help them. Those who have lost the lives of their own, I share their sorrow," he said. In Kerala, unabated rains forced the government to do away with the official 'Onam' celebrations. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan told reporters the amount set apart for the purpose would be utilised for relief operations. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Thiruvananthapuram: The flood situation in Kerala further worsened on Wednesday with many areas inundated and flight operations suspended till Saturday at Kochi airport, as the toll rose to 67 with rain fury claiming 25 lives on Wednesday. Officials said a red alert has been sounded in all the 14 districts of the state. From Kasaragod in the north to Thiruvananthapuram in the south, all rivers are in spate and shutters of 35 dams, including Mullaperiyar, have been opened. The toll in rain-related incidents since August 8 mounted to 67 with 25 deaths reported on Wednesday, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said. Also Read | Kerala Floods: Kochi Airport suspends all flight operations till Saturday; death toll rises to 43 Eleven deaths were reported from Malappuram alone, officials said. Vijayan said the heavy rains would continue for some more days, which will further worsen the situation. More than 1.5 lakh people have been lodged in relief across the state, he said. A government release said Vijayan spoke to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Rajnath Singh on the grave situation the state was facing following the rains. The prime minister has assured all help, it said. The prime minister has taken a positive stand towards the state on relief measures, Vijayan told reporters. Train services have been disrupted and road transport services are in disarray with stretches of roads coming under water. Officials said a holiday has been declared for educational institutions in all districts barring Kasaragod on Thursday while colleges and universities have postponed exams. Power supply, communication systems and distribution of drinking water have been disrupted in various parts of the state in the rain mayhem. As the situation became grave, the state government sought the help of more teams of army personnel, National Disaster Response Force and Army Engineering. Read More | Kerala rains: Pinarayi Vijayan government cancels Onam celebrations; to use funds for relief operations The chief minister also met Governor P Sathasivam and informed him of the situation. Major tourist centres including Athirappally, Ponmudi and Munnar, which were expecting huge influx of visitors in the wake of Onam festival season, have closed. The Kochi international airport announced a shutdown till Saturday after water entered the airport area. As flights were being diverted to various airports or suspended, the state government decided to seek centres permission to allow small aircraft to land at the Naval airport in Kochi. Airlines including IndiGo, Air India and SpiceJet have announced suspension of their operations to Kochi. A landslide between Kuzhithurai and Eraniel stations has delayed four long distance trains, railway sources said adding a few passenger trains have been partially hit. There were also speed restrictions on trains on the Thiruvananthapuram-Thrissur section while rail traffic on the Kollam-Punalur-Sengottai section has been suspended. An urgent meeting, convened by the chief minister here to evaluate the flood situation, directed officials to requisition maximum number of lifeboats from Tamil Nadu. The chief secretary was asked to contact neighbouring states for emergency assistance. As the drinking water distribution system collapsed in several parts, Vijayan asked people to minimise the use of water being distributed by the state water authority. Read More | Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan announced Rs 4 lakh as ex-gratia for flood victims A group of military engineering personnel are expected to arrive in Thiruvanathapuram from Pune by IAF aircraft for rescue operations. Periyar, Chalakudy Puzha and Pampa rivers were overflowing in central Kerala, while the water level in Killiyar, Karamanayar, Vamanapuram rivers and Parvathyputhanar canal in Thiruvananthapuram district are steadily rising. The tourist town of Munnar is virtually inundated after shutters of the Idukki, Mullaperiyar and Mattuppetty dams were opened. With the water level in the Mullaperiyar dam touching the maximum of 142 feet, Vijayan wrote to his Tamil Nadu counterpart K Palaniswami requesting him to bring down the level to 139 feet in view of the dams safety. Vijayan pointed out that the catchment areas of the reservoir were receiving heavy rain. Rajnath Singh informed Vijayan that based on the states request, the Union Home secretary spoke to the Tamil Nadu chief secretary on release of more water from the dam to bring down the level to 139 feet. The dam, located in Idukki district of Kerala, is owned and operated by Tamil Nadu. Water was released from the dam by 1:30 am on Wednesday morning as the water level touched 142 feet and people staying in some villages have been relocated. There is no need for any anxiety with regard to Mullaperiyar dam, where the water level has touched 142 feet, the maximum as allowed by the Supreme Court, as the discharge is equivalent to the inflow, Vijayan told reporters. Read More | Country standing with all its might to h elp people facing flood fury: PM Modi during I-Day speech Aluva and Paravoor in Ernakulam district, on the banks of the Periyar, are facing flood threat. Peermade in Idukki recorded the highest rainfall of 27 cm on Wednesday while Idukki town received 23 cm, Munnar 22 cm and Karipur in Malappuram 21 cm. Rains also did not spare Thiruvanathapuram city with low lying areas being inundated, prompting residents to shift to relief camps. Former KPCC president V M Sudheeran and his wife were among the many people shifted from a high end residential area after rain water gushed into their house. Officials said an underground parking area of a private hospital was also inundated. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Kochi: Kochi is experiencing a shortage of drinking water as gushing flood waters due to rains have affected pumping operations from the Periyar river, officials said. State Revenue Minister E Chandrasekharan, who reviewed the situation in Aluva on Friday morning, said officials have been directed to distribute food grains and drinking water to people in the affected areas. We have made alternative arrangements to ensure drinking water supply in the affected areas, he said. Ernakulam district administration said there was 20 per cent deduction in supply of drinking water. Also Read | Navy put on alert as heavy rains lash Kerala, claim 28 lives District Collector Muhammed Y Safirulla urged people use water wisely in view of the emerging crisis. Kerala Water Authority officials yesterday said high turbidity in the Periyar river had hit pumping and distribution of drinking water supply at Aluva, Eloor, Kalamassery, Thrikkakara, Cheranellur, Elankunnapuzha, Njarackal, Mulavukad and part of Kochi corporation. Deputy Mayor of Kochi T J Vinod alleged that no steps were taken to ensure drinking water to Kochi and nearby municipalities in view of the crisis arising out of rising water level in Periyar affecting pumping from Aluva. Read More | 69 tourists stranded in Munnar as heavy rains, landslides damage roads Heavy rains pounding Kerala since August 8 triggered a series of landslides in the hilly Idukki district and northern parts, killing 26 people. New Delhi: On Indias 72nd Independence Day, Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra while addressing the Supreme Court Bar Association has called for concrete planning to improve the judicial system and transform it. The reaction from CJI Misra comes eight months after four Supreme Court judges J Chelameswar, Ranjan Gogoi, Madan B Lokur and Kurian Joseph raised questions against the functioning of cases and their allocation under CJI Dipak Misra. ALSO READ: PM Modi's I-Day speech rings loud and clear sincerity of his purpose Constructive steps need to be taken with a positive mindset. Concrete reforms must be undertaken with rationality, maturity, responsibility and composure. It's necessary to be productive instead of being counter-productive. Then only the institution can go to greater heights," said CJI Misra. "To criticise, attack and destroy a system is quite easy. What is difficult and challenging is to transform it into a performing one. For this one has to transcend ones' personal ambitions or grievances," CJI Misra added. ALSO READ: Aghanistan: 14 Killed, 23 injured in suicide bombing in Kabul Earlier on January 12, four apex court judges had addressed a press conference in New Delhi and criticised the working pattern under CJI Misra, accusing him of not listening to their concerns. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Atal Bihari Vajpayee built India's most famous highway project, started privatisation to cut government's role in running businesses and made big-ticket overseas acquisitions to secure energy supplies - former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee was truly a bellwether policy reformer of modern India. Regarded by some as the father of second generation economic reforms, Vajpayee, who died on Thursday at the age of 93 years, was decisive and pursued his reforms agenda with vigor without getting ruffled by criticism. Modeled loosely around the National Highway System of the US, he in 2001 launched the Golden Quadrilateral and the North-South & East-West Corridor projects to build 4/6 lane highways between four top metropolitan cities of Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata as well as from Srinagar to Kanyakumari and Porbandar to Silchar. Also Read | Atal Bihari Vajpayee: 'Will continue till eternity...' five best poems of ex-PM His idea was simple - construct arterial roads that could spur development just like what was witnessed in the US. Subsequent governments have only expanded on that theme. But arguably the biggest reform of his tenure was the privatisation drive which saw 32 state-owned companies and hotels being sold to private firms in five years. For the first time ever, a Department of Disinvestment to process privatisation candidates was created and a Cabinet Committee on Disinvestment formed to accord expeditious approvals. Also Read | Atal Bihari Vajpayee - Bharat Ratna of Indian politics shines as Indias liberal leader Beginning with sale of Modern Food Industries to Hindustan Level in 1999-2000, his government went on to sell Bharat Aluminium Company Ltd (Balco) and Hindustan Zinc Ltd to mining baron Anil Agarwal's Sterlite Industries, IT firm CMC Ltd and Videsh Sanchar Nigam Ld (VSNL) to Tatas, fuel retailer IBP Ltd to Indian Oil Corp (IOC) and Indian Petrochemicals Corp Ltd (IPCL) to Reliance Industries Ltd. Also sold were a host of hotels including Kovalam Ashok Beach Resort, Hotel Airport Ashok in Kolkata and three hotels in New Delhi - Ranjit Hotel, Qutab Hotel, and Hotel Kanishka. But the privatisation drive wasn't easy. He faced opposition and the decision to privatise Balco was challenged right up to the Supreme Court, which upheld the move. However, he failed in privatising oil refiner Hindustan Petroleum Corp Ltd (HPCL) with his own cabinet colleagues opposing the move. ALSO READ | Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee no more He was ahead of times when his government made a diplomatic push to acquire a 20 percent stake in the gigantic Sakhalin-I oil and gas fields in far east Russia for USD 1.7 billion in 2001. This was India's single largest investment abroad. This was followed up with a 25 percent stake in an oilfield in Sudan for USD 720 million. The decisions were criticised for the making such huge investments in risky countries but Vajpayee was proven right when even the Sudan project recouped investments within years. His model of energy security by investing in the overseas project has since then been followed vigorously with footprint now expanded to 20 countries and energy diplomacy part of India's engagements with other countries. ALSO READ | Atal Bihari Vajpayee - the BJP icon who was born on Christmas China too has vigorously followed the same model and has invested in more projects than India in the last one-and-half decade. Vajpayee will also be remembered for introducing doping of sugarcane-extracted ethanol in petrol to not just cut import dependence but also provide farmers with an alternative source of income. The concept, however, suffered a lethargy during the 10-year UPA rule. It has again been revived by the Modi government. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Kohima: Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphu Rio on Wednesday called for an early settlement of the Naga political issue, assuring people that his government is committed to play the role of an active facilitator between the centre and the negotiating parties. The solution to the political imbroglio should be honourable, inclusive and acceptable to the Nagas, he said after unfurling the Tricolour at the Secretariat Plaza in Kohima. The chief minister said the Naga political issue tops the agenda of the ruling PDA coalition in the state. Also Read | Manipur parties for special Assembly session on Naga issue We are committed to play the role of an active facilitator in the ongoing negotiations between the central government and the Naga political groups. The solution to the political imbroglio should be honourable, inclusive and acceptable to the Nagas, he said. Rio also maintained that the Nagaland government has undertaken several measures over the years to end the imbroglio, including the setting up of a political affairs committee for conducting consultative meets with the tribal Hohos and civil society organisations. During a meeting with the tribal Hohos on May 11 at Kohima, we decided to urge all Naga political groups, including NSCN-K, to renew the ceasefire with the Centre and join the peace talks, he said. The chief minister urged the negotiating parties, including the Centre, to expedite the process and respond to the requests of the people by reaching at a solution at the earliest. Political negotiations have been going on for the past 21 years. We have had many challenges, but there is no problem that is insurmountable before the collective will of the people, he asserted. Read More | Naga village chiefs meet PM Modi, support peace process Stating that his government supports the demand for integration of contiguous Naga-inhabited areas, Rio also appealed to the neighbouring states to appreciate the history and democratic rights of the Nagas under a spirit of mutual respect and brotherhood. On our part, we reiterate our commitment to pave the way for an alternative arrangement that may arise from the political agreement, he said, urging all sections of Naga society to come together under a spirit of unity and oneness. Grieving the death of 10 people in the recent rain-related incidents, Rio admitted that Nagaland has been ravaged by unprecedented showers and landslides and a lot needs to be done to boost the infrastructure of the state. We need to build roads and maintain them, create employment opportunities for our youth to enable them to live their dreams and reach their potential, he said. The chief minister also thanked the central government for providing aid to the state during emergency. Read More | PM's words don't mean anything: Rahul's jibe at Modi over Naga peace accord We express our sincere gratitude to the Government of India for heeding to the distress call of the people of Nagaland and deputing two Indian Air Force helicopters to transport essential commodities to areas that have been cut-off by the calamity, he added. Altogether, 24 contingents of armed forces, civil police, National Cadet Corps and school students took part in the Independence Day parade in Kohima on Wednesday morning. Nagaland Assembly Speaker Vikho-o Yhosh, legislators and senior bureaucrats, Chief Secretary Temjen Toy and DGP T J Longkumer were among others who attended the celebrations at Secretariat Plaza. New Delhi: Why do Hindus offer milk to snakes on Nag Panchami day, is what is on many minds as many devotees carry out the practice. Nag Panchami is an important festival for Hindus across the country and the world over. This year, Nag Panchami, according to the Hindu calendar, falls on August 15, coinciding with the Independence Day. In Hindi 'nag' means snake. On this occasion, people worship snakes and offer milk to appease Lord Shiva for protection from enemies and all evils. Hence, Nag Panchmi holds great significance for Shiv devotees. Read | Nag Panchami 2018: Visit the major snake parks in India Significance of offering milk to snakes on Nag Panchami | Four major Hindu beliefs Milk is offered to snakes with the belief that the offering will protect ones family from evil energies. Hindus believe that offering milk to snakes will help to negate Kal Sarpa dosh, which means astrological imbalance caused by Rahu and Ketu in the position of planets. Offering of milk to snakes is also believed to help protect ones family from all kinds of calamity. Some offer milk to snakes on Nag Panchami Day to bring great fortune and success in life. Read | E-cigarette vapour disables lungs protective cells Apart from Hindus, many animal lovers and wildlife enthusiasts adore the reptile species of snakes. And many palces the world over have established special parks to save and conserve snakes. For all the Latest Lifestyle News, Religion News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. France is one of the oldest diplomatically connected friends of Nepal, with each others embassies established in other countries in 1967. Since then, several ambassadors from both sides have contributed to strengthening the relations. Three years ago, Francois-Xavier Leger succeeded Yves Carmona as the French ambassador to Nepal. During his time, Leger, besides his regular diplomatic dealings, has been very active in many non-political affairs and collaborations, especially with young entrepreneurs of Nepal. Completing the tenure now, he is now moving on to his next assignment. Before his departure from Nepal, we talked with the French ambassador to talk about his stint, his learnings and his observations of Nepal. Excerpts: How would you sum up your tenure as the French ambassador to Nepal? My appointment in Nepal was in 2018. The first half of my tenure kept me busy with organising and attending events as in 2019, Nepal and France were celebrating the 70th anniversary of their bilateral relations. Well, for the second half, given the pandemic, my works were directed towards the Covid-19 response and programmes from the repatriation of EU citizens to facilitating vaccines for Nepalis here. The three years were full of various experiences. A large part of my role as the French ambassador was also to promote the culture and arts of Nepal that highlighted and promoted contemporary Nepal. What have been your greatest achievements and learnings? Any regret on what you could not give time to? Nepal and France have many commonalities, be it mutualism, foreign policies, their inclination to peaceful negotiation and resolution or the commitment to peacekeeping and climate change efforts. French ambassador to Nepal Francois-Xavier Leger. Photo: Shankhar GIri/ Onlinekhabar It was my first time in Nepal. I found the country to be very different from what the common beliefs were. Nepal has always been perceived as a small, developing country, in between two giant countries, but the country is rich in every aspect; history, culture, arts, etc. During my stay here, I have learned the people of Nepal are a very complex population to understand. This month, I also visited the Pashupatinath temple on the first Monday of Shrawan and there I got to see how intricate and complex the culture is. To understand Nepal, one needs to take time and make efforts. And, my greatest learning I would say is my realisation about the importance of families. People here have so much potential; they are working in multinational companies, expanding their business outside the country, and the young working force is more dynamic with equally active female leaders. Even those working in the informal sectors are working hard and moving forward through the hardships, even post-pandemic. Their resilience is applaudable. So, whatever the perception or stereotype that a foreigner has about Nepal can be challenged once you experience the country. I would certainly miss the people here the most. My greatest regret is that I could not travel the country. Due to my obligations as the French ambassador and the pandemic, travelling became impossible for me during this time. However, I do wish to come back to Nepal and visit places like the Upper Mustang, Manang, Dolpo and Terai areas. But, if I had to leave Nepal amid the peak of the Covid-19 crisis, I would have definitely regretted that I could not make efforts from my side to say a proper goodbye. Anything you would say to your successor? I have been amazed by the people I met here. So, my foremost suggestion would be to go out and meet people and interact with them. Take time to understand Nepal better and deeper. Second, I would stress to go out of Kathmandu more, see the real Nepal, its real diversity. And, I am very positive and hopeful that the Green Embassy project would be carried forward. It is not just a project, but a process. So, if we just dismiss it in a few years, the impact will be negligible, where it needs to be sustainable. As someone who has been here from the start of the Covid-19 crisis, what have been your observations of Nepals crisis response? Do you have any comments? French ambassador to Nepal Francois-Xavier Leger. Photo: Shankhar GIri/ Onlinekhabar The Covid-19 is a new crisis. No country in the world had it figured out from the start, regardless of the resources they had. So, everyone was coping with it; it was difficult. The Nepal government made great efforts to bring in international aid and vaccines despite the international competition. The best part is that many hospitals in Nepal have an oxygen plant inside the hospital premises now; the production capacity and efficiency has increased. There were some disparities when it came to the oxygen plants and their spare parts needed to be changed. But, as a country that suffered in the second wave due to a lack of oxygen supply, I now see the country having the potential to beat the possible third wave now. France has already extended aid to Nepal for the Covid-19 response. Have they been put to use effectively and properly? When the French aid arrived in Nepal, being the French ambassador, I had the privilege to go to the storage and receive it. There, what I saw was a tracking system of the medical supplies. With that, one could trace or track where and how the aid was used, where it was distributed. And, it was as good as it could have been. I was convinced that there was transparency and the aid had been distributed to the provincial governments too where it was supposed to be distributed. Nepal is seeking a huge international investment to boost its economy, but the investment is not coming at the expected level. What possibilities do you see in the future? There are many investment opportunities in Nepal. It has many aspects to capitalise like its already famous landmarks and cultural diversity. But, Nepal has the potential to not just use them for tourism but also for investment purposes, systematically. Nepal can explore the possibilities of investment with European [Union] countries. France is already investing here in Nepal. French companies are investing in hydropower projects like Upper Trishuli and helped in the construction of a stadium in Pokhara for the South Asian Games. French companies have collaborated for the operation of Airbus aircraft here, meaning the investment possibilities are already there. Other possible areas where Nepal can get investment are solar farms, road infrastructure, and public transportations. According to its topography, Nepal can make cable cars and they are better, more sustainable investment opportunities for everyone. I have been a personal advocate for this technology as well. Other than that Nepal can also find opportunities in the export of coffee, tea, honey, essential oils, etc. If Nepali companies can package them well and assure they are organic and give the certificate of origin, they will attract potential, loyal customers, even from Europe and certainly France. French ambassador to Nepal Francois-Xavier Leger. Photo: Shankhar GIri/ Onlinekhabar How can we better bilateral cooperation between the two countries in trade and investment sectors? Given the pandemic, the amount of bilateral trade decreased by one-third last year, but we have great potential to bounce back and work further on our economic diplomacies as well. For that, many business forums were organised, before and during the pandemic, and it was a success. Human resources are an asset to Nepal, which is not a well-known fact, so thats where the country can thrive. It has gone past the insurgency, and political or social conflict, so now, it can offer safety to those who want to invest here. And, rather than going for bigger investments, both Nepali companies and investors can seek possibilities for investment in smaller and middle scale industries. It will be more profitable for Nepal. For French companies, there are many opportunities, so I encourage them to explore, and with their own market analysis, cater to the unique consumers here. KP Sharma Oli as the Nepal PM paid a formal visit to France in 2019, but there have not been any high-level visits from France since 1983, is there any reason for this? Former PM Olis visit was during the anniversary of bilateral relations. That same year, Maurice Gourdault-Montagne, the secretary-general of the French Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs, visited Nepal. So, it is not that France has refrained from it. I would have been more than happy to materialise higher-level French officials visits to Nepal, but given the pandemic, we had to reconsider. Also, we believe Nepal and France are in a cordial, peaceful and benevolent relationship as always where these high-level visits are not required to show that we are not in a conflict. As I said, both countries believe in peace and peaceful, diplomatic conduct. But, surely there will be a higher-level official paying a visit to Nepal soon, and it would be instrumental to highlight the relationship as well. Home Just In 5 key achievements in the history of indigenous rights movements in Nepal Nepal takes is well known for and takes pride in the diverse cultural and ethnic groups residing in the country. Kathmandu, the capital city, has become a melting pot with a harmonious mix of such groups, along with rich indigenous communities who are natives of this place. But, not everyone understands the feelings, and there have been some misunderstandings about the indigenous communities of a place. Meanwhile, there have been some events when the indigenous people were able to get some standalone recognition. Below are five major events and achievements in Nepals history that secured the proud existence of indigenous communities. 1. Recognition of Nepal Bhasa Ranjana lipi, a script of Nepal Bhasa. Photo: Wikimedia Commons Nepal Bhasa, mostly known as the Newar language, is one of the ethnic, indigenous languages spoken by people of the Newa community, native residents of the Kathmandu valley. In the past, the national language of medieval Nepal was Nepal Bhasa. However, as the Shah dynasty came into power, Khas language (or Nepali) got an upper hand. In 1905, during the Rana regime, a law was passed and it established the Khas language as the national language of Nepal. Even after democracy, Nepal Bhasa had a difficult time catching up. When Nepal Bhasa was included in the school curriculum in 1953, students were taught Nepal Bhasa in schools and colleges around the Kathmandu valley. In June 2017, the Kathmandu metropolitan city (KMC) announced its plans to set up a separate desk to provide help, facilities on Nepal Bhasa. Following this, the KMC and the Lalitpur metropolitan city (LMC) included Nepal Bhasa in all its official papers and signs with an option in the offices to interact, file papers for clerical works in Nepal Bhasa. On March 13, 2021, the KMC also announced that Nepal Bhasa will be included in the school curriculum from Grade I to VIII as a compulsory subject. This has further solidified the steps to preserve and promote the beauty of Newar culture and tradition. 2. Reservation system Photo: Pixabay In 2001-2005, the Nepal government initiated the Governance Reform Programme to improve the marginalised status of indigenous communities. During this period, a reservation system was introduced for the first time. In the new Civil Service Act, a reservation system was introduced to protect the seats for ethnic groups, women, and the disabled. The provision says when any office recruits employees, 33 per cent of seats needed to be reserved for women, 22 per cent for Madhesis, 27 per cent for indigenous communities, 9 per cent for Dalits (untouchable), 5 per cent for disabled and the remaining 4 per cent for economically backward peoples. This system has increased the participation of marginalised groups in the developmental sectors. 3. Public holidays on indigenous festivals Photo: Pixabay After the 2006 peoples revolution and promulgation of the new constitution of Nepal in 2015, the government recognised many festivals of indigenous communities. Then, the government of Nepal declared that a number of festivals celebrated by the indigenous people would be celebrated as public holidays. This announcement resulted in Nepal being the country with the highest public holidays. But, in 2018, the Ministry of Home Affairs removed some of these festivals such as Sonam Loshar, Gyalpo Lhosar, Tamu Lhosar, Udhauli, etc. This incident aggravated many ethnic, indigenous groups. In collaboration with the Nepal Federation of Indigenous Nationalities (NEFIN), they raised their voice against the decisions. Then, some of the festivals were reinstated, in 2019, whereas others got the status of regional holidays or conditional holidays for women or certain communities. 4. Withdrawal of the Guthi Bill Police use water cannons to disperse a protesting crowd, who were demonstrating against the Guthi Bill, in Kathmandu, on Sunday, June 9, 2019. On April 29, 2019, the then Land Management Minister Padma Kumari Aryal tabled a bill in the Upper House for the maintenance, control of all the cultural and religious heritage sites replacing the existing guthi system. This bill created a risk of old customs and traditions going extinct forever. Every single day after the bill was proposed, the indigenous people of Kathmandu valley, the Newa community, and those in solidarity with the community poured onto the streets demanding the withdrawal of the Guthi Bill. Thousands of people came in protest atMaitighar Mandala, time and again, causing one of the most populated protests in the country. Finally, the bill was withdrawn. 5. Provision for land, territories and resources File image: Supreme Court of Nepal On December 31, 2018, a landmark directive was issued by the Supreme Court. The court said it was essential in order to protect the culture and social structure of the Barams, one of the indigenous marginalised groups. The court observed that in article 56 of the constitution, it is specified that any special, protected or autonomous region can be established under the federal law for social, cultural protection or economic development. The order from the court also sparked a fire within the other indigenous groups including Majhis, Newas, Magars, Kiratis, and Santhals to demand separate protected, autonomous areas. Kathmandu, August 9 Standard Chartered UK entered into an agreement with Save the Children International to provide USD 140,000 (equivalent to Rs 16.3 million) for Nepals Covid-19 response. The Standard Chartered Bank in Nepal says the support will be used for the project Life-saving equipment and materials support Nepal Covid-19 Response. The bank also hosted an event in Kathmandu recently to mark the agreement. Standard Chartered Nepal CEO Anirvan Ghosh Dastidar and Save the Children Nepal Deputy Director Tara Chhetry attended the event. We feel grateful to be able to bring together our international network to contribute towards our countrys effort to combat the pandemic, Pranu Singh, the head of Corporate Affairs, Brand and Marketing of Standard Chartered Nepal says in a statement, We are really pleased to partner with Save the Children and believe that together we will be able to make a sustainable and tangible difference where it is most required in such challenging times. In the past also, Standard Chartered had made donations of medical equipment to the Nepal government for its Covid-19 response Amazon and GoPro have filed a joint lawsuit against a group of Chinese nationals and businesses they allege sold counterfeit GroPro products on Amazon. In newly unsealed court documents, the two companies say the fraudsters made knockoffs of some of GoPro's most popular accessories that blatantly used its branding to try and trick potential buyers. Among the products the counterfeiters saw to pass off as authentic include GoPro's signature "3-Way" and "The Handler" grips. The knockoffs were often hard to spot, with subtle differences between them and their real GoPro counterparts. For instance, some had foam handles that were a slightly different color from the one you'll find on tripods from the company. "When counterfeiters attempt to sell in our store, they not only violate the intellectual property rights of companies like GoPro, they also mislead consumers and harm Amazon's reputation as a place to buy authentic goods," said Kebharu Smith, director of Amazon's recently formed Counterfeit Crimes Unit. Amazon and GoPro aren't the first companies to take legal action against fraudsters using the platform to sell counterfeit goods. Back in 2016, Apple alleged that about 90 percent of the Lightning cables and chargers marked "Fulfilled by Amazon" were fake. However, Amazon contends the problem isn't widespread. In 2020, the company says less than 0.01 percent of all products sold on its marketplace were the subject of a counterfeit complaint from customers. As The Verge points out, what we don't know is how many items the company sold last year. At the scale Amazon does business, 0.01 percent could represent tens of thousands of complaints. It's also not clear how many people bought a counterfeit product, and either didn't think to contact the company about their purchase or were none the wiser about what they had in their possession. Either way, the issue of fake GoPro products was pressing enough for Amazon to team up with the company to take it on. A man peers out over his car door at the line of travellers waiting to enter Canada (REUTERS) Canada has finally reopened its border to American citizens and permanent residents but only to those who can prove they have been fully vaccinated against Covid-19. Those entering the country must send an application via an app and provide a negative Covid test from the three days before their intended crossing. The US-Canada border is among the worlds busiest for both tourism and commerce, and the financial boost to businesses on the Canadian side will be substantial. The US, however, recently extended its ban on non-essential travel from both Canada and Mexico, though American citizens and permanent residents returning from trips north will not be subject to such stringent requirements. Other American restrictions on travel from particular countries remain in place, and the Biden administration is under particular pressure to open certain routes including between the US and the UK, which opened its borders to vaccinated Americans at the start of August. The Canadian opening comes as travel within the US itself becomes a matter of concern. The Delta variant of Covid-19 is spreading fast, in particular in areas lagging behind in vaccination numbers among them Florida, whose Republican governor, Ron DeSantis, has fought against local efforts to bring in mask mandates and sold T-shirts reading Dont Fauci My Florida. The state recently broke its own daily record for new Covid cases three times in a week. Because the proportion of people vaccinated varies substantially across the country, intra-US travel is becoming a major point of concern. Some mass gatherings that draw crowds from across the country have already been cancelled. Among the casualties is New Orleanss Jazz Fest, whose organisers said they were scrapping this years festival because of the current exponential growth of new COVID cases in New Orleans and the region and the ongoing public health emergency. However, some large events are going ahead, among them the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in South Dakota, which is expected to attract as many as 700,000 people. Last years event drew furious criticism for gathering massive crowds at the height of the pandemic, though one academic study that blamed it for more than 200,000 cases across the US was widely criticised for its methodology. From: Environment and Climate Change Canada Media advisory MOUNT PEARL, NL, Aug. 9, 2021 /CNW/ - Media representatives are advised that the Honourable Seamus O'Regan Jr., Minister of Natural Resources, on behalf of the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, will make an announcement to support the City of Mount Pearl Energy-Efficiency and Fuel Switching Project. He will be joined by the Honourable Bernard Davis, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, the Honourable Krista Lynn Howell, Minister of Municipal and Provincial Affairs, Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, and His Worship Dave Acker, Mayor for the City of Mount Pearl. Event: In-person Announcement and Media Availability Date: Tuesday, August 10, 2021 Time: 11:00 a.m. (NDT) Location: H. Neil Windsor Municipal Building (Depot) (Public Works Parks Maintenance Building) 57 Clyde Avenue Mount Pearl, NL The announcement will be live-streamed on the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador Facebook page. Media representatives outside the province of Newfoundland and Labrador are asked to contact Media Relations listed below for further information or to schedule interviews with Minister Seamus O'Regan Jr., Minister Bernard Davis, or His Worship Dave Acker. Environment and Climate Change Canada's Twitter page Environment and Climate Change Canada's Facebook page SOURCE Environment and Climate Change Canada Cision View original content: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/August2021/09/c8354.html * Peru sol, stocks stabilize after Francke's appointment * Brazil cenbank seen hiking interest rates by 100 bps on Thursday By Susan Mathew Aug 2 (Reuters) - The sol attempted to recover on Monday from a dive to all-time lows after moderate economist Pedro Francke was named finance minister, while Brazil's real led a rally in other Latin American currencies on hopes of a sharp hike in interest rates. The real jumped 1.4%, on course to recover Friday's steep losses, as the dollar dwindled ahead of U.S. jobless claims and nonfarm payrolls data later this week for more insights on the labor market. The greenback extended losses from last week when the U.S. Federal Reserve held its dovish stance. This bodes well for emerging markets, several of which have already turned hawkish to stave off inflation, as it raises interest rate differentials and carry trade appeal for currencies. On Thursday, Brazil's central bank is seen hiking rates by 100 basis points, its largest increase in 18 years, a Reuters poll showed. That would be a fourth hike in a row to 5.25%. The central bank has said it sees the rate ending the year at 7%. A hawkish central bank has helped the real retrace losses this year due to political tensions and worries about a hit to economic growth from the coronavirus pandemic. Crude exporter Colombia's peso rose 0.5% on Monday after the central bank held rates but raised its growth forecast on Friday, while Mexico's peso hovered near four-week highs - both looking past a fall in oil prices. But given the rise in COVID-19 cases, there may be uncertainty as to whether the central bank will act decisively, warned Commerzbank analyst Elisabeth Andrae. PERUVIAN ROLLER COASTER The sol was flat after having tanked 3.4% on Friday when President Pedro Castillo appointed Guido Bellido, a member of his Marxist party, as prime minister. Stocks recovered 2% of Friday's near 6% plunge, but sovereign dollar bonds fell. While Francke's appointment is a positive development as he has held a more moderate view, the possibility of the Cabinet not passing a mandatory confidence vote within 30 days exists, said strategists at Citi. Citi notes Francke's support for current central bank chief Julio Velarde, whose confirmation would bring further support for the currency and rates. But "uncertainty is still high, frictions between Congress and Castillo are likely to continue, and we think this could weigh on assets." The sol is down 11% this year, on par with Turkey's lira in being the worst performing emerging market currencies this year. Eyes are also on a "new deal" with Peru's all-important mining sector. Key Latin American stock indexes and currencies: Stock indexes Latest Daily % change MSCI Emerging Markets 1294.44 1.3 MSCI LatAm 2552.85 1.73 Brazil Bovespa 124244.19 2.01 Mexico IPC 51139.58 0.53 Chile IPSA 4267.72 0.37 Argentina MerVal - - Colombia COLCAP 1243.46 0.54 Currencies Latest Daily % change Brazil real 5.1383 1.35 Mexico peso 19.8029 0.26 Chile peso 756.4 0.54 Colombia peso 3854.32 0.51 Peru sol 4.035 0.82 Argentina peso 96.7700 -0.07 (interbank) (Reporting by Susan Mathew in Bengaluru; editing by Jonathan Oatis) Some of the major warm edge spacer market players in Europe include Fenzi Group, Ensinger, Alu Pro Srl, Technoform, Thermoseal Group, HELIMA GmbH, SWISSPACER, Quanex Building Products, Allmetal amongst others. SELBYVILLE, Del., Aug. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The European warm edge spacer market revenue is anticipated to record a valuation of USD 290 million by 2028, according to the most recent study by Global Market Insights Inc. Energy efficient solutions are the current need of the hour for various regions with freezing-temperatures including Europe and North America. Europe has been known to record incredibly low temperatures throughout the year, pushing in the need for clean heat insulation technologies and systems. In this case, warm edge spacers have emerged as a viable solution. Moreover, rising investment towards the deployment of innovative, sustainable, and affordable heating and cooling solutions across the building sector would potentially boost the market growth over 2021-2028. Increasing installation of energy-efficient window systems would propel the product demand subsequently. Request a sample of this research report @ https://www.gminsights.com/request-sample/detail/1353 Below mentioned is a brief snapshot of the trends that are expected to structure the growth map of Europe's warm edge space market through the analysis timeframe: Introduction to regulatory measures to boost energy efficiency of building structures Introduction to various regulatory reforms to empower the energy efficiency of building structures along with the rising concerns toward surging energy bills is set to strengthen the growth spectrum of Europe's warm edge spacer market. Speaking of one such measure, it would be quite overt that the EU has developed various building energy conservation regulations for new and existing construction in an attempt to reduce the emission index and promote the deployment of sustainable systems. Story continues Positive attributes of stainless steel spacer Stainless steel spacers have been gaining ground in the European economies. Reason? The product's ability to accentuate the output and reduce the labor cost. This apart, the demand for aluminum spacers is also expanding across the regional market, mainly due to the increasing investments to refurbish conventional aluminum spacers. Growing implementation policies promoting cleaner and effective technologies in the residential sector Governments across the European continent are relentlessly working on laying down strategic measures to promote cleaner, affordable, and effective building technologies, which is, in turn, propelling the growth of the warm edge spacer market across the residential segment. It was reported that in 2020, European warm edge spacers in the residential segment observed an installation of about 330 million meters. What has been driving this growth is the initiation of several directives pertaining to residential building energy efficiency. Governmental intervention and thriving real estate sector in France France's government is taking up novel initiatives to revamp old building construction with modern and effective solutions. This move is known to drive the demand for warm edge spacer in the country. Speaking of which, it has been claimed that France's warm edge space market would depict a growth rate of 4% through 2028. The expansion is also likely to come from growing investments across the real estate sector. Increased installation of low-E glazing windows Deployment of triple low-E glazing windows with warm edge spacers is touted to have a significant impact on the overall growth of the warm edge spacer market across the European economies in the coming years. One of the main reasons behind the increased installation of these is the introduction of stringent energy management and efficiency measures in the countries. Besides, goals of reducing carbon footprint up to a specific level would potentially augment the industry statistics for triple low-E glazed window warm edge spacers market. Request customization of this research report at https://www.gminsights.com/roc/1353 About Global Market Insights 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 with 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: sales@gminsights.com Related Images warm-edge-spacer-market-size-in.png Warm Edge Spacer Market size in Europe to exceed $290 MN by 2028 Europe Warm Edge Spacer Market is expected to surpass USD 290 million by 2028, as reported in the latest study by Global Market Insights Inc. Cision View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/european-warm-edge-spacer-market-2021-2028-top-5-trends-enhancing-the-industry-expansion-global-market-insights-inc-301350847.html SOURCE Global Market Insights Inc. LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / August 9, 2021 /The Schall Law Firm, a national shareholder rights litigation firm, reminds investors of a class action lawsuit against Rekor Systems, Inc. f/k/a Novume Solutions, Inc. ('Rekor' or 'the Company') (NASDAQ:REKR)(NASDAQ:NVMM) for violations of 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5 promulgated thereunder by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Investors who purchased the Company's securities between April 12, 2019 and May 25, 2021, inclusive (the ''Class Period''), are encouraged to contact the firm before August 30, 2021. If you are a shareholder who suffered a loss, click here to participate. We also encourage you to contact Brian Schall of the Schall Law Firm, 2049 Century Park East, Suite 2460, Los Angeles, CA 90067, at 310-301-3335, to discuss your rights free of charge. You can also reach us through the firm's website at www.schallfirm.com, or by email at brian@schallfirm.com. The class, in this case, has not yet been certified, and until certification occurs, you are not represented by an attorney. If you choose to take no action, you can remain an absent class member. According to the Complaint, the Company made false and misleading statements to the market. Rekor's business in automatic license plate recognition ('ALPR') technology and uninsured vehicle enforcement diversion ('UVED') was not competitive with competitors that already held a dominant market share. It was unlikely that other states would approve legislation allowing deals with the Company similar to its partnership in Oklahoma due to privacy concerns. The Company's UVED partnership had not attained the level of profitability that it had touted to the market. Based on these facts, the Company's public statements were false and materially misleading throughout the class period. When the market learned the truth about Rekor, investors suffered damages. Story continues Join the case to recover your losses. The Schall Law Firm represents investors around the world and specializes in securities class action lawsuits and shareholder rights litigation. This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and rules of ethics. CONTACT: The Schall Law Firm Brian Schall, Esq., www.schallfirm.com Office: 310-301-3335 info@schallfirm.com SOURCE: The Schall Law Firm View source version on accesswire.com: https://www.accesswire.com/658950/FINAL-DEADLINE-THIS-MONTH-The-Schall-Law-Firm-Reminds-Investors-of-a-Class-Action-Lawsuit-Against-Rekor-Systems-Inc-and-Encourages-Investors-with-Losses-in-Excess-of-100000-to-Contact-the-Firm DUBLIN, Aug. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Augmented Reality Market Global Forecast by Segments, Region, End-User, Headset Volume, Company Analysis" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. Research and Markets Logo Global Augmented Reality Market is projected to reach US$ 85.47 Billion by 2026 US$ 12.56 Billion in 2020, growing at a CAGR of 37.66% during 2020-2026 Augmented Reality (AR) is an improved variant of the actual physical world through digital visual components, sound, or other sensory stimuli delivered via technology. The augmented reality's goals are to highlight the physical world's specific features, it increases understanding of those features, and derive intelligent and accessible insight applied to real-world applications. The Augmented Reality market in North America is expected to strengthen significantly over the forecast period owing to many vendors making considerable market innovation investments. Globally, the United States is among the highly innovative augmented reality market; most of the companies advancing in augmented reality technology are based in the United States. Microsoft's augmented reality product, Hololens, was first released in the United States and Canada, and it experienced a positive response from purchasers in the country. Globally high technology exposure and ease of intelligent devices act as the growth driver for the global augmented reality market. Also, amidst the COVID-19 crisis, physical lockdowns across the significant regions are another factor for the augmented reality market's growth globally. Augmented reality's global sales continue to expand and become more pervasive among various e-commerce, hardware market, ad spend market, apps market, games market, and enterprises. The marketers and technology firms have believed that augmented reality is little more than a marketing intermediary serving and will benefit the long-term segments using AR technology as a revolutionising conception. The AR technology is benefiting both the enterprise market and the consumer market. The enterprises globally are getting internal and wider geographically spread teams to communicate, collaborate, and find a path forward using AR technology. However, the consumers are beginning to derive tangible benefits from this functionality and expect it as part of their purchasing process. The key companies covered in this report are Kopin Corporation, Seiko Epson Corporation, Vuzix, Sony Corporation, Lenovo Group Limited and Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. The augmented reality market is gaining competitiveness. Story continues The companies are strengthening their market presence by securing new contracts and by tapping new markets. Key Topics Covered: 1. Introduction 2. Research & Methodology 3. Executive Summary 4. Market Dynamics 4.1 Growth Drivers 4.2 Challenges 5. Global Augmented Reality Market 6. Global Augmented Reality Headset Volume 7. Share Analysis 7.1 Market Share 7.1.1 Segment 7.1.2 Region 7.1.3 End User 7.2 Volume Share 7.2.1 Augmented Reality Headset by Type 8. AR Market Segments 8.1 E-Commerce Market 8.2 Hardware Market 8.3 Ad spend Market 8.4 Apps Market 8.5 Games Market 8.6 Enterprise Market 9. AR Market Region 10. AR Market End-User 10.1 Enterprise Market 10.2 Consumer Market 11. Headset Volume Types 11.1 Screen-less Viewer 11.2 Standalone HMD 11.3 Tethered HMD 12. Company Analysis 12.1 Kopin Corporation 12.1.1 Overview 12.1.2 Recent Developments 12.1.3 Sales Analysis 12.2 Seiko Epson Corporation 12.3 Vuzix 12.4 Sony Corporation 12.5 Lenovo Group Limited 12.6 Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/mmn4wm Media Contact: Research and Markets Laura Wood, Senior Manager press@researchandmarkets.com For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1904 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 Cision View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/global-augmented-reality-markets-2021-2026---companies-are-strengthening-their-market-presence-by-securing-new-contracts-and-by-tapping-new-markets-301351043.html SOURCE Research and Markets SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Invitae Corporation (NYSE: NVTA), a leading medical genetics company, today announced that members of its management team will participate in a fireside chat at the UBS Genomics 2.0 and MedTech Innovations Summit on Wednesday, August 11, 2021 at 11:00 a.m. PT and Sean George, chief executive officer of Invitae, will participate in the NGS Technologies panel presentation at 1:00 p.m. PT, both at Montage Laguna Beach. Invitae's (NVTA) mission is to bring comprehensive genetic information into mainstream medical practice to improve the quality of healthcare for billions of people. www.invitae.com (PRNewsFoto/Invitae Corporation) The live webcasts of the fireside chat and the panel presentation may be accessed by visiting the investors section of the company website at ir.invitae.com. Replays of the webcasts will be available shortly after the conclusion of the fireside chat and panel presentation. About Invitae Invitae Corporation (NYSE: NVTA) is a leading medical genetics company, whose mission is to bring comprehensive genetic information into mainstream medicine to improve healthcare for billions of people. Invitae's goal is to aggregate the world's genetic tests into a single service with higher quality, faster turnaround time, and lower prices. For more information, visit the company's website at invitae.com. Contact: ir@invitae.com (628) 213-3369 Cision View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/invitae-to-present-at-the-ubs-genomics-2-0-and-medtech-innovations-summit-301351402.html SOURCE Invitae Corporation The Sherbrooke-based business will produce high-purity ethanol and create 28 jobs in the region. SHERBROOKE, QC, Aug. 9, 2021 /CNW Telbec/ - Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions (CED) The Estrie region counts a number of dynamic businesses and organizations whose innovative ideas help create a strong local economic fabric. Some organizations have succeeded in adapting to the pandemic and are prospering, while others have had to reduce their operations. Now, as we plan for the economic recovery, they need support more than ever to ensure the vitality of their communities. The Government of Canada is committed to assisting them in the pursuit of their activities and to fostering their growth and success. With this in mind, Elisabeth Briere, Member of Parliament for Sherbrooke and Parliamentary Secretary to the Honourable Melanie Joly, Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages (Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions), today announced $2 million in funding for 96 Plus (9416-8382 Quebec inc.). The aim of this innovative startup SME is to produce high-purity, pharmaceutical-grade and food-grade ethanol. The repayable contribution will allow the business to cover part of the cost of acquiring and installing ethanol production equipment, including distillation towers, cooling and ventilation systems, heat and steam equipment and fermenters, as well as professional fees (engineering and certification). The Government of Canada recognizes and supports innovative businesses and organizations that are a source of pride in their communities. Quebec's economic recovery relies, among other things, on organizations that are strongly grounded in the regional economy. Innovation is a major contributor to growth, as well as a key asset for rebuilding a stronger, more resilient and more just economy for all. Quotes "We are helping businesses equip themselves with the tools they need to remain competitive, prosper and create good jobs. With the help of the Government of Canada's financial assistance, 96 Plus will be able to go ahead with its high-purity ethanol production project, which will help Canada reduce its dependency on foreign products by being able to rely on one of the local businesses involved in Canadian SMEs' response to the COVID-19 pandemic." Story continues Elisabeth Briere, Member of Parliament for Sherbrooke and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages (Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions) "Helping businesses grow and innovate so that they can become more competitive and create quality jobs is one of our key priorities. This is why we are supporting 96 Plus, a startup that is the pride, not only of the region, but also of the Canadian economy. In these difficult times, we are there to help Quebec and Canadian workers and SMEs; we are making sure they have the tools they need so that, together, we can rebuild a stronger, more resilient and more sustainable economy." The Honourable Melanie Joly, Member of Parliament for Ahuntsic-Cartierville, Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages and Minister responsible for CED "The startup of 96 Plus will provide Canadian businesses with access to locally produced ethanol. The Sherbrooke plant will produce USP-grade ethanol that meets the highest quality criteria based on Canadian, U.S. and European standards. We are proud to soon be able to offer this high-quality, locally produced product, and we are grateful for CED's support, which will allow us to set up shop in the Eastern Townships and create good-quality, well-paid jobs." Dominic Francur, President, 96 Plus Quick facts 96 Plus is breaking new ground through its automated production methods and processes that allow for the recovery of production outputs that will be used by other manufacturers (circular economy). In addition, given the supply of sugar needed to produce ethanol, the project will allow the business to increase the use of inputs produced in Canada, and this will make a considerable contribution to the Canadian economy. Given the quality of the ethanol produced by 96 Plus , the business will be able to supply clients in health-related sectors, such as pharmaceuticals, natural products, cosmetics and food. The funding was awarded under CED's Regional Economic Growth through Innovation program. This program targets entrepreneurs who leverage innovation to grow their businesses and make them more competitive, as well as regional economic stakeholders who help create an entrepreneurial environment conducive to innovation and inclusive growth in all regions. The success of the economic recovery will depend, among other things, on as many Canadians as possible getting vaccinated. For more information: Vaccines for COVID-19 CED is the key federal partner for regional economic development in Quebec. Through its 12 regional business offices, CED helps businesses, support organizations, and all the regions of Quebec prepare for the economy of tomorrow. Associated links Stay connected Follow CED on social media Consult CED's news SOURCE Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions Cision View original content: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/August2021/09/c2584.html TAIPEI, Aug. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- MEET TAIWAN's annual Asia Super Team incentive travel competition is officially back. The 2021 competition is centered around a new theme of "Future Land", inviting enterprise teams from Japan, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, South Korea, Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines. A US$50,000 incentive travel package to Taiwan is up for grabs. Now is the time to recruit four colleagues to form a team and register before September 24, 2021 at https://asiasuperteam.meettaiwan.com/sign-up-now. Sign up Asian Super Team and challenge the Adventurer of Tomorrow now! Sign up for the Asia Super Team event and become a Tomorrow Adventurer. The online competition officially starts in October 2021. This year, the Asia Super Team competition is getting an upgrade, with a new virtual interactive game platform and a new competition mode that is more instantaneous, more intuitive, and full of futuristic technology. Being all online, the competition will bypass epidemic conditions, so that all teams can experience the best of Taiwan's incentive travel in a stress-free and safe environment. Complete the online registration by September 24 and your team (a total of 4 people) will have a chance to qualify for the final competition. The champion team will win a package tour worth US$50,000 to Taiwan. Stage 1 (7/319/ 24): Online Sign-up and Lucky Draw Register online and be automatically entered in a lucky draw for a roundtrip ticket to Taiwan after completing an Incentive Travel Survey. A team of four colleagues may have a chance to be invited to Stage 2 to face the future for your country and enterprise. Stage 2 (end of October): Final Competition for US$50 ,0 00 Invited teams, one each from eight Asian countries, will be announced on October 12 and can participate in the experiential competition later in the month. A unique combination of Taiwan incentive travel options and team building activities will be full of surprises. The final champion team will win a US$50,000 incentive travel package to Taiwan. Find more information on Asia Super Team's official website at asiasuperteam.meettaiwan.com. SOURCE MEET TAIWAN, TAITRA Before Gamescom 2021 gets officially underway on August 25th, Microsoft will kick off the all-digital event with a livestream of its own. The company will share an update on its holiday Xbox lineup on August 24th at 1PM ET/10AM PT. We don't expect Microsoft to announce too many new titles. Instead, it sounds like we'll see more of the games it highlighted at its E3 2021 presentation, including Starfield and Halo Infinite. "You'll get in-depth updates from some of our previously announced Xbox Game Studios titles alongside some of our third-party partners, including some of the incredible titles coming to Xbox this holiday, upcoming releases to our monthly subscription service, Xbox Game Pass and much more," the company said. Microsoft will stream the presentation to YouTube, Twitch, Facebook Gaming and Twitter. It also said today it would have more information to share about Xbox FanFest at a later date. As always, if you can't watch the livestream, we will have you covered after the event with coverage of all the biggest announcements. VANCOUVER, BC, Aug. 9, 2021 /CNW/ - The Government of Canada is committed to taking action against racism and discrimination in all their forms, including online, in our communities and in the workplace. Today, during a visit to the future site of the Chinatown Storytelling Centre in Vancouver, the Honourable Mary Ng, Minister of Small Business, Export Promotion and International Trade, affirmed the importance of diversity, inclusion and representation in all aspects of society. Minister Ng was joined by the Honourable Hedy Fry, Member of Parliament for Vancouver Centre; the Honourable Harjit Sajjan, Minister of National Defence and Member of Parliament for Vancouver South; and Carol Lee, Vancouver businesswoman and philanthropist. Minister Ng highlighted the significant contributions people of Asian descent have made, are making now and will continue to make for generations to come in Canada. The Minister expressed her commitment to continuing to fight racism and discrimination on behalf of all Canadians and to using every opportunity to encourage Canadians of all backgrounds to get involved in this effort. She underscored the government's work in this area, such as the $11-million investment through Budget 2021 to support all racialized communities directly impacted by the rise of racism during the COVID-19 pandemic, including to help establish a national coalition to support Asian Canadians. Quotes "As a Canadian of Asian descent at the Cabinet table, I consider fighting anti-Asian racism and increasing Asian Canadian representation in leadership roles as priorities, not just for our government but for me, personally. Through concrete actions, our government will continue to work hard to fight racism in all its forms and make our communities more inclusive." The Honourable Mary Ng, Minister of Small Business, Export Promotion and International Trade "Fighting against anti-Asian racism and sharing the stories and contributions of Asian Canadians takes work every single day, and it is work we are committed to doing. In my hometown of Vancouver and across Canada, our government is working to fight racism and combat hatred in all its forms. Together, we can do this." The Honourable Harjit Sajjan, Minister of National Defence and Member of Parliament for Vancouver South Story continues "During the pandemic, nearly one in two Asian Canadians in Vancouver experienced a hateful incident, and reported anti-Asian racism rose by over 700%. In Vancouver's Chinatown, you can see the legacy of over 130 years of Chinese-Canadian presence in our city. Part of the $11-million fund to combat anti-Asian racism in Budget 2021 will enable this multi-generational community that helped build our city feel safe, included and supported." The Honourable Hedy Fry, Member of Parliament for Vancouver Centre Quick facts In the Fall Economic Statement 2020, the Government of Canada reiterated its commitment to fighting racism in all its forms by providing $50 million over two years, starting in the 20212022 fiscal year, to deliver on the government's anti-racism objectives. The Canadian Race Relations Foundation is a Crown corporation created in 1996 as part of the Japanese Canadian Redress Agreement. The Federal Anti-Racism Secretariat, at Canadian Heritage, leads a whole-of-government approach in addressing racism and discrimination while driving Building a Foundation for Change : Canada's Anti-Racism Strategy 20192022. The strategy is a $45-million investment to build long-term changes in supporting communities and to improve policies, initiatives and practices in Canada's federal institutions. Through Canada's anti-racism strategy, the government is taking action to support Indigenous peoples; racialized communities, including Asian communities; and religious minorities in three principal ways: demonstrating federal leadership, empowering communities, and building awareness and changing attitudes. Associated links Stay connected Follow @CanadaBusiness on social media for business-related news: Twitter, Facebook SOURCE Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada Cision View original content: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/August2021/09/c4610.html The operator of NetEase Cloud Music originally planned to raise as much as US$1 billion, after winning the Hong Kong stock exchange's approval, the Post had previously reported. Cloud Village's decision to shelve the initial public offering (IPO) comes after a quiet July, as fundraising in the city plunged 60 per cent year on year to US$2.8 billion from 17 deals, data from Refinitiv shows. The crackdown by Beijing on its tech and education services sectors has weighed on the Hang Seng Index, which has lost 3 per cent year to date, after dropping to an eight-month low in late July. Some other companies such as Hello Inc, the bike-sharing firm backed by Ant Group, and e-commerce platform Meicai have also postponed their IPO plans amid regulatory scrutiny. Do you have questions about the biggest topics and trends from around the world? Get the answers with SCMP Knowledge, our new platform of curated content with explainers, FAQs, analyses and infographics brought to you by our award-winning team. It was not immediately clear if Cloud Village, which is yet to post a profit, plans to resume the share sale at a later date, one of the sources said. Executives from Cloud Village were not immediately available for comment. A file photo from 2006 of NetEase CEO William Lei Ding. NetEase owns 62.5 per cent of its music-streaming subsidiary. Photo: Bloomberg alt=A file photo from 2006 of NetEase CEO William Lei Ding. NetEase owns 62.5 per cent of its music-streaming subsidiary. Photo: Bloomberg The deal's joint sponsors, Bank of America, CICC and Credit Suisse, either declined to comment or were not immediately available for comment. Some companies still went ahead with their listing plans though. Last week Chinese electric-vehicle maker Li Auto raised about US$1.5 billion in Hong Kong, exceeding the US$1.1 billion from its US IPO a year ago. The company's Nasdaq-listed shares have risen about 80 per cent since July 2020, outperforming the broader US market as the Chinese challenger to Tesla continues to raise funds to compete in the world's biggest EV market. Story continues "The regulatory environment of anti-monopoly is tightening," Cloud Village said in its draft prospectus. "Regulators are increasingly paying attention to the exclusive licensing and sub-licensing arrangements for the Chinese online music market." Cloud Village, however, has not been subject to any anti-monopoly related actions in China. The country's antitrust watchdog in late July ordered Tencent Group and its subsidiary Tencent Music Entertainment Group, which is Cloud Village's closest rival, to relinquish its exclusive music licensing deals with global record labels within 30 days. It was also fined 500,000 yuan (US$77,143). The NetEase unit has warned that it may continue to incur losses and net operating cash flow for the current financial year ending December all the way through to 2023. Net loss more than tripled to 1.7 billion yuan in the quarter ended March, while its 2020 net loss was 3 billion yuan. Cloud Village, 62.5 per cent owned by NetEase, had originally planned to use the IPO proceeds on expanding its music content. This article originally appeared in the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the most authoritative voice reporting on China and Asia for more than a century. For more SCMP stories, please explore the SCMP app or visit the SCMP's Facebook and Twitter pages. Copyright 2021 South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Copyright (c) 2021. South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. OTTAWA, ON, Aug. 9, 2021 /CNW/ - As friends, allies and neighbours, Canada and the United States have a long history of cooperation on immigration, and look forward to continuing to work closely under the Roadmap for a Renewed U.S.-Canada Partnership. The Honourable Marco E. L. Mendicino, P.C., M.P., Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, will travel to Washington, D.C. to meet with U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas, and will also host engagements with the World Bank and Migration Policy Institute. Both countries recognize that coordinated border policies remain central to controlling COVID-19 and new variants while promoting economic growth and recovery. Discussions will focus on managing a secure border that allows for travel, while protecting the integrity of the shared North American perimeter. The Minister will also discuss issues of mutual interest and priorities for cooperation on global migration, regional issues in the Americas and refugee protection. A read-out of the Minister's meeting with U.S. Secretary Mayorkas will be available on August 10, 2021. SOURCE Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada Cision View original content: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/August2021/09/c8027.html High-Quality, Automated Pizza Oven Concept Expands in Michigan, Ontario and British Columbia TORONTO, Aug. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Since launching the licensee opportunity in the U.S. this year, PizzaForno one of North America's only 24/7 automated pizzeria has grown to 5-units throughout Michigan. The 24/7 automated pizza oven business opportunity (PRNewsfoto/PizzaForno) The first U.S. multi-unit licensees have seen the demand for the artisanal pizza made fresh-to-order in less than three minutes with the first two units in Jackson, MI. The entrepreneurs Adam Page, who works in the medical device space and Tim Ekpo, an orthopedic surgeon have now signed on for two more outside of Jackson and one in Ann Arbor. Throughout Canada, the brand has opened seven additional locations: two in Ottawa, Orr Lake, Cookstown, Little Current and King Street East, which doubles as the brands global HQ. The most recent launch inside Toronto's Ripley's Aquarium of Canada has proven to be a huge success. "We knew being in the downtown Toronto east area would better reflect who we are as an innovated North American brand," said Les Tomlin, Co-Founder and President of PizzaForno. "It matches our growth goals and vision of what each PizzaForno can be an attention-grabber that keeps people hooked with the freshest and utmost quality ingredients." The newly relocated headquarters is complete with its '24/7 Pizza Patio,' embedded into the side of their office building, ready to serve the busy Downtowner or city dweller. Pairing a prime location with the heightened consumer demand for gourmet on-the-go meal options and nearly-touchless transactions, the brand is positioned well for future development With these unique offerings, PizzaForno's sales continue to build on the 400% growth experienced last year. "Our efficient business model makes it manageable for multi-unit licensees to break into new markets and serve a wider audience quicker with less overhead," said William Moyer, Co-Founder and CEO of PizzaForno. "With a small footprint, easy-to-monitor technology, the business model is designed to essentially operate on its own with only having to make and fill the box with the fresh pizzas when out of stock or running low, which naturally happens when you can serve the 24/7 consumer demand." Story continues The gourmet pizzas are always available to customers with a click of a button from the conveniently located pizza ovens and are handmade daily with locally-sourced ingredients. The unique menu of pizzas is crafted fresh every day at the local PTO (pizza topping operation) then delivered and placed into PizzaForno units. The pioneering brand is currently working on an app that will allow pizza lovers to order an artisanal pizza directly from their phones. The order is then sent to the nearest PizzaForno oven location for a nearly touchless experience. The app is currently in the testing phase but will be available to consumers this fall. To learn more about PizzaForno and their licensing opportunities, visit https://www.pizzaforno.com/become-a-licensee/. ABOUT PIZZAFORNO Founded in 2018 by Canadian entrepreneurs William Moyer and Les Tomlin, PizzaForno is North America's only automated pizza oven which introduces gourmet artisanal pizzas in less than three minutes. Accessible 24/7 at the tap of a digital screen, PizzaForno offers a selection of innovative menu options, each made fresh, with an authentic approach. This year, PizzaForno was honored with the Restaurants Canada 2020 Innovation Award. Utilizing technology made popular in France by ADIAL, PizzaForno exclusively owns all North American distribution rights for the technology. The brand is rapidly growing throughout North America and backed by a landmark partnership with one of the leading food service providers, Aramark. The agreement is set to bring cutting-edge food innovation and a quality meal solution to various facilities with technology, sustainability, safety, and convenience at the forefront. PizzaForno currently has 22 operating locations and additional 88 sold with the first U.S. locations already established in Michigan. To learn more about PizzaForno, visit https://www.pizzaforno.com/. To inquire about the licensee opportunity, visit https://www.pizzaforno.com/become-a-licensee/. Cision View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/pizzaforno-continues-to-serve-up-multi-unit-expansion-across-north-america-301351242.html SOURCE PizzaForno SHERBROOKE, QC, Aug. 6, 2021 /CNW Telbec/ - Elisabeth Briere, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages (Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec), will announce Government of Canada financial assistance to support the start-up of 96 Plus, an innovative new SME whose mission is to produce highly pure ethanol. Date: August 9, 2021 Time: 10:30 a.m. Location: TEXNOV 839 Joseph-Louis-Mathieu Street Sherbrooke, Quebec J1R 0X3 Given the limited number of seats, journalists who want to attend this press conference must confirm their presence by writing to the following email address by 8:30 a.m. on Monday, August 9, 2021: dec.conference.ced@dec-ced.gc.ca. Anyone attending the press conference in person must not present any symptoms similar to those of COVID19 and must not have been in contact with anyone who has received a positive diagnosis within the last 14 days. Note that face masks must be worn. Stay connected Follow CED on social media Consult CED's news SOURCE Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions Cision View original content: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/August2021/09/c5084.html NEW YORK, Aug. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Christina Rapp Prescott, MD, PhD, a renowned cornea and cataract surgeon, has joined NYU Langone Health's Department of Ophthalmology as the vice chair for education and director of the cornea service. Christina Rapp Prescott, MD, PhD, who specializes in anterior segment surgery and performs complex cataract and corneal surgery in both children and adults, has joined NYU Langone Healths Department of Ophthalmology as the vice chair for education and director of the cornea service. Dr. Prescott, who also is an associate professor of ophthalmology at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, joined NYU Langone from Johns Hopkins Medicine, where she was assistant professor in the Department of Ophthalmology at the Wilmer Eye Institute. She specializes in anterior segment surgery and performs complex cataract and corneal surgery in both children and adults. "Dr. Prescott is a highly regarded surgeon and educator whose expertise will help advance the goals of the institution and add to the department's distinguished faculty," says Kathryn A. Colby, MD, PhD, the Elisabeth J. Cohen, MD Professor of Ophthalmology and chair of ophthalmology at NYU Langone. "Having known each other for many years, Dr. Prescott and I are excited to work together to enhance the training of future ophthalmologists and to provide the highest quality of eye care for patients." As part of her oversight of the Department of Ophthalmology's wide-ranging education programs, one of Dr. Prescott's first activities as vice chair is to enhance the surgical curriculum in the Ophthalmology Residency. Plans for the revitalized program include a state-of-the-art simulator, multiple practice laboratories, and dedicated faculty surgical mentors. "NYU Langone historically has provided an exceptional clinical experience for residents due partly to the multiple locations where residents train, including at NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue and the VA NY Harbor Healthcare System," says Dr. Colby. "With the arrival of Dr. Prescott, we plan to build on this legacy to become one of the best ophthalmology programs in the country." Dr. Prescott also plans to work with her colleagues across the cornea service to further develop their personal clinical expertise and advance surgical techniques. Story continues "I've been fortunate to have many wonderful mentors who both taught and inspired me," says Dr. Prescott. "NYU Langone has amazing residents and faculty, and my goal is to support them so they can accomplish more than they currently think is possible." About Dr. Prescott After receiving a BA degree in biophysics from Columbia College, Dr. Prescott completed a combined PhD/MD programalso known as medical scientist training programat the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center in Denver, which is when she realized she wanted to become an ophthalmologist. Dr. Prescott completed her internship and residency at Yale School of Medicine in New Haven, Connecticut. During her first year as an ophthalmology resident, she met Dr. Colby at a Women in Ophthalmology meeting. "I was so inspired by Dr. Colby that I decided to pursue a cornea fellowship at Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, where she was at the time," says Dr. Prescott. After completing her training, Dr. Prescott took a position as assistant professor in the Corneal Division at Wilmer Eye Institute at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland, in 2012, where she remained until her recent appointment at NYU Langone. Over the course of her career, Dr. Prescott has presented at several national and international ophthalmologic conferences, developed international collaborations with cornea surgeons in India, and published numerous research papers, review articles, and book chapters. Dr. Prescott's office is at the NYU Langone Eye Center, located at 222 East 41st Street in midtown Manhattan. Media Inquiries: Deborah "DJ" Haffeman Phone: 646-284-5630 deborah.haffeman@nyulangone.org (PRNewsfoto/NYU School of Medicine) Cision View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/renowned-eye-surgeon-named-vice-chair-for-ophthalmology-education--director-of-cornea-service-at-nyu-langone-health-301348771.html SOURCE NYU Langone Health Aramco announced its profits were up 288% to $25.5bn (AP) The worlds largest oil company, Saudi Aramco, has announced plans to increase capacity as it revealed profits had almost quadrupled. The state-backed oil producer reported its net income had jumped to $25.5bn (18.4bn) in the second quarter of the year, up 288 per cent on the same period a year ago. Saudi Aramco is pressing ahead with $35bn of investment this year and said it would pay $18.5bn (13.3bn) in dividends, almost all of which will go to the Saudi government, which owns 98 per cent of the companys shares. Amin Nasser, Aramcos chief executive, said he was extremely positive about the second half of 2021 and beyond. Aramco plans to scale up its capacity by a million barrels of oil per day, he said. Fossil fuel companies are enjoying a rise in energy prices as restrictions are lifted and economic activity returns to pre-pandemic levels. Oil is now trading at $70 a barrel after plunging to less than $30 during the first round of lockdowns last year. Prices have been boosted by the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec) and its allies agreeing to cut oil production. The means higher prices at petrol pumps for UK drivers, with the RAC reporting that fuel costs are at an eight-year high. Exxon Mobil and Royal Dutch Shell have both reported rising profits in recent weeks. Exxon posted a rise in income of $4.7bn in the second quarter, offset by a loss of more than $1bn. Shell reported its highest quarterly profit in more than two years. News of oil majors revived fortunes comes as record wildfires burn in Greece and the US, while the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released an alarming report stating that the climate crisis is now a code red for humanity. The IPCC warned that major changes to the worlds climate are both inevitable and irreversible, with temperatures likely to rise by more than 1.5C above pre-industrial levels within the next two decades, negating the goal set by the 2015 Paris agreement. Story continues The group of 234 scientists said there was unequivocal evidence that humans are to blame for rapidly rising land and ocean temperatures the strongest statement yet from the IPCC after its last assessment report in 2013 said people were the dominant cause of global heating. UK prime minister Boris Johnson said the reports findings made sobering reading. It is clear that the next decade is going to be pivotal to securing the future of our planet, he said in a statement. We know what must be done to limit global warming consign coal to history and shift to clean energy sources, protect nature, and provide climate finance for countries on the front line. The IPCC report underscores the overwhelming urgency of this moment. The world must come together before the ability to limit global warming to 1.5C is out of reach, said the US special presidential envoy for climate, John Kerry. Read More How Chanelle McCoy is trying to make CBD affordable for all Sensex and Asian markets open in red after record US closing, FTSE 100 flat Scarlett Johansson may have lost out to streaming, but theres a fortune to be made from the new online model Does the pandemic mean low-paid workers can demand higher wages? Mike Ashley hands Sports Direct over to his prospective son-in-law as the City rolls its eyes The U.S. Department of Education (ED) scrapped another Trump-era policy on student loans, enabling state governments to resume oversight of loan servicers on behalf of borrowers within their borders. In March 2018, the ED under former Education Secretary Betsy Devos posted a legal interpretation on the Federal Register a publication kept by the federal government about proposed rules and public notices that effectively blocked state governments and attorneys general from taking certain actions against student loan companies that engaged in allegedly illegal practices. On Monday, the ED under current Education Secretary Miguel Cardona posted a new interpretation that provides state regulators with greater ability to oversee how student loan companies interact with borrowers and take action against abusive or deceptive practices that harm consumers. States have long played an integral role in higher education oversight and have been on the front lines of protecting student borrowers from fraud and abuse, Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey stated in a press release. We applaud Secretary Cardona for rejecting the previous interpretation that inaccurately represented the states authority and emboldened bad actors." A graduate poses in Washington Square Park on May 24, 2020 in New York City. (Photo by Noam Galai/Getty Images) The new interpretation "revises and clarifies" that state laws and regulations can "govern various aspects of the servicing of federal student loans," ED stated in a press release. The new notice specifically states that "while federal law does preempt state regulation in certain narrow areas, states can regulate student loan servicing in many other ways without being preempted by the federal Higher Education Act (HEA)." Since 2014, 12 states and D.C. have passed a Student Loan Borrower Bill of Rights to protect student loan borrowers. The new policy will "help states enforce borrower bills of rights or other similar laws to address issues with servicing of federal student loans," the press release noted. Story continues The new interpretation of the law will take effect this week, though the ED is seeking public comment on the notice for the next 30 days to evaluate if any further changes are needed. Helping more students afford college is a top priority, and effective collaboration among the states and federal government is the best way to ensure that student loan borrowers get the best possible service, Cardona said in a statement. We welcome public input on this interpretation and look forward to enhancing consumer protections for student loan borrowers by clarifying the relationship between federal and state law on this issue. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. 'States can regulate student loan servicing' Consumer advocates hailed the move as a victory for borrowers. Today, Secretary Cardona and [Federal Student Aid] Chief Rich Cordray are ending a years-long campaign by the student loan industry to obstruct justice a scheme undertaken with the willing participation of the Trump administration," Seth Frotman, the executive director of D.C.-based Student Borrower Protection Center, told Yahoo Finance in a statement. Frotman, a former Consumer Financial Protection Bureau regulator, added that by supporting the state consumer protection community, "President Biden has an opportunity to put an end to the lawlessness by many in the student loan industry and make clear it will not be tolerated." The new interpretation is the second time ED has scrapped a Trump-era policy while aiming to boosting consumer protection. In May, ED replaced Trump-era guidance that blocked state consumer protection agencies from obtaining data about student debtors from student loan servicers. Secretary of Education Dr. Miguel Cardona answers questions during the daily briefing at the White House August 5, 2021 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images) We are really committed to the idea of a collaborative approach to oversight of the student loan program, a department official previously told Yahoo Finance. We believe that states are really strong partners there. With the May move, if a state attorney general or a regulatory body wishes to examine records such as customer complaints or company handbooks to see if a student loan servicing company or a debt collector is violating a law or regulation, they would be able to access them. These kinds of rules facilitate the ability for states to take immediate action on behalf of borrowers. For instance, on Monday, the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation asked a student loan debt-relief company to pay penalties and refunds totaling more than $1.37 million "after finding the company violated the California Consumer Financial Protection Law (CCFPL) by collecting illegal advance fees prohibited under the federal Telemarketing Sales Rule," Yahoo Finance has learned. The DFPI is committed to protecting student loan borrowers from predatory debt-relief scams, Acting Commissioner Christopher S. Shultz stated. The Department will not tolerate student loan debt-relief companies that charge California consumers fees that violate the law or bilk and mislead consumers." Aarthi is a reporter for Yahoo Finance. She can be reached at aarthi@yahoofinance.com. Follow her on Twitter @aarthiswami. Read more: Follow Yahoo Finance on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Flipboard, SmartNews, LinkedIn, YouTube, and reddit. OTTAWA, Aug. 09, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Defining Moments Canada, a heritage and education organisation, is proud to enter into partnership with the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Canada for Herzberg50, commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry awarded to eminent Canadian German scientist Dr. Gerhard Herzberg. This partnership will also celebrate the 50th anniversary of the landmark German Canadian Intergovernmental Agreement on Scientific and Technological Cooperation signed in 1971. It is part of the German Embassys continued commemoration of notable German Canadians and of Defining Moments Canadas HERZBERG50 commemorative project. The year 2021 marks 50 years of cooperation between Canada and Germany on science and technology research, resulting in upwards of 1000 joint research projects in various fields and in facilitated mobility for researchers and students between the two countries. The 1971 science and technology agreement has led to Germany and Canada becoming important partners in scientific research, an outstandingly successful collaboration that continues to provide internationally profound results after 50 years. 50 years ago, Dr. Gerhard Herzberg received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry. Born and schooled in Germany, Herzberg emigrated to Canada in 1935, where he became a world-renowned scientist for his work on spectroscopy both at the University of Saskatchewan and later the National Research Council. Gerhard Herzberg is celebrated as one of Canadas greatest research scientists, and he was a powerful advocate for scientist endorsed science policy in Canada. This collaboration between the German Embassy and Defining Moments Canada will allow the creation of a traveling exhibition on the life and impact of Gerhard Herzberg. It complements a national online digital exhibition entitled HERZBERG50, which will spotlight Dr. Herzbergs Nobel-Prize winning research and his impact on science policy and education. It also celebrates his remarkable life journey and personality. Story continues The exhibition will tour Canada beginning in early 2022, with stops at museums, universities and research institutions acting as hosts. For information on how to become involved or host the exhibit, contact info@canhist.ca. Defining Moments Canada and the German Embassy are excited to work together to shed light on these landmark anniversaries and commemorate the impact of both Herzbergs Nobel Prize and the 1971 science and technology agreement on research in Canada for the last 50 years. In 2021, we are honoured to commemorate two enormously significant landmark achievements in Canadian History from 50 years ago. Dr. Herzberg always saw Canada as a country that is recognized throughout the world, and throughout history, as a country that has advanced in a significant way the progress of science, art and literature. He believed that the awarding of a Nobel Prize could significantly change the public knowledge of the status of Canadian science; and through our project, we hope to increase public awareness of the scope and legacy of Canadian scientific achievement, so enriched by Herzbergs commitment to research and his stature among our greatest scientists. - Neil Orford, president of Defining Moments Canada On the part of Germany - a small country in size, lacking in natural resources - our Science and Technology cooperation started in 1971 with a focus on Canadas vast riches of energy, raw materials, and space. Over five decades, it has evolved into a scientific partnership that is internationally outstanding in its excellence and intensity in the world. Today, German and Canadians research together in all the fields that will shape our future: life sciences, artificial intelligence, quantum computing - German Ambassador to Canada, Sabine Sparwasser For more information, digital images or to set up an interview, please contact: Neil Orford, President Defining Moments Canada neilorford@canhist.ca Jenifer Terry, Executive Director Defining Moments Canada jterry@canhist.ca (Bloomberg) -- Perus new president is off to a rocky start, selecting contentious ministers, alienating allies and setting the stage for a brutal face-off with congress, all within days of taking office. A rural teacher and union activist, Pedro Castillo won the election after reassurances that hes his own man, not beholden to his partys Marxist ideology or chief. But when he named his cabinet -- including a prime minister whos under investigation for being an alleged apologist for terrorists -- analysts, opposition figures and even some whod backed him expressed alarm, so much so that the word impeachment was heard more than once. His political capital went up in smoke in 24 hours, said Rodolfo Rojas, a partner of the Lima-based Sequoia political advisory group. If he doesnt change course, theres no future for him. Impeachment isnt imminent, Rojas said, but a clash with congress looks likely. And while Peru has made a habit of ousting presidents, its rare for such a discussion to take place within days of inauguration. Investors are also deeply concerned. Stocks crashed 6% in just one day, bonds are faltering and the Peruvian sol is the worst-performing currency in the world since Castillo was sworn in. Barclays estimates that investors have pulled some $3 billion every month from the country since the April election. Several key backers have split with Castillo, including Partido Morado, a centrist party, La Republica, a major national newspaper that supported him, as well as a teachers union. Impeaching presidents in Peru is easier than almost anywhere on earth. Castillos opponents would just need 87 out of 130 votes in the single-chamber congress, and he could be ousted under the loosely defined moral incapacity clause. Former president Martin Vizcarra was impeached last year under it and nearly every Peruvian president elected since 1985 has been impeached, imprisoned or sought in criminal investigations. Story continues Castillos party has only 37 seats; including allies its still fewer than 50. His opponents, in other words, dominate congress. Confrontation Some suspect Castillo named Bellido in order to set up a confrontation with congress. Under the countrys unusual constitutional rules, if congress twice rejects his cabinet, the president can dissolve the chamber and call for new elections. If they dont like the Bellido cabinet, theyll give it a vote of no-confidence and well immediately present another cabinet, said Guillermo Bermejo, a congressman for Castillos Free Peru party. And if they dont like that one, its goodbye congress! That could set the stage for what Castillo has said he wants -- a constitutional assembly to rewrite the nations charter, something done by other Latin American radicals, such as Hugo Chavez in Venezuela. Castillo is also being watched as a harbinger of what may be a leftward regional shift in investor standouts, with elections due in the coming 14 months in Chile, Colombia and Brazil. Praise for Cuba Castillo was a virtual unknown before the presidential race when he ended at the head of a group of candidates, setting up a runoff with Keiko Fujimori, from the nations most powerful political clan. He squeaked past her by 40,000 votes and had to endure weeks of recounts and legal challenges before being declared the victor. Bellido is a Marxist who has never held high office, and who considers the communist government of Cuba to be a democracy. Other controversial cabinet picks include the foreign minister, Hector Bejar, who was a guerrilla leader in the 1960s. Many of the new ministers lack experience or qualifications for their new responsibilities which will include trying to restore some normalcy after one of the worst Covid-19 outbreaks anywhere. Even members of the new government appeared to have reservations about some of their colleagues. Shortly before the cabinet was sworn in on July 30, Castillos picks for economy minister and the justice minister walked out, and were sworn in the following day, apparently after receiving reassurances from Castillo. Read More: Peru Finance Minister Says President Backs Economic Agenda Investor Reaction Investors initial reaction was near-panic. The sell-off in the nations assets was briefly reversed when Pedro Francke, a former World Bank economist popular with investors, agreed to take the role of economy minister. Castillo had toned down his radical discourse ahead of the runoff vote, as he tried to broaden his appeal beyond his heartland in poor rural areas. But he returned to his roots when he took power, Rojas said. The prime minister and some of the other appointments that most spooked investors are people close to Vladimir Cerron, a Marxist neurosurgeon who leads Castillos party in congress. Placating Cerrons revolutionary followers without driving away the more moderate leftist allies will require a lot of political skill, and its unclear whether Castillo has it. Although Castillo has shot himself in the foot in his first few days, his government isnt on the verge of collapse, said Jo-Marie Burt, a Peru specialist at the Washington Office on Latin America, which promotes human rights and democracy. And just as congress has the ability to impeach him, Castillo can dissolve congress if it rejects two of his cabinets. She added: It seems that coming out of the gate, Pedro Castillo barely has that presidential sash on, and both the president and the congress seem to be reaching for those nuclear options at the outset. More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com Subscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source. 2021 Bloomberg L.P. Increase in penetration of the AWD and 4WD vehicle and favorable government rules have boosted the growth of the global utility vehicle market. PORTLAND, Ore., Aug. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Allied Market Research recently published a report, titled, "Utility Vehicle Market by Vehicle Type (Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV), Multi Utility Vehicle (MUV), Utility Terrain Vehicle (UTV), and Others), Application (Passenger Commute, Industrial, Agricultural, Sports, and Others), and Propulsion (IC Engine Powered, Electric Powered, and Others): Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 20212030". As per the report, the global utility vehicle industry was pegged at $25.73 billion in 2020, and is expected to reach $51.69 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 9.4% from 2021 to 2030. Allied Market Research Logo Drivers, restraints, and opportunities Rise in penetration of the AWD and 4WD vehicle and government rules to support driving utility vehicles such as UTVs on road drive the growth of the global utility vehicle market. However, high maintenance cost of utility vehicles and decrease in production and sales of automotive hinder the market growth. On the contrary, development of electric-powered utility vehicles and expansion of dealer networks for effective product reach are expected to open new opportunities for the market players in the coming years. Download Report (108 Pages PDF with Insights, Charts, Tables, Figures) at https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-sample/12787 Covid-19 scenario: The Covid-19 pandemic negatively affected the demand for utility vehicles due to commute restrictions and weak financial performance of the market players in 2020. Moreover, the pandemic affected the overall economy and market players have been formulating strategic cost-saving plans. The pandemic resulted in supply chain disruption, changes in regulatory & policies, and disruption in working capital management. Moreover, majority of manufacturing facilities of utility vehicle were closed due to lack of workers, commute restrictions, and short supply of raw materials. Request for Customization at https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-for-customization/12787 Story continues The IC engine powered segment held the lion's share By propulsion, the IC engine-powered segment held the largest share in 2020, accounting for more than three-fifths of the global utility vehicle market, due to the availability fleet across the globe along with its cost-effective solution. However, the electric-powered segment is expected to register the highest CAGR of 10.8% during the forecast period, owing to rise in penetration of electric vehicle and the growing trend of usage of green mobility solutions. The utility terrain vehicle segment to manifest the highest CAGR through 2030 By vehicle type, the utility terrain vehicle segment would showcase the highest CAGR of 10.4% from 2021 to 2030, due to rise in leisure activities and wide range of applications in agricultural and industrial activities. However, the sport utility vehicle segment held the largest share in 2020, contributing to more than one-third of the global utility vehicle market, due to rise in need to utilize all types of terrains and the effective operational ability. Interested to Procure The Data? Get It Now at https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/purchase-enquiry/12787 Asia-Pacific, followed by North America, held the largest share By region, the market across Asia-Pacific held the largest share in 2020, accounting for nearly two-fifths of the market, Moreover, the region is projected to manifest the highest CAGR of 10.6% during the forecast period, due to increase in adoption of utility vehicles and off-road vehicle activities. The global utility vehicle market across North America is expected to register a CAGR of 9.6% from 2021 to 2030. Major market players BRP Inc. Deere & Company CFMOTO Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. Honda Motor Co., Ltd. Mahindra & Mahindra Limited KUBOTA Corporation Textron Inc. Polaris Inc. Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd. Schedule a FREE Consultation Call with Our Analysts to Find Solution for Your Business at https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/connect-to-analyst/12787 Similar Report We Have on Automotive Industry: ATV and UTV Market by Vehicle Type (ATV and UTV), Displacement ( 400 (CC), 400-800 (CC), and 800 (CC)), Fuel Type (Gasoline Powered, Diesel Powered, Electric Powered, and Solar Powered), Application (Utility, Sports, and Others), and End-user Vertical (Agriculture, Military, Mountaineering, and Others): Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 20182030. Electric Utility Vehicle Market by Type (Acid Lead Type, Gel Lead Type, and Lithium-Ion Type), and by Application (Commercial Use, Industrial Use, Private Use, and Others): Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 20202030. Sports Utility Vehicle Market by Type (SUV-C, SUV-D, SUV-E, and SUV-F), Fuel (Diesel, Petrol, Electric SUV, and Others), Price (Medium and Premium), and Seating Capacity (5 Seaters, 7 Seaters, and 8 & Above Seater): Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 20212030. All-terrain Vehicle Market by Type (Three-wheeler, Four-wheeler, Six-wheeler, and Eight-wheeler) and Application (Personal, Professional, and Military & Defense) - Global Opportunity Analysis and Industrial Forecast, 2017-2030. Utility Terrain Vehicle Market by Product (Displacement (CC) <400, Displacement (CC) 400-800, and Displacement (CC) >800) and Application (Sport UTV and Work UTV) - Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2017-2030. Off-Road Vehicle Market by Displacement (Less Than 400 (CC), 400 to 800 (CC), and More Than 800 (CC)), Vehicle Type (ATV, UTV, Snowmobiles, and NEV), End Use Vertical (Agriculture, Military, Sports, and Others): Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 20212030. About Us Allied Market Research (AMR) is a full-service market research and business-consulting wing of Allied Analytics LLP based in Portland, Oregon. Allied Market Research provides global enterprises as well as medium and small businesses with unmatched quality of "Market Research Reports" and "Business Intelligence Solutions." AMR has a targeted view to provide business insights and consulting to assist its clients to make strategic business decisions and achieve sustainable growth in their respective market domain. We are in professional corporate relations with various companies and this helps us in digging out market data that helps us generate accurate research data tables and confirms utmost accuracy in our market forecasting. Allied Market Research CEO Pawan Kumar is instrumental in inspiring and encouraging everyone associated with the company to maintain high quality of data and help clients in every way possible to achieve success. Each and every data presented in the reports published by us is extracted through primary interviews with top officials from leading companies of domain concerned. Our secondary data procurement methodology includes deep online and offline research and discussion with knowledgeable professionals and analysts in the industry. Contact: David Correa 5933 NE Win Sivers Drive #205, Portland, OR 97220 United States USA/Canada (Toll Free): +1-800-792-5285, +1-503-894-6022, +1-503-446-1141 UK: +44-845-528-1300 Hong Kong: +852-301-84916 India (Pune): +91-20-66346060 Fax: +1(855)550-5975 help@alliedmarketresearch.com Web: www.alliedmarketresearch.com Allied Market Research Blog: https://blog.alliedmarketresearch.com Follow Us on | Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn | Cision View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/utility-vehicle-market-to-reach-51-69-bn-globally-by-2030-at-9-4-cagr-allied-market-research-301350994.html SOURCE Allied Market Research Those are valuable tips, but I need to know what to do if I find myself, and my child, in a potentially fatal encounter. What should I look for when out walking? Be aware of your environment, Miller said. On a route you regularly walk, note which houses have dogs. Its good to register whether dogs appear to be home. If the dog is absent and the gate is open, it could signal that the dog is in its house, on an outing or that it has slipped out. Dog owners and other pedestrians, Miller said, need to understand that an urban environment is almost designed to put a dog in a stressful situation. The act of walking down the sidewalk, from a human perspective, we approach each other face to face, we smile if we know them, or we walk by them and its no big deal, Miller said. But for a dog, that creates a potential confrontation. For a pet owner, the solution may be as simple as stepping off the sidewalk until a pedestrian has passed. What behaviors should put me on high alert? There are two sets of behaviors to watch for, Miller said. A student or staff member who attended King George High Schools open house on Aug. 4 has tested positive for COVID-19. An Aug. 6 letter from King George County Schools, which reopens Monday for in-person instruction for all grade levels, notified the school community of the positive case. The person that tested positive attended the Open House at King George High School on Wednesday, Aug. 4, which was during their time of potential exposure, the letter states. Due to the nature of this public event, it may not be possible to identify all individuals that meet the definition of close contact. The letter asked those who attended the open house to monitor their health for the next 14 days. Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} The Virginia Department of Health, which is conducting contact tracing for school divisions, defines close contact as being within six feet of a person who has COVID-19 for a total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period, or having direct exposure to respiratory secretions (e.g., being coughed or sneezed on, sharing a drinking glass or utensils, kissing), in addition to living with or caring for a person with the illness. Bus 159 was the first to arrive at Widewater Elementary School in Stafford County at 7:30 a.m. Monday and Principal Karen Bingham hopped on board. Go on in, she told the students in their shiny new school shoes and face masks. This is your house! Just under 30,000 students returned to Stafford County Public Schools Monday for their first five-day week of in-person instruction since March of 2020. King George also welcomed students back on Monday. Fredericksburg students return on Tuesday, followed by Spotsylvania on Thursday and Caroline on Aug. 16. At Widewater, the excitement was palpable, Bingham said. We are so excited to have our babies back five days a week, she said. Bingham said Widewater is prepared to welcome back students with all necessary COVID-19 mitigation strategies in place because the school was a pilot for both the kindergarten and full elementary hybrid schedule last school year. We practiced this four times last year, she said. Were a Title 1 school. Our students need to be in the building. Bingham said just six of Widewaters 598 enrolled students chose to be fully virtual this year. It was really hard to start, Celestino said. But Im the kind of person who doesnt look on the negative side. Im always looking on the positive side There were a lot of restaurants that were closing. I saw that the first responders and the front-liners needed assistance in terms of food. We were able to serve them. AN EARLY START Celestino began cooking with his father in the Philippines when he was 6 years old. His family owns a resort and three restaurants in the Southeast Asian country. He departed the Philippines 11 years ago and moved to Alexandria before heading to Woodbridge. It was too busy. The traffic was crazy, Celestino said of life in Northern Virginia. Just to get two miles, it took 30 minutes. Thats a crazy life to live. We dealt with that for four years. I said to my wife, lets move south. Michelle Celestino and the family initially balked at the idea, but were floored by the property they located in Woodford. Celestino then sought a building where he could home in on his passioncooking, serving the community and educating people about Filipino cuisine. In addition, officials said Monday that for the first time the mask requirement will be accompanied by an enforcement mechanism that includes a fine of up to $1,000. The Oregon Health Authority recommends that people, vaccinated or not, wear masks while in indoor public spaces, but has stopped short of reinstating an indoor mask mandate. Multnomah is the first county in the state to require masks in all indoor public spaces. It has the second-highest vaccine rate in the state. LAS VEGAS -- Schools have reopened in the Las Vegas area, with masks required for the more than 300,000 students and about 18,000 teachers returning to in-person classes at the fifth-largest district in the nation. The Clark County schools that were shuttered through most of the last school year began a new semester Monday still shadowed by the pandemic but with classrooms open for all grade levels and some online options available. Washoe County schools also opened amid plans to follow Gov. Steve Sisolaks requirement that public and private school students, employees and volunteers who arent fully vaccinated get tested for the coronavirus at least once a week. All five Central Asian heads of state gathered at a resort on Turkmenistan's Caspian coast on August 6. And while there was something familiar about their talk of cooperation, new realities lent greater urgency to the discussions. The meeting in Awaza was already important because it had been so difficult for so long to get all five men in the same room. Awaza marked their third consultative meeting since 2018, although it was the first that did not include Kazakhstans first president, Nursultan Nazarbaev. Nazarbaev's successor, Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev, didn't attend the summit in Uzbekistan in November 2019 despite his election five months earlier, but he was on his own for this one. Also new -- and unavoidable -- at this meeting was discussion of the coronavirus pandemic and the need for cooperation to combat the spread of that virus. As the five men assembled, a new wave of COVID-19 has been tearing through Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. The conversation must have been interesting, since Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov continues to insist that his country hasn't registered a single case of COVID during the pandemic. That makes Toqaevs comment that all five leaders supported the proposal of the president of Turkmenistan on the creation of a [regional] center for virology and epidemiology" a bit surprising. Also a bit surprising was that the battle against the spread of the coronavirus was point 19 of the 28 points included in the groups joint declaration at the end of the summit. But the usual talk of improving regional trade took on new meaning as the economies, production, and exports of many countries have been negatively affected by COVID-19 and partners outside the region were less reliable than before the pandemic. The health crisis affected regional trade, too. Just prior to the meeting in Turkmenistan, Uzbek and Turkmen officials agreed to renew mutual air and road traffic. Tajik President Emomali Rahmon arrived early to meet with Berdymukhammedov. Those two succeeded in partially resolving the problem since 2018 of Tajik cargo trucks crossing through Turkmenistan en route to Iran and back. However, in accordance with rules that Turkmenistan implemented as the scale of the global pandemic was just becoming clear in March 2020, goods arriving at Turkmenistans borders must be loaded onto Turkmen trucks and carried across the country, then loaded onto vehicles from those goods' ultimate destination. Toqaev spoke of boosting regional trade and transportation networks and said Kazakhstan could export up to $1 billion in goods to its Central Asian neighbors. The biggest topic on the agenda, however, was the situation in Afghanistan. The seventh point of the leaders' joint statement mentioned Afghanistan, where the situation -- especially right across the border from Central Asia -- is more desperate than it has been for at least 20 years. But their language could have come from any statement in past 30 years. All five leaders confirm that one of the most important factors in maintaining and strengthening security and stability in Central Asia is the earliest possible settlement of the situation in neighboring Afghanistan. And to that end, they expressed their readiness to render all possible assistance in the earliest possible achievement of civil peace and harmony in Afghan society. Unfortunately, the three Central Asian states that border Afghanistan are each pursuing different policies toward that country. Uzbekistan has been speaking with the government and the Taliban and trying to mediate a peace between them. The Tajik government has avoided communications with the Taliban. Turkmen authorities are speaking to the Afghan government and the Taliban, but Ashgabat prefers as little involvement in Afghan affairs as possible. Certainly there was much more said about Afghanistan than what was mentioned in the joint statement. One report noted that Rahmon had warned about extremists who are well-trained in sabotage, terrorism, and propaganda activities and have far-reaching plans concerning our region." But arguably the most notable achievement of this latest meeting of the Central Asian Five was the atmosphere, including the sense that they all seemed to be on relatively good terms with each other. In fact, aside from the formal portion of the meeting when all five men wore suits, it looked more like a party than a summit. They were photographed in casual clothing going for a boat cruise and wearing sweatsuits in the weight room, prompting Eurasianets Peter Leonard to write on Twitter that he was Getting some strong poker night vibes off today's summit of Central Asian presidents. It was an apt assessment of the camaraderie that the five were seemingly trying to project. That might seem like a trivial matter. But in the nearly 30 years that those five countries have been independent, their leaders have too often been at odds with each other, even in the face of common threats. The U.S. military has warned that security in Afghanistan is "not going in the right direction" and challenged the country's leadership amid reports that Taliban fighters have captured at least six provincial capitals in the span of a week. Pentagon spokesman John Kirby on August 9 expressed serious concern but insisted that Afghan forces were capable of defending the country against the fundamentalist militant group. "These are their military forces, these are their provincial capitals, their people to defend, and it's really going to come down to the leadership that they're willing to exude here at this particular moment," Kirby said. Earlier in the day, multiple reports said Taliban fighters had taken another regional capital as national security forces battled militants in three other northern provinces -- Balkh, Takhar, and Kunduz. Meanwhile, NATO said it was continuing its withdrawal and it urged the Taliban to return to the political process or "never be recognized by the international community." Taliban militants now "are in full control" of Aybak, the capital of the northern Samangan Province, Deputy Governor Sefatullah Samangani told Radio Azadi on August 9. Earlier, a Taliban spokesman tweeted that all government and police installations there had been "cleared." Afghan journalist Bilal Sarwary tweeted that Aybak fell to the Taliban "without a fight," according to both Taliban fighters and Aybak residents. "Taliban fighters inside the city of Aybak, residents in Aybak city tells me," Sarwary tweeted. But a provincial lawmaker in Samangan, Ziauddin Zia, was quoted as saying that some security forces were still fighting in Aybak and some government installations still had not been captured. Earlier on August 9, Aybak residents left the city in droves, Ismail Sadat, the manager of a local private radio and TV station, told RFE/RL. "Hundreds of families have fled their homes and been displaced to Balkh and Baghlan provinces since yesterday," Sadat said. "Aybak city market was closed yesterday and is closed today, too. Residents are worried." The fall of Aybak came a day after militants overran three provincial capitals, including most of the strategic northeastern city of Kunduz, the provincial capital of Sar-e Pol and Taloqan, the capital of northeastern Takhar Province. That brought to six the number of provincial capitals under complete or near-total Taliban control after militants on August 6 took Zaranj, the capital of the southwestern Nimroz Province, and the northern Jawzjan Province's capital, Sheberghan. Fighting in Afghanistan has intensified since May 1, when the United States and other countries officially began withdrawing their forces in a pullout that is expected to be completed by the end of this month. Reuters quoted an unnamed NATO official as saying as reports that more provincial capitals fell on August 9 that the military alliance's "drawdown is ongoing." "There is no military solution to the conflict, and the Taliban must understand that they will never be recognized by the international community if they reject the political process and try to take the country by force," the NATO official said. "They must cease their attacks and take part in peace talks in good faith." The foreign minister of neighboring Pakistan, which has been accused by Kabul of supporting the Taliban, cited a "meltdown" of Afghan security forces. "The capacity-building, the training, the equipment...where is it?" Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said at a news conference, questioning the support and resources piled into Afghanistan by the international community. "Issues of governance and the meltdown of Afghan national defense forces need to be looked into," he said. Heavy clashes have been under way close to Mazar-e Sharif, the capital of Balkh Province, since late on August 8, officials told RFE/RL, adding that the government's defense lines risked breaking unless reinforcement were sent to the region. Munir Farhad, the Balkh provincial governor spokesman, told RFE/RL that government forces have been backed by the so-called popular uprising forces made of local inhabitants wary of the return of the Taliban. "The fighting is raging in the south and southwest of Mazar-e Sharif and strong positions have been established to defend the city of Mazar-e Sharif. The popular uprising forces, national security forces, the Afghan National Army, and the national police forces are united in defending the front lines and the security belts they created about a month ago," he said. Meanwhile, Afghan commandos launched a counterattack on August 9 to try to beat back Taliban fighters who overran most of Kunduz a day earlier, with residents fleeing the conflict. Kunduz, a city of some 375,000 inhabitants, would be the most significant to fall since the Taliban launched an all-out offensive in May as U.S.-led forces began the final stages of their withdrawal. Government forces in Kunduz appeared to be only in control of the airport and their own base, with all key government buildings in the city in the militants' hands. The main prison in Kunduz was also reportedly under Taliban control. A Taliban spokesman had warned the United States on August 8 against intervening following U.S. air strikes to support beleaguered Afghan government forces. Security officials also said heavy fighting was under way on the outskirts of the western city of Herat, near the Iranian border. Many civilians were caught in the crossfire, with UNICEF, the UN's children's agency, saying on August 9 that at least 27 children had been killed and 136 injured across three provinces of Afghanistan over the past three days amid escalating violence. "UNICEF is shocked by the rapid escalation of grave violations against children in Afghanistan," UNICEF country representative Herve Ludovic De Lys said in an e-mailed statement. "The atrocities grow higher by the day." The deaths and injuries were reported in Kandahar, Khost, and Pakria provinces. In Kunduz, health officials said that 14 bodies, including those of women and children, and more than 30 injured people had been taken to hospital. In Herat, Arif Jalali, the head of Herat Zonal Hospital said 36 people had been killed and 220 wounded in fighting over the past eleven days. More than half of the wounded were civilians, he said, and women and children were among the dead. The Taliban has also taken most of Lashkar Gah, the capital of southern Helmand Province, where militants took nine of the 10 police districts in the city last week. Heavy fighting there continues, as do U.S. and Afghan government air strikes, one of which damaged a health clinic and a high school. The U.S. Central Command has said the troops withdrawal is more than 95 percent complete and will be finished by August 31, ahead of the September 11 anniversary of two decades since the Al-Qaeda attacks on the United States that prompted the invasion of Afghanistan. This story includes reporting by Radio Azadi correspondents on the ground in Afghanistan. Their names are being withheld for their protection. With reporting by Reuters, AP, AFP, and Tolo News Colorado Springs, CO (80903) Today Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 57F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 57F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Colorado Springs, CO (80903) Today Partly cloudy skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 56F. SSE winds shifting to NE at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 56F. SSE winds shifting to NE at 10 to 15 mph. She also acknowledged that there seems to be a slight discrepancy as to when exactly that work needs to be done by. Carr said that one date is Nov. 1 of this year while another is Feb. 15 of the following year which would be closer to filing deadlines for county offices. With the districts that are created, which Carr said will be done by the Legislative Services Agency in Des Moines, the populations will be roughly similar. The county-level commission then would be tasked with establishing plans for the voting precincts of Floyd County. At present, there eight such locales but Carr said that there could be more or less precincts once this whole process gets going. Floyd County Board Supervisor Linda Tjaden pointed out what that could mean for future elections. "More costs," she said. Tjaden said too that some of the guidelines for this overhaul, as expressed in Iowa Code, are "Clear as mud." Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} ANAMOSA, Iowa (AP) One of two inmates accused of killing a prison nurse and correctional officer during an escape attempt pleaded guilty Friday to murder and other counts and confessed in court to fatally beating both with a hammer. Thomas Woodard Jr., 38, pleaded guilty in Jones County to two counts of first-degree murder, one count of kidnapping and one count of attempted murder. Woodard and his co-defendant, 29-year-old Michael Dutcher, had each pleaded not guilty in April to the counts in the March 23 deaths of nurse Lorena Schulte, 50, and correctional officer Robert McFarland, 46. Investigators have said the pair used hammers to beat Schulte and McFarland to death and to seriously injure an inmate who tried to stop the attack at the Anamosa State Penitentiary. The inmates also are accused of briefly holding another female employee as a hostage. COVID-19 has claimed the life of another Danville resident. The latest death was reported Saturday but was not disclosed to the public until Monday mornings dashboard update by the Virginia Department of Health. Last month the agency ceased weekend reporting on some data like cases and deaths. While the fatality a woman 80 or older was recorded based on information received by 5 p.m. Friday, it likely occurred weeks earlier. Before a death is logged in the COVID-19 database, health officials wait for the official death certificate to verify the cause was related to the novel coronavirus. This brings the total to 231 lives lost to the virus. Given the fast reporting of cases and deaths in an effort to provide localities a snapshot of the current state of the pandemic sometimes a review process later alters those figures. Although no new outbreaks have been reported in the past week, another death associated with an outbreak was added in Mondays update. Its not clear if thats linked to Saturdays death. The health department does not provides details on outbreaks because Virginia is no longer under a state of emergency. Virginia requires all school districts to offer the option of virtual learning. In March 2020, Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam closed schools for two weeks as pandemic worries started to mount. He later extended the shutdown for the rest of the year. When schools resumed last fall, many offered a hybrid or in-person classes for a few days a week, coupled with remote learning. About 16% of students 893 in the Danville school division will continue virtual learning this coming school year, Danville Schools Superintendent Angela Hairston said last week. The remainder will be in face-to-face classes. Bowman said he wanted to make sure returning Johnson students are safe and have a positive attitude. Were excited about our kids coming back, Bowman said. Our teachers are excited, our parents are excited. We look forward to having those learners in the classroom and getting their face-to-face instruction. Bowman also pointed out that for some students, this will be the first time ever entering a school. Only in the United States has the virus and the vaccine to combat it become so politicized along left-right lines. Great Britain has a conservative government, and its far more vaccinated than the United States 70% of the population with at least one dose, versus 58% in the U.S. Canada has a left-of-center government but the main criticism from the Conservative Party leader has been that the government of Justin Trudeau hasnt moved fast enough on vaccines. The provincial leader in Canada who has imposed the strictest lockdowns is also one of the most conservative Ontario Premier Doug Ford, who has often been called the Donald Trump of Canada In fact, there are lots of countries with conservative governments that have better vaccination rates than the United States Singapore is at 76% of the total population, Chile is at 73%, Norway is at 67%, Israel is at 64%. Its worth asking why American conservatives more precisely, only some American conservatives are so out of step. After a while, if you see conservative parties around the world taking strong actions to combat the virus and push vaccines, then we must conclude those American conservatives such as Good who do not are not really conservatives at all, but something else. GREENSBORO They were the kinds of near-daily telephone conversations a son has while checking on his mother several states away, including whats going on with him at work. The son, a Cone Health doctor, spoke with a passion about seeing patients on site at the citys largest homeless shelter, and the other ideas he was working on with his employer. He told her with almost spellbinding results about the two men with undiagnosed severe spinal stenosis about to turn them into quadripalegics. They didnt really know, they just had chronic pain and they kept being pedaled from one ER to the next and about to be paralyzed from the neck down, said Dr. Patrick Wright, the son. Wright was able to get the MRIs the men needed and worked with an orthopedic surgeon and a neurosurgeon who basically did pro bono work on their necks. During another conversation with his mom, Wright expressed the joy he got in helping another patient a severe diabetic who had been in and out of the hospital organize his pill box each week. He was making sure the patient was getting his medicine and had kept an eye on his insulin levels the past six weeks. For example, if Clarks proposed letter had been made public, throwing the prestige of the DOJ behind claims of electoral fraud, it would have added enormous, perhaps overwhelming pressure on Kemp and Republican legislative leaders to call that special session, and to alter the election outcome. Because as weve learned, Georgia was considered key. The Trump campaign clearly believed that if it could bum-rush Georgia into throwing out the vote of the people, based purely on nonsensical evidence, other GOP-leaning states such as Arizona, Michigan and Pennsylvania would be pressured to do the same. If Georgia fell, Trump may have been well on his way to remaining in power despite being clearly, and fairly, defeated under the rules laid out in the Constitution. Charles Edward Joiner Sr.: 2015 felony criminal distribution of opiates, found guilty. Sentenced to five years all suspended. Two felony distribution of dangerous drugs charges, dismissed by court. Revocation of the suspended sentence dropped in 2021. Christopher Lee Rasmussen: 2016 felony escape from official detention, amended to misdemeanor resisting arrest. Sentenced to six months in jail, all suspended. Felony criminal possession of dangerous drugs, found guilty. Sentenced to two years, all suspended. Misdemeanor criminal possession, dismissed by the court. Revocation of suspended sentence dropped in 2021. Paris James Hazlitt: 2018 felony strangulation of a partner or family member, amended to felony aggravated kidnapping. Sentenced to 364 days in prison with one day suspended. A second felony aggravated kidnapping charged was dismissed by the court. Revocation of a suspended or deferred sentence was dropped by the prosecutor in 2021. The Montana Department of Transportation and LHC Inc. will begin construction on Montana Highway 141 in Powell County in mid-August in order to improve the safety, quality and longevity of the roadway. The $4.2 million project begins near the northwest end of Nevada Lake and extends northwest for 12.5 miles ending at the junction of MT-141 and state Route 200. It will improve the roadway and bridges along roughly 12.5 miles of MT-141. Roadway improvements include minor bridge upgrades, crack seal, plant mix overlay and seal and cover (chip seal). The project includes upgraded pavement markings, signage, and guardrail. Work will begin in mid-August and be substantially complete by the end of October. The traveling public should expect reduced speeds, single lane traffic controlled with flaggers and/or traffic signals and delays up to 15 minutes through the work zone. Seal and cover (chip seal) operations will occur during summer 2022. The Montana Department of Transportation would like to remind motorists to use caution when driving through the construction zone. Please watch for work crews, heavy equipment and reduced speed limits. Posted limits are enforced until signs indicate the work zone has ended. A pile of rubble stood Monday where the Dam Bar used to be, following a fire Saturday that reportedly started in the kitchen in the late afternoon and spread throughout the building. Steve and Nancy Rushford, who own the bar, were not in Montana at the time and were headed back Monday from South Dakota to see the damage at the gathering spot across from Kims Marina and Resort on Canyon Ferry Reservoir. Mary Holtz, who said she was the daytime bartender, was at the site earlier in the day Monday, standing amid the ruins. She lives behind the business in a trailer, which was not damaged in the fire. It was a great place, she said. We have a lot of regulars and a lot of people from all over. She said there had been a continuing parade of lookie-loos driving past the site to look at the wreckage. The fire started about 3:45 p.m. Saturday. Steve Rushford said he heard it was caused by a grill malfunction. He said the cooks had a hard time getting the grill to heat up and flames started shooting up from behind the grill. There is no reason that should happen, he said. Nobody was hurt either time, he said. Mannix described the Naval mission of July 10, 1970, as extracting a wounded Navy person off a swift boat that had been ambushed in the Delta on a canal. But he also admits to at least one case of Tomfoolery, when they were chased by the MPs on New Years because we were shooting off pen flares in celebration. Mannix concluded his stint in 'Nam with 960 combat flight hours, adding the Vietnam Service Medal (with three bronze service stars) to go with his Air Medal. He was discharged from active duty at the rank of CWO2, and joined the Montana Army National Guard in March 1971, eventually relocating to Helena. During his career with the MTNG, he flew on international military exercises, such as Brimfrost, Canada, in addition to numerous emergency calls for assistance with disasters such as forest fires and floods. Mannix is a lifetime member of the Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association, and has attended multiple reunions with the 191st AHC and VNHPA. Dave and his wife Suzanne parented three children, Jon, Jennifer and Sarah. He retired from the Helena School District in 2009, after many years as an electrician. DECATUR Girl Scouts of Central Illinois will hold the 8th annual Decatur Operation Cookie Share to collect cookies to send to American military both at home and abroad from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 12, in Central Park. Cookies will also be provided to first responders and frontline healthcare workers as a way to offer comfort and a taste of home. At noon, retiring Chief Jim Getz will be honored. Girl Scouts will sell boxes of cookies to be set aside to be sent to troops, first responders and frontline workers. Diggity Dawgs, Kansas City Pit BBQ, Smack 'n' Tacos and Mister Softee will also be on site from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and a portion of proceeds will be used to benefit Operation Cookie Share. Free activities for current and future Girl Scouts will be provided 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Donations can also be provided online at OperationCookieShare.org or call (217) 233-0476. For more information, visit www.getyourgirlpower.org. Contact Valerie Wells at (217) 421-7982. Follow her on Twitter: @modgirlreporter Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Want to see more like this? Get our local education coverage delivered directly to your inbox. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. ROLLING MEADOWS, Ill. (AP) Cambium Networks Corporation (CMBM) on Monday reported second-quarter earnings of $11.5 million. On a per-share basis, the Rolling Meadows, Illinois-based company said it had profit of 40 cents. Earnings, adjusted for one-time gains and costs, were 45 cents per share. The results exceeded Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of seven analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for earnings of 33 cents per share. The company posted revenue of $92.7 million in the period, also surpassing Street forecasts. Seven analysts surveyed by Zacks expected $88.3 million. For the current quarter ending in October, Cambium expects its per-share earnings to range from 30 cents to 34 cents. The company said it expects revenue in the range of $88 million to $92 million for the fiscal third quarter. Cambium expects full-year revenue in the range of $357 million to $365 million. Cambium shares have risen 70% since the beginning of the year. In the final minutes of trading on Monday, shares hit $42.75, more than tripling in the last 12 months. Copyright by Automated Insights, Inc. All rights reserved. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Rural Virginians have no particular reason to be excited about the prospect of another four years of McAuliffe and Youngkin now seems to be saying we have no reason to be excited about four years of him, either. Oh, people who care about culture war issues might occasionally get to feel good about something, but none of those change the daily economic realities. Maybe Youngkin is right that tax cuts will lead to more economic growth well let others marshal their competing statistics on that but we all know where that rip-roaring economic growth will be and it wont be here. We have only a lifetime of experience to tell us that underscored by the great divergence that has opened up between metro areas and rural areas in the information age. Tax cuts wont change the fundamentals economic growth is accelerating in talent-rich metro areas, and leaving rural communities behind. Youngkin seems uninterested in addressing that. Youngkin must be a serious man. He wouldnt have risen to his CEO position otherwise. Youd think he might have at least one creative thought. But when it comes to the economic challenges facing rural Virginia, he seems incapable of anything except cliches. Thats not being a different kind of leader. Thats being exactly the kind were used to. Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} Sigmon also said the district attorney's office is not aware of any other crimes Eric Parker may have committed in North Carolina. Sigmon added that Eric Parker told police that he and Tangela had stolen license tags in other states, offenses that are likely misdemeanors. Smith ultimately granted Eric Parker a $600,000 bond. Even that seemed too lenient for Justin Marlow, Michelle Marlows widower, who was sitting in the courtroom with other family and friends when the Parkers were brought out in separate hearings. I dont agree with him having any kind of bond, Justin Marlow said. Marlow said his blood run cold when he saw Tangela appear in court for the first time. I mean, youve got to understand what my family has been through the last six, going on seven months. Theres no end to this. Ever. While Tangela Parker did not look over at the family, Justin Marlow said he kept his gaze fixed on her during the hearing. District Attorney Scott Reilly said he had not reached a decision on whether to pursue the death penalty against Tangela Parker. That choice will be announced at a later hearing, he said. A World War II-era U.S. Navy fighter plane that spent decades at the bottom of Lake Michigan is being added to the Hickory Aviation Museums collection of planes. Kyle Kirby, curator of the Hickory Aviation Museum, said the museum is still researching the history of the FM-2 Wildcat, but they do know that it flew in the South Pacific and participated in the battle of Kwajalein as part of the attack on the Marshall Islands. When you take off in this airplane you have to hand crank the gear up. Theres like 28, 29 turns. You had to be pretty strong They (pilots) had to crank it as fast as they could to start it, Kirby explained. Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} The FM-2 crashed into Lake Michigan during training on June 26, 1945, Kirby said. The pilot survived the crash but the plane was not able to be recovered at the time. They are still pulling airplanes out. There are still a lot of planes in Lake Michigan, he said. Nearly 50 years later, the plane was recovered in the 1990s and restored at the National Museum of Naval Aviation in Pensacola, Florida. The use of technology, such as LPRs, helps to more narrowly focus investigations as opposed to casting a wider net, said Richmond Police Chief Gerald M. Smith in a statement. But the department didnt go into further detail about how they will be used or who will have access to the data. Last month, Brian Swann, director of public safety for the Richmond housing authority, told the Property Management Committee that police would be installing three or four of the cameras across the six courts. Police and Swann said the devices can be moved as needed. Swann said the license plate readers would help solve shootings and other violent crime that occur in their communities. He added that crime was down across housing authority properties, but up citywide. As of Aug. 4, homicides were down 9% in the six biggest housing projects compared to same period last year, according to police data. Twenty-seven people have been shot in housing authority communities, which is down 43% over last year. Citywide, those figures, for homicides and people shot, had increased 25% and 11%, respectively. Acquisitions Expand Complementary Product Offerings to Omaha, NE and Cleveland, OH; Five New Greenfield Locations Expand Presence in Several Markets and Establish a Focused Acoustical Ceilings Location in Denver, CO TUCKER, Ga., August 09, 2021--(BUSINESS WIRE)--GMS Inc. (NYSE: GMS), a leading North American specialty distributor of interior building products, today provided an update on the continued execution of its growth strategy with the acquisitions of DK&B Construction Specialties EIFS division and Architectural Coatings Distributors, Inc., as well as the recent openings of five greenfield locations. "We are excited to announce the acquisitions of both the DK&B EIFS division and Architectural Coatings Distributors, Inc., and we welcome the teams to the GMS family," said John C. Turner, Jr., President and Chief Executive Officer. "These acquisitions, along with the establishment of five new greenfield locations, represent continued execution of our growth strategy through platform expansion and our focus on growing complementary products." DK&B Construction Specialties, Inc. EIFS Division ("DK&B"); Acquired August 2, 2021 Founded in 1986, DK&B is a leading EIFS/Stucco operation serving the Nebraska market through a single location in Omaha, NE. With the addition of DK&Bs EIFS division, GMS expands its complementary product offering and expertise throughout the Greater Nebraska market. Co-Owner Chris Tierney, as well as the entire DK&B team, will continue with the business going forward, operating in partnership with three legacy GMS locations in Omaha, Lincoln and Kearney, NE operating under the DSI Brand to better service contractors across the state. Architectural Coatings Distributors, Inc. ("ACD"); Acquired June 8, 2021 Founded in 1992, ACD is a specialty EIFS/Stucco operation serving the Northeast Ohio market through a single location in Cleveland, OH. The acquisition of ACD further expands GMSs complementary product offerings and adds an EIFS/Stucco product line to its legacy platform. Story continues Founder Brad Barr and the entire ACD team will continue with the business going forward. The acquired business will operate under the local Ohio Valley Drywall Supply ("OVDS") brand and will partner with the three legacy OVDS locations operating in Stow, OH, Trafford, PA and Meadowlands, PA. Additionally, the acquisition of ACD represents GMSs first location in the Cleveland, OH market, a top 40 Metropolitan Statistical Area ("MSA"). Greenfield Location Openings GMS also recently established five new greenfield locations, expanding its presence to provide enhanced service and product offerings in several markets, and added a facility dedicated to driving growth in its acoustical ceilings offerings in Colorado. In Scarborough, ON, GMS Canada adds a ninth location servicing Southern Ontario under the Watson Building Supplies platform. The new location enhances GMSs market density and service capabilities in the Greater Toronto Area ("GTA"), the largest metro area in Canada and 7th largest in North America. In Hickory, NC, GMS adds its eleventh location to the Colonial Materials, Inc. platform, expanding service from legacy operations in the Charlotte and Winston-Salem areas west into the Catawba Valley area and enabling service to the town of Boone, NC. In Wilmington, DE, GMS adds the nineteenth location for Capitol Building Supply, Inc. to complement four legacy locations in the Lower Delaware Valley. The greenfield opening also comes on the heels of GMSs recent entry into the Atlantic City, NJ market during February 2021. Following entry into the Memphis, TN metro area earlier in 2021, GMS adds its first location in the state of Mississippi and enters the Jackson, MS market, a top 100 MSA. The GMS platform now covers 46 US states and 6 Canadian Provinces. In Denver, CO, GMS establishes a dedicated facility focused on growth of its ceilings business in the state after expanding its Armstrong relationship to include the Eastern Slope area of Colorado. About GMS: Celebrating the 50th anniversary of its founding in 1971, GMS operates a vast network of more than 280 distribution centers across the United States and Canada. GMSs extensive product offering of wallboard, ceilings, steel framing and complementary construction products is designed to provide a comprehensive one-stop-shop for our core customer, the interior contractor who installs these products in commercial and residential buildings. For more information about GMS, please visit www.gms.com. Forward-Looking Statements and Information: This press release includes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. You can generally identify forward-looking statements by our use of forward-looking terminology such as "anticipate," "believe," "continue," "could," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "might," "plan," "potential," "predict," "seek," or "should," or the negative thereof or other variations thereon or comparable terminology. We have based these forward-looking statements on our current expectations, assumptions, estimates and projections. While we believe 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 our control. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, including those factors described in the "Risk Factors" section in our filings with the SEC. We undertake no obligation to update any of the forward-looking statements made herein, whether as a result of new information, future events, changes in expectation or otherwise. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210809005394/en/ Contacts Carey Phelps Vice President, Investor Relations Phone: 770-723-3369 Email: ir@gms.com Students can get admission in government and top-ranked medical universities abroad without any entrance exams New Delhi [India], August 9 (ANI/SRV Media): When it comes to studying MBBS then, various aspirants choose to look at pursuing MBBS in India. Although, they face extraordinary challenges to get admission to government medical colleges of India; a large section of the aspirants are not fully aware of studying MBBS in Abroad. Reliably the number of students appearing for NEET is growing every year - over 13 Lakh medical students appeared last year. According to the National Medical Council, there are 554 medical colleges in India and over 83,000 students can get admission in the MBBS course offered by them. Hence, a considerable section of aspirants do not manage to get MBBS Admission. On the other hand, foreign medical universities offer direct admissions with low admission requirements. Students can get admission in government and top-ranked medical universities in abroad without any entrance exams. Additionally, there are plenty of international medical universities that rank in the top 100 medical universities across the world - a few of them hold a better ranking than AIIMS Delhi. Top universities In India, there are limited government-funded colleges and students face tough competition to secure admission in them. On the other hand, medical seats in many developed countries are relatively easily available as they accept admission without any hurdle. Some of the top universities abroad include Crimea Federal Medical University Russia, Kharkiv National Medical University Ukraine and Tver State Medical University Russia. Affordable fee and infrastructure Further, countries abroad offer affordable fees and world-class infrastructure to pursue MBBS. Unlike India, countries like Russia, China, the USA and New Zealand invest a huge amount of money from their annual budget on education. They spend more on research and development work, due to which medical fees are pretty affordable there. In addition, international MBBS aspirants get access to hospitals for practical, laboratories for training and hostels for accommodation of international students. Further, for every 7 to 8 students there is a teacher which means that classes are less crowded so students get more attention from teachers. Story continues Working opportunity and course duration MCI/NMC approved medical universities in abroad offer a degree that is valid in many countries. It opens the door of opportunity for MBBS students to work in developed and developing countries. The course term in abroad is between 5 to 6 years including an entry-level position. The time taken to complete MBBS in India is 4 years and a half year that incorporates a preparation program under experienced specialists. Value of global degree and quality education Most of the medical universities of Ukraine, Russia, China, and other developed countries have approval from the top medical institutions of the world like WHO, MCI/NMC, and other countries which translates to wide access to work for students in many countries. On the other hand, there are few medical universities in India that offer a degree that allows students to work globally. On the other hand, in terms of education, only government colleges and few private medical colleges offer a good education. While it is hard for medical students to get admission in government colleges due to limited seats and high score requirements; for private institutes, they have to pay expensive fees. In such cases, aspirants choose to study MBBS abroad as it not only offers a variety of colleges to study including a conducive atmosphere. Role of rank in NEET and admission The rank of National Eligibility cum Entrance Test plays a crucial role in MBBS admission for undergraduates in India. When it comes to studying MBBS abroad then students only need to qualify for the NEET exam and that's it. They are eligible for admission in govt/best medical colleges. Top Countries to study MBBS Abroad and its criteria Most of the Indian students choose Asian countries to study MBBS and other medical courses including Russia, China, the Philippines, Kazakhstan and Ukraine. Students between the age of 17 to 25 years can apply for enrollment. Apart from this, aspirants must hold 50% or above marks in the 12th board exam with Physics, Chemistry, and Biology as main subjects in intermediate board exams. Also, the NEET exam is mandatory to pass by the candidate for admission in the MBBS course offered by NMC approved medical colleges in Noida. To know more, visit: https://www.affinityeducation.in/ This story is provided by SRV Media. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/SRV Media) Afghan Hindus and Sikhs are living under constant threat of being attacked by the Taliban. The Canadian government did not include the Afghan Hindu and Sikh community in their resettlement plan; India seems to be the only hope. The situation in Afghanistan has been highly hostile for the past few months. The Taliban, which claims to have already captured 85 per cent of the Afghan territory, continues to kill innocent people. It is enforcing Sharia law in the areas under its control, using children as human shields and kidnapping women to force them into sex slavery. Religious minorities have always been at the gunpoint of the Taliban in Afghanistan, or for that matter, even in Pakistan and Bangladesh. Religious minorities in these countries have been discriminated against, and their places of worship either have been destroyed or are under constant threat of destruction. However, the recent events in Afghanistan make it clear that like in the past when Taliban leader Mullah Mohammad Omar in March 2001 ordered to blow up the two sixth-century Buddha statues in Bamiyan Taliban is against idol worship and will not spare anyone who will deny Sharia law and practice any religion other than Islam. Last week, the Taliban had removed the Sikh religious flag Nishan Sahib from the roof of Gurdwara Thala Sahib, a Gurdwara that Sri Guru Nanak Dev visited in Chamkani in the Paktia province of Afghanistan. Later, when India condemned this act, it was restored on 6 August. Indian photojournalist Danish Siddiqui, as reports suggested, was "brutally murdered" by the Taliban after they verified his identity. These incidences from the past month point that the Taliban is aggressive towards other cultures and India. After taking over the presidency of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for the month of August, India has condemned the terrorist attacks in Afghanistan and expressed deep concern about the Taliban's military offensive. On 6 August, during the UNSC briefing on "Situation in Afghanistan", the UN body condemned the terrorist attacks and atrocities on Afghan nationals by the Taliban and made it clear that the UN body would not accept the restoration of the Islamic Emirate. Story continues The demography of Afghanistan shows that more than 90 per cent of the Afghan Sikhs and Hindus have either been killed or have fled the country and the remaining population now, due to the rise of the Taliban, lives in fear. As per reports, around 220,000 population of Afghan Sikhs and Hindus were living in Afghanistan in the 1980s. This dropped to 15,000 in the 1990s, during the mujahideen rule, and by 2016, the Hindu and Sikh population had fallen to an estimated 1,350. According to the Independent Election Commission (IEC), only 583 Hindus and Sikhs were registered to vote at the October 2018 elections in Afghanistan. The US State Department's International Religious Freedom Report for 2019 states, "Sikh and Hindu leaders estimate, there are 120 Sikh and Hindu families totalling approximately 550 individuals... mostly in Kabul, with a few communities in Nangarhar and Ghazni Provinces." A note dated 27 January 2021 provided by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office of the UK to the Country Policy and Information Team cited a response from Narinder Singh Khalsa, a Sikh Member of Parliament in Afghanistan, in which he said that there were approximately 200 Sikhs (44 families) left in Afghanistan. In July, reports suggested that Afghan Sikhs and Hindus had appealed to the international community to help and evacuate them from Afghanistan as they fear for their lives even more now since the Taliban has taken control of a large part of the Afghan territory. As many as 150 Sikhs and Hindus are living in Kabul live in fear. In July, in Afghanistan's Jalalabad, two members from the Sikh community were injured after a powerful blast that ripped through a shop located near Gurdwara Guru Nanak Darbar. The president of Gurdwara Kartae Parwan, Kabul, Gurnam Singh, told TOI, "For now, we are living in Kabul and are safe but nobody knows for how long we will remain safe". He also said that they were hopeful for a helping hand from Canada, and the minority community did not want to shift to India, as the living conditions and financial security of other Afghani Sikhs and Hindus were not good. Singh lived in India for few months, and during the stay, he had lost his 14-year-old daughter to Covid-19, following which he returned to Kabul. Unfortunately, the Canadian government had turned them (Afghan Sikhs and Hindus) down and did not include Afghan Sikhs and Hindus in their resettlement plan. Last month, Canada had introduced a resettlement plan for Afghan nationals who had helped the Canadian Army in Afghanistan, providing them with services of construction workers, cleaners, drivers, security guards, etc. Before the resettlement plan was announced, the World Sikh Organisation had appealed to the Canadian government to include 200 Afghan Sikhs and Hindus in their resettlement plan who are under the threat of being attacked by the Taliban, but its appeal was ignored. For Hindus and Sikhs living in Afghanistan in a situation where survival has become difficult, India seems to be the only hope for not just help to leave Afghanistan but also for safety and security in these challenging times of pandemic. Representative Image Kabul [Afghanistan], August 9 (ANI): A civilian was killed and two Afghan security force members were injured after a bomb blast hit a vehicle carrying a government official in Bagrami district in the eastern part of Kabul on Monday. "One civilian was killed and two security personnel were wounded after an explosion hit a four-wheel-drive vehicle in Bagrami district roughly at 7.30 am local time," Xinhua quoting Kabul police spokesperson Ferdaus Faramarz reported. The identity of the official aboard the vehicle remained unknown. According to local residents, the killed was a passing-by civilian while the two injured are the security force members aboard the vehicle, Xinhua reported further. However, no group has claimed responsibility for the attack. Amid heavy clashes between the Taliban and Afghan forces in the city of Lashkargah, Helmand's capital, 20 civilians lost their lives and a health clinic and a school were destroyed in airstrikes on Sunday. As per the officials, 20 civilians were killed in the fighting in the last 48 hours, reported Tolo News. A video from Helmand shows the destroyed building of Shaheed Anwar Khan High School in Lashkargah's District 2. Lashkargah has witnessed street-by-street fighting between government forces and the Taliban for the past 10 days. With the US troop's withdrawal from Afghanistan less than a month away, the Taliban has unleashed large-scale violence, creating political uncertainty in different parts of the country. (ANI) New Delhi, Aug 9 (PTI) A total of 8,486 Myanmarese nationals crossed over into India following the February 1 military coup in Myanmar and 5,796 of them were pushed back, the government said on Monday. Replying to a question in Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Defence Ajay Bhatt said 2,690 Myanmarese 'nationals/refugees' are still in India. He provided the information while sharing details of infiltrations along India's borders in the first six months of the current year Myanmar's military seized control of the country in a coup on February 1 after detaining Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi and other leaders of her National League for Democracy (NLD). Since then, the country has been rocked by massive protests. Bhatt said 11 infiltrators were killed and 20 others were apprehended along the Indo-Pakistan border, adding 20 infiltration attempts were made up to June 30 this year along the frontier. No cases of infiltration have been reported at the India-China border, he added. The minister cited reports of the security forces and the Ministry of Home Affairs while sharing the details. Referring to the Indo-Myanmar border, Bhatt said following the coup, '8,486 Myanmar nationals/refugees crossed over into India, out of which 5796 were pushed back and 2690 are still in India.' Bhatt said 441 infiltration attempts were reported and 740 infiltrators were apprehended during the period along the Indo-Bangladesh border, adding one infiltrator was killed. 'In addition, 11 illegal infiltrators along Indo-Nepal border have been apprehended in this year (up to June 30. No cases of infiltration have been reported at the Indo-China border,' he said. To a separate question, Bhatt said the current authorised staff strength of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is 33,329. 'The government sanctioned additional 420 posts of scientists to DRDO during April 2020,' he said to a question on whether the government proposed to augment the manpower in the organisation. PTI MPB RT RT Community Link was granted $1 million in CARES Act funding for housing and rental assistance. Community Link already assisted 400 families in late 2020 through early 2021 for about six months of rent. Davis said he expects to see even more households reaching out now. Davis said some people seeking rent assistance fall into a group that had a job before the pandemic but became unemployed and their jobs were eliminated due to the pandemic, keeping people from going back to work. Others, he said, are unable to return to work due to a lack of child care. During the summer months, children have been out of school and, even in the spring, many schools were in a hybrid or online format. Child care can be expensive, and for those already struggling with rent, paying for child care isnt an option. Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} These compounded issues can cause people to fall behind for multiple payments on rent, all while remaining unemployed. So the best thing to do is reach out for help now, Davis said, to prevent an eviction. It is in your best interest to stay in the housing you are in, he said. 100 years ago, Aug. 9, 1921 MATTOON There seems to be a question as to who is entitled to the reward for finding a Standard Oil Company payroll for Wood River, which was discovered under a wild grapevine near Peters Station by Sgt. Frank Killough of Mattoon, a police officer for the Big Four Railroad. There were four others in Killough's party, but they were a quarter of a mile away from the sergeant when he came upon it. The split mail bag contained $46,000 in bills. It was one of three sacks stolen by robbers off the mail wagon at Wood River. The Madison County sheriff and four aides found two sacks and the automobile used by the robbers. The reward is $4,600, one-tenth of the amount recovered... CHARLESTON The Patrick Henry branch of the Association for the Recognition of Irish Independence was organized in Charleston Saturday with 75 members. Martin Alwell was elected president, W.J. Kenny, vice president; Tony Grant, treasurer; Agnes McCarthy, secretary; and Rev. J.J. Connolly, Emily Pendergast, Martin Franklin, John Whalen and Josephine Pendergast, executive committee. 50 years ago, 1971 MATTOON Coles County has been placed in the 53rd Legislative District along with the counties of Edgar, Clark and Vermilion, three townships in Crawford County and three southern townships in Champaign County. New districts for both houses of the state legislature were agreed on Saturday by the 10-year reapportionment commission. Coles County previously was included in a district which included only Coles, Edgar and Vermilion counties... MATTOON Two youths fled into a cornfield north of Mattoon last night after a deputy sheriff stopped their car, which had been reported stolen earlier. Police said Evelyn Wall of Mattoon reported at 11:07 p.m. she saw someone drive her car from in front of her home. Another auto theft was reported to Mattoon police over the weekend. On Saturday, Ferdinand J. Sieben said his car was taken from the driveway of his home sometime between 9 p.m. Friday and 8 a.m. Saturday. That car was recovered Saturday afternoon on Broadway Avenue. Other thefts reported over the weekend involved a lawn mower and two dogs from different residences and $37 in cash taken from the Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant cash register. 25 years ago, 1996 MATTOON Unless more people join Mothers Against Drunk Driving Coles County, the chapter is in danger of losing its charter. Members pay $20 a year for an individual membership. Nationally, MADD sponsors Project Red Ribbon, the Designated Driver program, Candlelight Vigil, a Poster Essay Contest and Operation Prom/Graduation. Mike Styninger, Coles County MADD membership chairman, said the local group also assists with a victims advocate panel, in conjunction with Mike Hughes, chief probation officer for Coles and Cumberland counties. MADD Coles County was formed in January 1992... CHARLESTON After 35 years of service, Dalias Price finally got something from the National Weather Service. They bought him lunch. "This is the most I've gotten from you guys since you sent those pens," Price joked at a luncheon at E.L. Krackers. Price, who taught in the geography/geology department at Eastern Illinois University for 22 years, has been one of the state's observers for the National Weather Service since 1960. Twice a day, every day, Price has checked weather activity. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 WASHINGTON August is the month to watch, said Estonias 44-year-old prime minister during a recent visit to Washington. The guns of August 1914 announced the beginning of what was called the Great War until an even worse one began nine days after the Nazi-Soviet nonaggression pact of Aug. 23, 1939. However, Kaja Kallas radiates serenity during lunch near Lafayette Square across from the White House. She does not think Russias late-summer military exercises near Estonia, scheduled by the man she calls the bully next door, presage aggression. She does, however, think it prudent to consider that Vladimir Putins revanchist ambitions might not be confined to Ukraine. Indeed. Six months after absorbing German-speaking Austria, and four days before the Sept. 30, 1938, Munich conference, Hitler vowed that Czechoslovakias Sudenten region, home of many ethnic Germans, would be his last territorial demand. Six months after he acquired the Sudetenland at Munich, he swallowed the rest of Czechoslovakia, then turned his attention to protecting ethnic Germans in Poland. He said he could not renounce the 10 million Germans living in regions contiguous to Germany. And the war came. Wake Forest Baptist Health said Monday that its emergency departments are ready to serve anyone experiencing life-threatening emergencies. The system COVID-19 testing is available at its adult and pediatric primary care clinics, and at urgent-care clinics. People who are sick, or who are unsure of the level of care they need, can always access our immediate virtual care and speak with one of our emergency medicine specialists 24/7 through a video visit or by calling (844) 938-3533), Wake Forest Baptist said. A health care provider will direct them to the appropriate location, or order a COVID test that can be conveniently scheduled at the drive-up testing site outside the Brenner Childrens emergency department. There is no age limit at the Brenner Childrens drive-up site for tests ordered through Immediate Virtual Care. Children and young adults up to age 25, who do not have symptoms of COVID but who have had an exposure or who need to be tested to return to activities, can make an appointment for testing at the Brenner Childrens drive-up site by calling (336) 702-8054. Cone Health said Monday it has not seen a sharp increase in COVID-19-related hospitalizations in its hospitals. Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} A mother and son face charges they sold illegal drugs out of their convenience store in Thomasville. Authorities said complaints about alleged drug activity at Kings Food Mart, at 805 Martin Luther King Drive in Thomasville, prompted an investigation by the Thomasville Police Department's Special Investigation Unit and N.C. Alcohol Law Enforcement. Investigators who executed a search warrant at the business reported seizing 42 grams of cocaine, 112 grams of marijuana and more than $28,000 in cash. They also reported finding a Ruger 9mm handgun, an AR-15 rifle and a stolen 2019 Ford F150 Rapture. The car had been stolen from Alexander County, the Thomasville Police Department said. Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} Another search warrant was executed at a house on Friddle Drive in High Point, where investigators reporting seizing 62 grams of cocaine, 240 grams of marijuana, 10 grams of hallucinogenic mushrooms and more than $50,000 in cash. Saghar Khan, 27, was charged with six counts of possession with intent to sell, manufacture and deliver cocaine, six counts of possession with intent to sell, manufacture and deliver marijuana, one count of possession of cocaine, one count of possession of marijuana, and one count of trafficking in cocaine. SAN DIEGO As a Mexican American, I have a complicated relationship with the motherland. Sometimes, I feel like a man without a country: Mexican north of the border, American south of it. So Im not eager to defend Mexico. My ties to our southern neighbor are weak. Both my parents were born in the United States, and three of my four grandparents were born not in Mexico but in Texas. The outlier my dads father was born in Chihuahua, and he came here with his family as a boy during the Mexican Revolution. Because he was poor, uneducated and dark-skinned, Mexico had no use for my grandpa. Now, I return the favor. I have no use for Mexico. Having said that, as a journalist, its my job to debunk lies and pummel liars. And when charlatans try to connect immigrants to a recent surge in COVID-19 infections, hospitalizations and deaths, there are plenty of lies that need debunking and many liars who deserve a good pummeling. A Family Dollar store in northeast Lincoln is back open after employees posted a sign Sunday saying they all quit. "Our Lincoln neighborhood store is open for business," Kayleigh M. Painter, a spokeswoman for Family Dollar owner Dollar Tree, said in an email. Photos posted on social media Sunday showed an orange sign on the front door of the store at 4684 Leighton Ave. reading, "We all quit. Sorry for the inconvenience." Breanna Faeller, who said she was an assistant manager at the store, said she and a cashier were the only two employees left at the location after the store manager quit a few days earlier, and they were the ones who posted the sign. Faeller said she had attempted to put in two weeks' notice to quit but the store's district manager wouldn't accept it, telling her to "tough it out." She said she was planning to try to do just that, but when she found out the cashier was planning to quit, too, she decided she couldn't stay there any longer. "They were just working us to the bone," said Faeller, a 23-year-old single mom. Local editor's pick alert Lincoln parents and children find inclusive community through UBU Therapy Farms Courtesy Photo Camper Dylan and UBU Therapy Farms goat Mal. During UBUs first ever summer camp, which ran from July 6 to July 22, kids between the ages of 6 and 18 attended twice a week for three hours. Courtesy Photo UBU Therapy Farms was created by mental health therapist Pamela Wheeler, who purchased the farms site in southwest Lincoln with her husband Jody Martinson in 2018. The farms name UBU is meant to signify a place where everyone feels welcome to be themselves, she said. Courtesy photo A goat at UBU Therapy Farms Courtesy photo A camper pets one of the animals at UBU Therapy Farms. Courtesy photo A camper hangs out with the animals at UBU Therapy Farms. Courtesy photo A camper pets a goat at UBU Therapy Farms. Courtesy photo The farm is home to two mini Chondro calves Wheeler and Martinson purchased from a family in Custer County. Mini goats, turkeys, cats and dogs also call the therapy farm home. As Angie Hoffschneider explained how she had finally found a camp she could send her 11-year-old son Liam to without getting complaints about his behavior, she was brought to tears. For parents of special-needs children, discovering UBU Therapy Farms, where children with a range of ability levels could both have fun and learn vital social-emotional skills, felt like a miracle. Liam has gone to other summer camps, but this place I think just made him feel comfortable and where he could be himself and welcomed and accepted, and that's a rare find, Hoffschneider said. During UBUs first ever summer camp, which ran from July 6 to July 22, kids between the ages of 6 and 18 attended twice a week for three hours. UBU Therapy Farms was created by mental health therapist Pamela Wheeler, who purchased the farms site in southwest Lincoln with her husband Jody Martinson in 2018. The farms name UBU is meant to signify a place where everyone feels welcome to be themselves, she said. Over the course of the coronavirus pandemic, Wheeler and her husband worked to convert the propertys barn into offices, create an enclosed area and stalls for the farms animals and build several wheelchair-accessible planting beds. The farm is home to two mini Chondro calves Wheeler and Martinson purchased from a family in Custer County. Mini goats, turkeys, cats and dogs also call the therapy farm home. Besides being fun to interact with, the animals also play a part in Wheelers therapy practices. Wheeler holds a certification from the University of Denver in animal assisted therapies, and she uses the concept of care farming, in which farming activities are used to help clients feel comfortable and create a positive learning environment. Remarkable Kids Rodeo allows children of all abilities to experience Western sports "She grew up watching her aunt as an ambassador for the Western way of life, and now she gets to participate in it," one participant's grandmother said. "It's good for the mind, and it's good physical activity." I use these animals as kind of a catalyst to speed warp the therapeutic alliance," she said. "They want to come back because they feel like part of this place. About half of the camp time was spent working on social skills, mindfulness and emotional regulation, Wheeler said. The other half included activities such as yoga, art projects, planting seeds and interacting with the farms animals. Response to UBU's first ever camp has been very enthusiastic, Wheeler said, and she hopes to hold an even bigger camp next year and start holding after-school programs depending on the interest of the community. People are pretty excited about it, she said. They're excited about having a space where they feel connected, where they feel like they can be themselves." Wheeler herself has a 22-year-old special needs son who lives with her and her husband. Parents said her background as both a therapist and a special needs mom herself made her a perfect leader for the camp. What I think is really awesome is that all three of my boys are on different levels of capability, but they all are included and get an enriched experience, said Kendall Bowers, who had three sons attend or volunteer at the camp. Bowers said it was amazing to see her sons enjoying activities at camp such as yoga, which theyd never shown interest in. Her middle son is also in a wheelchair, and she said she appreciated the level of accessibility at UBU. We were able to push him around anywhere out here at UBU, she said. We don't get that anywhere, its very rare. Parents also said they were grateful for the community they had found among themselves through UBU, something they plan to continue to foster through future programs at the farm. We might not have (another) outlet to come and bring our kids all together, Bowers said. A place that they can all be somewhere, be together, do activities together. Davis cited a psychiatric evaluation of Warner performed in August 2020. "He found me insane," Warner told the court Monday, referring to Dr. Terry A. Davis, who evaluated him. Warner testified that he had no recollection of the incident or much of its aftermath, James Davis argued that Warner hadn't seen the pre-sentence investigation report which mentioned the defendant's statements about aliens, mind control and King Arthur made in the aftermath of the shooting, the attorney said. "Three pages of evidence of all sorts of bizarre behavior from a person who's got a long-term history of mental illness," the attorney said, referring to the report. He argued that if Warner had been aware of the report's contents and if he had realized that he could have used that information in his own insanity defense he wouldn't have entered a plea deal with the state. "I think it would be a manifest injustice if we sentenced him when this issue is still up in the air in terms of whether he was sane or not sane," James Davis said. But Cass County Attorney S. Colin Palm noted the documents Warner signed when he first entered his plea, explicitly waiving his right to exercise a defense by insanity. A 28-year-old Lincoln man was arrested after police said he broke into two homes and shoplifted a pack of Southern Comfort shooters from a nearby store in a matter of minutes Sunday morning. Officer Erin Spilker said a woman and a man saw Baron Collier holding the woman's purse inside a home near 54th and Orchard streets at about 11 a.m. Sunday Collier fled, Spilker said, but a neighbor saw him rummaging through the purse in their backyard shortly after. Using a description given by witnesses, police found Collier behind a liquor store near 48th and Starr streets. Spilker said he had stolen a 12-pack of whiskey shooters from the store. As officers canvassed the neighborhood, Spilker said they learned that Collier had broken into another house in the area, where he kicked in the back door. Collier was arrested on suspicion of burglary, criminal mischief, shoplifting and two counts of criminal trespassing. He was also arrested on suspicion of a robbery that occurred July 22 at the NP Mart near 28th and O streets. He was taken to the Lancaster County jail. Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Former Nebraska Gov. Kay Orr criticized University of Nebraska-Lincoln Chancellor Ronnie Green on Monday for a letter penned by six faculty members opposing an anti-critical race theory resolution. The statement opposing a resolution by Regent Jim Pillen of Columbus seeking to stop "any imposition of critical race theory" in NU's curriculum was published on UNL's website Aug. 2. Orr said she had issues with the content of the 3,000-word document, but pointed to a passage outlining concerns about the unintended consequences of opposition to critical race theory as "particularly disturbing." In the statement, the six co-chairs of UNL's Journey to Anti-Racism and Racial Equity, a committee formed by Green last year, said opponents of critical race theory emboldened "white supremacist groups like the KKK" and resulted in death threats to those who defend the use of the academic framework. The opposition "may have unwittingly invited those undemocratic and hateful actions into the lives of members of the UNL community, based on misinformation, distortions, and fallacies," the authors wrote. WASHINGTON (AP) After weeks of fits, starts and delays, the Senate is on track to give final approval to the $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure plan, with a growing coalition of Democrats and Republicans prepared to lift the first phase of President Joe Bidens rebuilding agenda to passage. Thus a mandate isnt justified merely because health authorities say so. And true to his word, rather than blindly defer, the judge engaged in his own detailed march through the evidence before concluding that unless vaccinations were required, the university would not be able to return to normal functioning. Here its worth noting the narrowness of the mandate. It applied only to the Indiana University, not to the state as a whole. Moreover, the rules were adopted locally quite close to the people who would be most affected by them another favorite libertarian idea. Perhaps most important, other institutions in the state, schools or businesses or anything else, were left free to come up with their own rules, depending on their own circumstances. What should also warm libertarian hearts is Leichtys ringing rejection of the proposition that rights should be read more narrowly because of the pandemic. I quote his response in full because his words deserve wide dissemination in these fractious times: [T]he Constitution isnt put on the shelf. Indeed, in times of crisis, perhaps constitutional adherence proves the very anchor we all need against irrational and overweening government intrusion that would otherwise scuttle the ship. I write this letter as an individual citizen. I serve on the Lincoln Board of Education and have listened to those who have testified against the first set of proposed state health education standards, which included education on body part names and sexual activities (empowering child victims of sexual assault to report such crimes) and tolerance of sexual minorities. The testimony was free of facts and full of hate toward the LGBTQ community. This hate has cowed 47 school boards in Nebraska and the Nebraska Board of Education to abandon LGBTQ children. The state board has scrubbed the health education standards of most references to the LGBTQ continuum. As a lesbian who grew up in rural Nebraska, I can tell you harassment and physical assaults are daily facts of life with no help available because most stand by and let it happen. In June 2020, the U.S. Supreme Court affirmed that civil rights legislation was inclusive of LGBTQ people. I knew nothing about critical race theory until Gov. Pete Ricketts opposed the very idea in CRT that our country has been -- is -- racist. "Divisive!" He declares. "Anti-American!" he spouts. And because of his ranting, I had to find out what CRT is all about. I read, I studied and I watched documentaries about CRT. I learned about red-lining where old covenants against black homeowners in liberal Minneapolis still create barriers to people of color. Next, Regent Jim Pillen proposed banishment of CRT from discussion at our proud and free University of Nebraska. His idea is shameful. Now, we should all know better than to vote for him for governor. Sadly, as Nebraskan leadership speaks up they prove that a large proportion of Nebraskans might be racist. I am afraid this applies to me also and must apologize to the dreadlocked black man who asked to borrow my phone. I told him I don't do that. But would I if the ask was from a white woman? Later, I felt ashamed at the nature of my inner thoughts that prevented me from sharing my phone. If there was no systemic racism in our country would I have said no? What would you do? Would you have loaned your phone? Will you if it ever comes up? Will I? I wonder if that same black man would loan me his phone. Supporters of Regent Jim Pillens resolution before the Board of Regents will hide behind the fact that it merely opposes the imposition of critical race theory in curriculum. How can anyone be against the imposition of a theory? But what does imposition mean in the context of higher education? I teach a required course in the law school. Is it an imposition on the students if I explain critical race theory since the students are required to be present? Is it an imposition if I discuss how the theory might offer a different perspective on a legal doctrine than traditional theory? Is it an imposition if I test them to see if they understood the theory? Or is it only an imposition if I require them to believe in critical race theory? The resolution is less problematic if it only addressed the indoctrination of a students belief. But notwithstanding often repeated concerns that the university was indoctrinating students with liberal thinking, it should be evident that if we were trying to do so we are horrible at it. I havent noticed Nebraskans, many educated at the university, becoming more liberal over time. MOUNT PLEASANT Before he got behind the camera, Barry Tait was on the wrestling mat. It was 1985 and Tait was on the wrestling team for Racine Lutheran High School. His first experience in video production was renting a VHS camcorder and recording one of his tournaments. I wanted to get better with wrestling, and what better way than to be able to watch myself? he said. Fast forward to college: Tait received a bachelors degree in marketing from the University of Wisconsin-Parkside in 1990. In 1993, he opened Tait Media, a video and media production company serving Southeastern Wisconsin. The company recently expanded to its office at 8330 Corporate Drive in Mount Pleasant to include more studio space and a podcast room. We have about five times as much space as we did last year, Tait said. Helping companies For the first four years of his company, Tait conducted business in his basement like most good businesses do, he said. Early on, Tait traveled to weddings and covered other special events to kickstart his business. Since then, Tait has shifted his focus to specializing in producing videos for organizations like HALO Inc., Harley Davidson, S.C. Johnson and Real Racine. Tait Media produces about 24 different videos for its clients, like training videos, question and answer segments and even movie spoofs. For example, Tait has helped Lennox produce Avengers- and Wizard of Oz-themed movies starring Lennoxs own employees. Modern marketing In over two decades of being in business, Tait has seen video production and how companies use video as a marketing tool change throughout the years. People are starting to get it, Tait said of businesses recognizing how powerful video can be for marketing. I think social media has helped because you see so much of it. As of 2020, 420 billion people are active on social media; each person spends almost three hours on social networks and messaging apps. Half of those users use social media to research brands and companies, making it a hub for marketing. Tait Media has used this to its advantage by snipping the longer videos it films into smaller clips for its clients to post onto social media, a relatively new advertising strategy. Dakota Lavota, 24, is a social media intern at Tait Media currently attending UW-Parkside. Interns like Lavota help keep Tait Media forward-thinking when it comes to integrating social media trends to its work. And though Lavota often brings new ideas to Tait Media, like possibly helping companies use TikTok for branding, he values the experienced input the longstanding company offers him. Lavota works closely with Tait himself: Hes been a great mentor, so patient, and he helps me step-by-step. He knows everything. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 2 Angry 0 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. RACINE The members of St. George Serbian Orthodox Church gathered this weekend for a two-day celebration of their traditions and culture. $1 for 6 months of unlimited local journalism Get the information you need to help keep you and your loved ones safe, healthy and updated on important issues and events. Delka Gillespie, the president of the church board for 2020 and 2021, said the annual celebration began not long after the church was established 40 years ago. We had a great group of people who started with nothing, absolutely nothing, Gillespie said. Then they decided a church was a necessity for survival, to keep us together. She added, So they built the church and from that point on they decided to have a gathering that led into this big festival that lasts for two days. The festival is important because it is a vehicle for passing down traditions to the next generation and because it allows the Serbian community to share their traditions with all the different ethnicities who attend. Its wonderful to see, she said of the many different kinds of people attending the festival. The church The church has historically been central to the lives of the Serbian people. Carrot or stick? The question of whether to mandate or incentivize COVID-19 vaccines intensified last week for employers, state and federal agencies, hospitals and colleges across the country in the race to vaccinate as many people as possible and stop an even more deadly variant of the coronavirus from developing. With the start of school just a month away, a growing number of University of Wisconsin System professors and staff are calling for campuses to require COVID-19 vaccinations this fall as the delta variant fuels a surge of infections at a caseload not seen in the state since the winter. I am deeply concerned about the dangers, potentially long-term, posed to the health and well-being of students as well as our campus and surrounding community if we do not have a vaccine mandate, UW-Madison employee Susan Nossal said. But the System has so far resisted those calls, taking the same position that the majority of other colleges have in strongly encouraging but stopping short of requiring that students get the shots. Many UW campuses are instead offering incentives such as laptops, gift cards and tickets to sporting events. 1. FDA action. If the FDA gives final approval to the vaccines, it will reduce hesitancy. 2. Offer money. Offering a cash stipend has worked in some areas. Expand the effort. 3. Employer mandates. If workers are required to get the shot, the rate will increase. 4. Better messaging. An advertising blitz by respected officials might pay off. 5. Unsure. Its hard to say, since some are adamantly opposed to getting vaccinated. Vote View Results We are going to use cases within student population and staff, said Ravenna Superintendent Bradley Kjar. Kjar gave examples last summer when there was a super-spreader event in Ravenna, and the school would have had to operate in the orange or red if it had been in session. Two Rivers, on the other hand, would not have been in the red at that time. Another example was in November when the health district was operating in the red, but the school had little to no spread of COVID at that time. Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} There was so much unknown going into the school year last year. None of us want to wear masks again, but here in Ravenna we wore them the whole school year from start to finish, Kjar said. I think everybody did OK. We didnt miss a single day of school last year because of the virus. Kearney Public Schools currently is operating in the green. School will be in-person this year, and remote learning will occur if the school district moves into a red pandemic phase. Masks are currently optional at KPS. GRAND ISLAND After almost 40 years of working with the law, including six years as a judge, Mark Young of Grand Island will hang up his robe and step down from the bench on Sept. 1. The District Court judge, who turns 66 this month, has been thinking about retiring for a year or a year and a half. I just feel like its the right time for me. Ive enjoyed this job and other jobs, but I think its time for me to step aside before I lose what effectiveness I have, he said. So its a good time for me to hang it up. A former Hall County attorney, Young has lived in Grand Island since 1982. Its hard to sum up four decades in the courts. But, I hope Im remembered as a guy who showed up most days for work and was occasionally useful, or helpful, Young said. Young was appointed a District Court judge in 2015. In the position, Young has appreciated having a great staff. The courthouse is full of people who are great to work with, he said. Its a challenging job, but its been rewarding. Im not sure its a job you would say is enjoyable, but certainly its been rewarding and challenging. After a year off, the East Petersburg Blues Festival is ready to shimmy and sway back into East Petersburg Community Park. Just in time for its 10th anniversary, the music fest returns on Saturday, Sept. 4, from 2 to 7 p.m. Admission is free. Lancaster County favorite Sweet Leda tops the bill, which also features Bluestime, Laura Cheadle, Greg Sover Band and Debra Devi. Additionally, Devi will be on-hand after her set to sign copies of her book, "The Language of the Blues: From Alcorub to Zuzu." For more information, click here. Lancaster County recorded more than 500 new cases of COVID-19 last week, briefly placing it among 14 Pennsylvania counties in which community transmission of the virus was considered high. In an update later on Monday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention revised its rolling 7-day analysis with new, slightly lower numbers, putting the county back in the "substantial transmission" category. The CDC is advising people in areas reporting substantial or high transmission rates to wear masks indoors regardless of their vaccination status. The rise in COVID-19 infections and spread of the contagious delta variant, the dominant strain in the country, comes as Lancaster County school officials prepare for the first day of class later this month. Most school districts here, some facing intense pressure from families and conservative political groups, are not requiring masks and putting in place little to no social distancing even though students will be learning in-person five days a week. Mask-optional policies are in conflict with the most recent guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the U.S. Department of Education, who all have stated students, faculty and staff should wear masks regardless of vaccination status. School officials say while theyre monitoring state and federal guidance, they are leaning heavily on local data to make decisions, as surges in COVID-19 cases happening across the country have not been as significant here. Barring an official mandate from the state or federal government, most school officials said, they will not require anyone to wear a mask, at least to begin the school year. The only Lancaster County school district that has signaled a mask requirement, at least for unvaccinated individuals, for the upcoming school year was School District of Lancaster. The CDC defines high community transmission as 100 new cases per 100,000 residents over a seven-day period, or a positivity rate above 10%. Lancaster County recorded 103 new cases per 100,000 residents for Aug. 1-7, according to the government agency. That was the seventh-highest rate in Pennsylvania, according to the CDC. When the CDC later updated it's map with data for Aug. 2-8, the county's seven-day rate dropped back to 83 cases per 100,000, and only six counties met the definition of "high" transmission: Perry, Bedford, Northampton, Monroe, Potter and Clinton. The CDC defines "substantial transmission rates as between 50 and 99 new cases per 100,000 residents in a week, or a test positivity rate of 8% go 10%. OCEAN CITY, Md. (AP) A Pennsylvania girl's injuries at a Maryland beach are consistent with a bite from a sandbar shark and would be a first for the state, according to the state's Department of Natural Resources. Experts made the determination after reviewing photos of the 12-year-old girl's injuries shared by the Ocean City Beach Patrol, department spokeswoman Megan McGinn-Meals said in an email to The Associated Press. There have been a few unconfirmed reports over the years, McGinn-Meals said, but this would be Marylands first confirmed, nearshore ocean bite that's not fishing-related. An angler at Assateague Island was bitten in 2014 while releasing a shark from his line and a man clamming near Mills Island in Chincoteague Bay was bitten around the same time, she said. The bite left 12-year-old Jordan Prushinski with 42 stitches for 20 cuts, family members told WBRE-TV. She was in knee-deep water in Ocean City on Monday when she limped out of the water bleeding from the leg, the family said. Other beachgoers, including an EMT and a nurse, helped give Jordan first aid and the family took her to a hospital. Jordan said she will go out in the water again once her stitches are out, WJZ-TV reported. Something like this is rare and rare for it to even happen again, she said. These sharks aren't aggressive and have little interactions with humans, and beachgoers shouldn't let this stop them from enjoying the ocean, Ocean City Beach Patrol Capt. Butch Arbin said. They dont need to worry about it," he said. They should be more concerned with things like rip currents. Dear Dr. Scribblersleuth: We recently moved to Willow Street and join William Banaszak (letter to the editor, Aug. 7, 2019, LNP) in wondering how the town was named. Also, please tell us the origin of three intriguing street names in this area: Long Rifle Road, Gypsy Hill Road and Peach Bottom Road. Bill Adams Willow Street Dear Bill: The Scribbler apologizes for losing your question for two years, Bill. Your query made it to a file labeled Street Names, but that file got buried under materials related to an entirely unrelated manuscript that soon will become a book coming to a bookstore near you. In any case, the Scribbler finally unearthed the file and some answers. The origin of Willow Street is relatively simple. The towns streets once were lined with willow trees. The source of this information is the late Charles McFalls, who worked as a rural delivery postal carrier in the Willow Street Post Office for 35 years before retiring in 1956. I can remember from my young days yet, all the streets and roads were lined with willow trees, McFalls told the Lancaster New Era in 1967, when he was 80 years old. And I was told thats how it got its name. Willow Street and its willows predate McFalls childhood by many decades. Willow Street and Lampeter were the first towns in West Lampeter Township. Most of the willow trees were removed from Willow Streets streets long ago. McFalls explained that residents didn't like bugs, leaves and branches falling on them a rather odd lament, thinks the Scribbler. Some willows also were eliminated to build Route 272, which is actually a four-lane highway with two one-way lanes running north and the other two, separated by several blocks, running south, which can make navigating through town a challenging experience. The future of Willow Streets name was debated briefly in 1967. Some residents said it can be confusing to newcomers and postal carriers; but most residents decided they liked the name and with ZIP codes mail rarely went astray. So Willow Street it remains, with or without the willows. As for the actual streets you mentioned, Bill, two are easy to explain. Long Rifle Road is so named because in 1719 Martin Meylin built his stone gun shop along what is now Eshelman Mill Road at its intersection with Long Rifle Road. The building is still there. Meylin made the first known Pennsylvania Long Rifle, which later became known as the Kentucky Rifle. Gypsy Mill Road took its name from a group of Gypsies these days also referred to as Roma in the early years of the 20th century. The Gypsies camped on top of a hill directly across from 981 Gypsy Hill Road. Thats according to Terry Kreider, who lives at that address and whose family has lived in that area for more than three centuries. The origin of the name Peach Bottom Road is not so certain. The road begins at Eshelman Mill Road and ends at Penn Grant Road. It never reaches the community of Peach Bottom, along the Susquehanna River in Fulton Township, although it heads in that direction. Another Peach Bottom Road runs from Wakefield to the Susquehanna at Peach Bottom. Early maps show no connection between the two roads. Both roads may very well have been used to travel south to the river and the ferry crossing at Peach Bottom, observes Stan White of the Southern Lancaster County Historical Society. Jack Brubaker, retired from the LNP staff, writes The Scribbler column every Sunday. He welcomes comments and contributions at scribblerlnp@gmail.com. Psychosis Takes Over U.S. Military Planning Aug. 8, 2021 (EIRNS)On July 28, Gen. Glen D. VanHerck, commander of U.S. Northern Command and NORAD, delivered a briefing to reporters in which he described something called Global Information Dominance Experiments, which his command has been running with all of the other 11 combatant commands. GIDE is claimed to be a wondrous new tool for preventing crises worldwide, but is better described as the final shutdown of cognitive capabilities in the U.S. military. The gobbledygook with which VanHerck described GIDE leads one to the conclusion that its the shutdown of cognition. The Global Information Dominance Experiment that were going to talk about, and more specifically, the recent Global Information Dominance Experiment 3, was a cross-command event seeking to leap forward our ability to maintain domain awareness, achieve information dominance and provide decision superiority in competition and crisis, VanHerck said. This is all about integrated deterrence which is about using the right mix of technology, operational concepts and capabilities, all woven together in a networked way that is credible, flexible and formidable that will give any adversary pause, especially to think about attacking our homeland. So I fundamentally believe that integrated deterrence, which youre hearing the secretary talk a lot about today, allows for the increase of decision space, and that GIDE, the Global Information Dominance Experiments, embodies a fundamental change in how we use information and data to increase decision space for leaders from the tactical level to the strategic levelnot only military leaders, but also gives opportunity for our civilian leaders. What this all adds up to, according to VanHerck, is the (supposed) ability to use artificial intelligence to predict the future days in advance and act preemptively to head off a crisis. [W]e would take artificial intelligence and use machine learning to take a look and assess, for example, the average number of cars in a parking lot that may be there in a specific location to a competitor or a threat. And we monitor that over a period of time, VanHerck said in response to a question. The machine learning and the artificial intelligence can detect changes in that and we can set parameters where it will trip an alert to give you the awareness to go take another sensor such as GEOINT on-satellite capability to take a closer look at what might be ongoing in a specific location. Scott Ritter, who has some experience in intelligence analysis, ridicules all this in an op-ed in RT on Aug. 7. As a former military intelligence analyst with no small amount of real-world experience, I have to confess to more than a little skepticism about the efficacy of a system like GIDE. Im wary of self-learning machines, knowing all too well that they were all birthed by computing programs and algorithms produced by humans. A plethora of buzzwords and catchphrases are the biggest indicator that the speaker is manufacturing a politicized narrative as opposed to briefing ground truth. And I dont need GIDE or its equivalent to make that observation. Ritter goes on to describe the old process of intelligence analysis stressing that it has nothing to do with political objectives and in fact, the analysis product could often be contrary to political objectives. Ritter says that the lack of WMD in Iraq was attributed to intelligence failure when in fact it was the result of leadership failure. At the end of the day, accurate intelligence analysis is more about comprehending human nature than counting cars, or discerning other physical manifestations of human conduct. The best judge of human nature is another human. No computer can come close. I was willing to bet my life on that principle when I served in the military. Its a shame General VanHerck and his ilk are not, he concludes. The fact the United States is willing to subordinate the predictive intelligence requirements of our collective national security to a computer should be worrisome to every American. Twitter Censors Syrian Girl for Genocide Denial in Xinjiang Aug. 8, 2021 (EIRNS)Maram Susli, who goes by the name Syrian Girl on social media, has gained a large following by helping expose the lies about the war in Syria and other official lies peddled by the Brits and the U.S. to justify their illegal regime-change wars. Now, she has been censored by Twitter for simply stating the truth that there is absolutely no evidence of genocide against the Uighurs in Xinjiang. Under the headline in RT: Twitter Will Allow You To Deny the Genocide of Palestinians, But Not a Uighur Genocide, So Ive Been Banned, Susli reports: Big Tech censors are shutting down voices like mine, because they dont like me exposing the truth of whats going on in Palestine. But theyre happy with tweets about killings in Xinjiang, even when theres no evidence for it. The tweet deemed to be against Twitters rules against abuse and harassment, and taken down on July 21, reads: There is a genocide against Palestinians. But theres no Uighur genocide. There is evidence for one but not the other. We can see Palestinians being slaughtered. On top of which Israeli leaders have admitted they want to exterminate Palestinians. The truth shall set you free. Susli writes: It appears Twitter has now deemed questioning the lack of evidence for a Uighur genocide as a denial of violent events and hence a thought crime. Yet there is currently no United Nations body which has concluded that theres such a Uighur genocide going on. Even journalists writing in The Economist and the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) have questioned whether the genocide label is the right fit for what is happening to Uighurs in Chinas Xinjiang province. In fact, no one is even accusing China of conducting mass killings of Uighurs, or a violent event in Twitters terms. What has been claimed is that China is putting Uighurs in a prison camp. China says the men are being put in vocational education and training centers, and says they have terrorist sympathies; the U.S. contends that they are being put into the camps simply for being Muslim.... [A] prison camp does not constitute a genocide; if it did, the U.S. would be charged with genocide for having put Uighurs in Guantanamo Bay for the last 20 years. Let alone the mass incarceration of its own peoples, many of them disproportionately black, in ordinary jails. She continues: Nearly 50 years after the death of Edgar Snow, a Missouri journalist who covered the early years of the Chinese Communist Party, Beijing still praises him as the model foreign reporter. Snow interviewed Chairman Mao Zedong several times. He is presented by the Communist Party as a friend of China. He is often a character in Chinese films. Officials say China wants more Snows of this new era among foreign #journalists. During celebrations for the Communist Party one-hundred-year anniversary this summer, the state-run China Daily announced the beginning of what it called the Edgar Snow Newsroom of the New Era. All the employees will be foreigners. In June, the English-language China Daily wrote the aim of this newsroom is to present a true look at China and all the points of view of the country. For Human Rights Watch researcher Yaqiu Wang, that means disinformation. VOA made several attempts to talk with a representative of China Daily, but all messages were not answered. Media plan As Beijing uses the story of Snow, foreign reporters are being sent home or finding their abilities to report limited. Political experts and reporters who cover China see the Edgar Snow Newsroom as representative of Beijings efforts to control foreign coverage and influence public opinion. Julia Bergin is co-writer of two reports on Chinas international media influence for the International Federal of Journalists (or IFJ). She believes the newsroom could be used to force foreign news media to depend on content from Chinese state-run outlets at a time when it is harder for reporters to get visas to work in China. IFJ research found China has developed content sharing agreements with many international outlets to export favorable coverage. It has invested in equipment and recording spaces for overseas newsrooms. It runs exchanges and training programs, often granting places in those programs to journalists from countries that have weaker relations with the West. Cedric Alviani is head of the East Asia division at Reporters Without Borders. He agrees, and he says that China has such a large propaganda machine that it does not need foreign reporters. He says China sees them as unwanted observers and that is why it has started to make them leave. Over 12 American journalists have been for forced to leave China recently. China restricted entry to journalists after the Trump administration reduced the number of Chinese employees at five state-controlled media organizations in the U.S. Liu Pengyu is a spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Washington. He told VOA by message that the country welcomes foreign media. Pengyu said that if journalists follow the law while reporting, there is no need to worry. However, he said China opposes any ideological beliefs that are against the country, any fake news under the so-called freedom of the press, and any behavior that violates the professional guide of journalism. Rebecca MacKinnon was the head of CNNs Beijing office from 1998 to 2001. She believes an Edgar Snow Newsroom carries large propaganda value within China. She said by attaching Snows name to the newsroom, the state is telling the Chinese population what sort of journalist to talk to. Reporting restrictions In Snows time, he had access that foreign reporters today say is no longer possible. Even finding Chinese citizens willing to talk to the foreign press is difficult. One international journalist who did not want to be identified said it used to be easy to talk to anyone, even on some sensitive subjects. The journalist said, And there was a willingness to talk to foreign media, which has ... gotten worse and worse, by the day. Im Gregory Stachel. Liam Scott reported this story for Voice of America. Gregory Stachel adapted it for VOA Learning English. Susan Shand was the editor. ___________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story era n. a period of time that is associated with a particular quality, event, or person journalism n. the activity or job of collecting, writing, and editing news stories for newspapers, magazines, television, or radio disinformation n. false information that is given to people in order to make them believe something or to hide the truth ideological n. the set of ideas and beliefs of a group or political party access n. permission or the right to enter, get near, or make use of something or to have contact with someone sensitive adj. needing to be handled in a careful or secret way in order to protect someone or something assumption n. something that is believed to be true or probably true but that is not known to be true: something that is assumed All told, making catch-up contributions in your 401(k) could, in this scenario, leave you $90,000 richer in retirement. That's not a small amount of money. Now to be fair, the impact of catch-up contributions in an IRA is less significant, since IRA catch-ups max out at $1,000. This isn't to say that you shouldn't still try to make them, but they will have less of an effect on your total savings. But if you have a 401(k), then it really pays to push yourself to make those $6,500 catch-ups, especially if you feel you're behind on savings. Keep in mind, too, that catch-up contribution limits can also change over time. And if they increase, you'll have even more opportunity to save. If you're nearing the end of your career with a heaping pile of savings, then you may not need to worry about catch-up contributions. But if your savings could use a boost, then it pays to eke out that extra money. Doing so could spell the difference between grappling with financial stress in retirement or having a much easier time covering your expenses. The $16,728 Social Security bonus most retirees completely overlook A Central Coast water board will charge more than $23,000 to investigate contaminants linked to health problems from a site located at the Santa Maria Public Airport. The Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board estimated it will require 120 hours and cost $23,400 to investigate polyfluoroalkys, also known as perfluorinated alkylated substances, or PFAS, located at Santa Maria Public Airport, according to a July 30 letter sent to the Santa Maria Public Airport District. The costs reflect those incurred for the investigation between July 1, 2021, and June 30, 2022, according to the letter. A report produced by a third party for the Water Board in June 2020 showed that PFAS chemicals were detected at multiple sites at the airport. The substances are contained in aqueous film-forming foam, which is stored on-site at the airport and is used by the Santa Maria Fire Department to put out aircraft fuel fires. Firefighting chemical investigation at Santa Maria airport expanded A Central Coast water board on Friday expanded an investigation at the Santa Maria Public Airport to determine how significantly firefighting chemicals have contaminated the soil, and whether groundwater has been impacted. The California Water Resources Control Board began investigating whether PFAS contaminated groundwater and soil at all commercial airports in the state due to chemicals in the foam, which is still certified for use, according to Chris Hastert, general manager of the Santa Maria Public Airport. Money for the investigation was budgeted, he added. "The results at our airport so far are comparatively low due to very few activities resulting in the use of [aqueous film-forming foam] at our facility," Hastert said, adding larger airports may not fare so well. The Water Board cited Section 13365 of the California Water Code, which allows it to recover costs for an investigation involving release of hazardous substances. An invoice specifying which employees, or how many, will be performing cleanup work was not attached to the letter, although costs can run as much as $195 an hour per employee. Staff hours are calculated by the State Accounting System, according to the letter. Robert Nichols is the state senator for Senate District 3. First elected in 2006, Nichols represents 19 counties, including much of East Texas and part of Montgomery County. He can be reached at 699-4988 or toll-free at (800) 959-8633. His email address is robert.nichols@senate.texas.gov. According to White House estimates, Wisconsin is expected, over a five-year period, to receive $5.2 billion for federal-aid highway apportioned programs and $225 million for bridge replacement and repairs under the plan. The state could also compete for additional bridge repair funding. The plan would allocate an expected $595 million over five years for Wisconsin to improve its public transportation options, along with $79 million to build an expanded network of electric vehicle charging stations throughout the state. The bill also includes funding to expand high-speed internet access, both in rural and in more populated areas where broadband is available but not affordable. Wisconsin will receive a minimum of $100 million to expand broadband access to the at least 318,000 Wisconsinites who lack it. In addition to that funding, an estimated 1.2 million Wisconsin residents would be eligible for funds that would help low-income families afford internet access. Despite not yet signing up members, the center is already finding a following. Chanida Chitbundid, who stopped by the center on Wednesday to get help fixing a sagging basket, said its the first place she found where she could fix her bike on her budget. An international student from Thailand working on a Ph.D at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, shed received a petite purple hand-me-down bike from a friend three years ago, but many parts had since broken. Before the pandemic, she mostly took the bus, but now biking seemed safer, and she needed to get it road ready again. Im glad that I found this shop because I kept searching around and it cost too much for students, Chitbundid said, explaining that she paid less than half of what shed have paid elsewhere. Its a typical story, Schmitt said: For many people, including those who are students, earn a low income or lack stable housing, bike services are often out of reach. That, he said, is exactly why the center exists. Bikes should be for everybody. Theres no reason why they should be the realm of the affluent. Memberships coming soon Need help with rent? Renters with household incomes of 80% or less of the area's median income can get up to 12 months of back rent paid through the current Madison and Dane County rental assistance program, known as Dane CORE. More information and an online application can be found at core.tenantresourcecenter.org. A program run by Urban Triage for Dane County tenants outside of the city of Madison is expected to launch in September. More information can be found at urbantriage.org. Madison is expected to a launch a program for its residents around the same time. Wisconsin DNR staff have recommended a fall hunt quota of 130 wolves. In fact, without significant reductions to account for overharvest in the February hunt and other factors, the departments proposed quota is likely to result in a further de-stabilizing of our remaining wolf population. This would feed the argument for once again re-listing wolves under the Endangered Species Act. We sincerely hope the Natural Resources Board does not allow that to occur. Given the significant uncertainties resulting from the February 2021 hunt, there isnt a quota number for a fall wolf hunt that can be justified if we want to maintain stability of our wolf population. The models developed to predict our wolf population were simply not designed to account for the large and unprecedented hunt that occurred in February, in the middle of the wolf breeding season. Our spring assessment of the February hunt found that based upon existing research, we can reasonably expect a 25-40% decline in wolf production this year. We are now in completely uncharted territory. Our adjacent states of Minnesota and Michigan are not planning wolf hunts this year. Michigan with a wolf population of about 700 wolves has no immediate plans for a hunt. Minnesota with a population of about 2,800 wolves will not hold a hunt until a new state wolf plan is in place. I would like to suggest that retired Justice Michael Gableman reconsider his stated focus for the investigation of the 2020 election in Wisconsin and instead suggest these items be addressed: First, examine why election workers are being demonized. People throughout Wisconsin stepped up to work the polls and make our elections possible. Why have our election workers been the target of unsubstantiated attacks suggesting they somehow changed the results? Gableman should expose those attacks and the people behind them. Gableman should investigate why cities in Wisconsin did not received sufficient support and resources to conduct the 2020 elections. He should look into why cities needed private grants to ensure that all voters have the opportunity to cast a vote in a timely manner. He should address what level of possible funding is needed if we don't want to have private funding in the future. Finally, Gableman should investigate if former President Donald Trump or members of his administration contacted Wisconsin officials in an attempt to get the election results changed or to get the vote certification denied. This occurred in Georgia and in Arizona, and we deserve to know if it happened in Wisconsin. Local alert top story Layer of Idaho dirt you cant penetrate with a shovel? Heres how water gets through PROVIDED BY TRAVIS NIELSON Researcher Aida Mendieta investigates the dry soil. After swinging a sledgehammer, little boxes on spikes vibrate differently depending on the structure. In much of Southern Idaho, a cement-like layer of soil lies just below the surface. Though people have trouble getting through it, water somehow finds a way. By swinging sledgehammers and burying electrodes, Boise State University scientists discovered that water flows through on paths made by sagebrush roots paths that can prevent flooding and help mitigate wildfires by allowing sagebrush to survive. Though they long suspected these soil openings, researchers recently published their discovery in the soil-science journal Catena. Their work maps the areas hard soil layer, composed of calcium carbonate. Anyone who has tried to dig a fence post, I guarantee you, in Southern Idaho has encountered this (layer) and said, Gosh darn it, because its hard to dig through, said Jen Pierce, a geoscience professor at Boise State and an author of the study, in a phone interview. Calcium carbonate in dry soil is the same whitish stuff that appears in coffee pots or bathtub rings. When hard water, which is just water with calcium or magnesium in it, evaporates, it leaves behind minerals. Rain water picks up calcium on its way into or through the ground and leaves behind the calcium carbonate layer, also called caliche, when it evaporates. In areas with less than about 20 inches of rain per year, the soil is fairly dry, and calcium carbonate can form, Pierce said. If the soil is too moist, the minerals wash out with the water. Just as only the waters edge gets a chalky layer in the bathtub. PROVIDED BY TRAVIS NIELSON Researchers mapped the soil resistivity to figure out how water moves through the hard soil layer. Electrodes and sledgehammers When researchers noticed that some, but not all, of their underground soil moisture probes at a monitored site in Southwest Idaho didnt change much after a rainstorm, they suspected something unusual was happening. So they chose a low-elevation area of about 600 square feet and buried electrodes in the ground. When they ran a current through some of these probes, they could see the electrical response of the others. Based on this signal, researchers mapped whats called the soil resistivity. This value is very sensitive to the amount of water in the soil, Sebastian Uhlemann, a geophysicist at Lawrence Berkeley National Lab not involved in the study, told the Idaho Statesman. Its a little bit like medical imaging, just on the ground, he added. This method is also used to monitor areas for landslides. When soil on hills or mountains becomes too moist, the risk of a landslide increases, Uhlemann said. By monitoring the soil resistivity, an area may have advance warning of a disaster. After a rainstorm, researchers saw the soil resistivity change only in certain channels, which showed them the corridors water took through the hard calcium carbonate layer. To further investigate the soil structure, scientists also placed little boxes on spikes in a line, said Travis Nielson, another paper author, by phone. Researchers took turns swinging an 8-pound sledgehammer and letting the boxes vibrate up and down in response, he said. Though this part of the project was exhausting, you get used to it, Nielson said. Its like CrossFit, practically. Originally, researchers planned to simultaneously map soil structure at a higher elevation. After rodents chewed through their cables, though, they focused just on the caliche-relevant site, Nielson said. PROVIDED BY TRAVIS NIELSON Electrodes, placed in the flag locations, helped researchers discern the structure of the soil. Underneath the ground is a hard, calcium carbonate layer. CAPTURING CARBON IN THE SOIL Understanding soil structure helps scientists figure out how much carbon is trapped in the soil. Since carbon dioxide in the air causes climate change, we want more carbon in our soils and less carbon in our atmosphere, Pierce said. When calcium carbonate forms, it takes carbon dioxide from water that otherwise might end up in the air. This doesnt happen only in barren, dry soil. Farmers also trap carbon in irrigated systems, Pierce said. Since soil cant suck up all the carbon dioxide in the air, as Idaho experiences more droughts, pathways through the hard calcium carbonate layer might help sagebrush survive, Uhlemann said. Grasses such as cheatgrass compete with sagebrush for water in the top layer of soil. (Cheatgrass) is happy to take (the upper-soil water), green up, dry out and burn over and over again, Pierce said. If sagebrush survives or helps channel water to a depth grasses cant reach, wildfires may lose some of their fuel. Since cheatgrass thrives after a burning, fires breed more fires in an unfortunate cycle. When it does rain, pathways through the rocky deposit can prevent flooding by providing water a route through the soil, Uhlemann said. Soil flooding is a phenomenon that Matt Germino, a research ecologist at the U.S. Geological Survey, has seen in other areas where there arent pathways through the hard layer. He cautioned that there are some regions where the calcium carbonate layer is too tough for even plant roots to penetrate. So this research is not applicable to all sagebrush land. Still, evidence of soil channels at the site mapped by researchers is exciting, Germino said. Especially because it shows how sagebrush can access deeper water in some important locations. The sagebrush may need the soil layer to beat grasses to water, but the soil also needs sagebrush to prevent flooding. We always supposed that these root pathways were important, but (the study) proved that, Pierce said. Sadly, we are approaching a time in America during which our elected public officials will assault the liberties we have hired them to protect. Whatever the cause, the government will soon blame its failures to contain a virus on a small portion of the population and then impose restrictions on the inalienable rights of all of us. We cannot permit this to happen again. During the Civil War, when President Abraham Lincoln thought it expedient to silence those in the northern states who challenged his wartime decisions by incarcerating them in military prisons, he was rebuked afterward by a unanimous Supreme Court. The essence of the rebuke was that no matter the state of difficulties whether war or pestilence the Constitution protects our natural rights, and its provisions are to be upheld when they pinch as well as when they comfort, in good times and in bad. Whether COVID-19 is coming back or not, our central planners have panicked. We do not have a free market in the U.S. in the delivery of health care; rather, we have thousands of pages of statutes, regulations and controls at the federal, state and local levels. Only in the United States has the virus and the vaccine to combat it become so politicized along left-right lines. Great Britain has a conservative government, and its far more vaccinated than the United States 70% of the population with at least one dose, versus 58% in the U.S. Canada has a left-of-center government but the main criticism from the Conservative Party leader has been that the government of Justin Trudeau hasnt moved fast enough on vaccines. The provincial leader in Canada who has imposed the strictest lockdowns is also one of the most conservative Ontario Premier Doug Ford, who has often been called the Donald Trump of Canada. In fact, there are lots of countries with conservative governments that have better vaccination rates than the United States Singapore is at 76% of the total population, Chile is at 73%, Norway is at 67%, Israel is at 64%. Its worth asking why American conservatives more precisely, only some American conservatives are so out of step. After a while, if you see conservative parties around the world taking strong actions to combat the virus and push vaccines, then we must conclude those American conservatives such as Good who do not are not really conservatives at all, but something else. Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain Inspired by the sticky substance that barnacles use to cling to rocks, MIT engineers have designed a strong, biocompatible glue that can seal injured tissues and stop bleeding. The new paste can adhere to surfaces even when they are covered with blood, and can form a tight seal within about 15 seconds of application. Such a glue could offer a much more effective way to treat traumatic injuries and to help control bleeding during surgery, the researchers say. "We are solving an adhesion problem in a challenging environment, which is this wet, dynamic environment of human tissues. At the same time, we are trying to translate this fundamental knowledge into real products that can save lives," says Xuanhe Zhao, a professor of mechanical engineering and civil and environmental engineering at MIT and one of the senior authors of the study. Christoph Nabzdyk, a cardiac anesthesiologist and critical care physician at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, is also a senior author of the paper, which appears today in Nature Biomedical Engineering. MIT Research Scientist Hyunwoo Yuk and postdoc Jingjing Wu are the lead authors of the study. Natural inspiration Finding ways to stop bleeding is a longstanding problem that has not been adequately solved, Zhao says. Sutures are commonly used to seal wounds, but putting stitches in place is a time-consuming process that usually isn't possible for first responders to perform during an emergency situation. Among members of the military, blood loss is the leading cause of death following a traumatic injury, and among the general population, it is the second leading cause of death following a traumatic injury. In recent years, some materials that can halt bleeding, also called hemostatic agents, have become commercially available. Many of these consist of patches that contain clotting factors, which help blood to clot on its own. However, these require several minutes to form a seal and don't always work on wounds that are bleeding profusely. Zhao's lab has been working to address this problem for several years. In 2019, his team developed a double-sided tissue tape and showed that it could be used to close surgical incisions. This tape, inspired by the sticky material that spiders use to capture their prey in wet conditions, includes charged polysaccharides that can absorb water from a surface almost instantaneously, clearing off a small dry patch that the glue can adhere to. For their new tissue glue, the researchers once again drew inspiration from the natural world. This time, they focused their attention on the barnacle, a small crustacean that attaches itself to rocks, ship hulls, and even other animals such as whales. These surfaces are wet and often dirtyconditions that make adhesion difficult. "This caught our eye," Yuk says. "It's very interesting because to seal bleeding tissues, you have to fight with not only wetness but also the contamination from this outcoming blood. We found that this creature living in a marine environment is doing exactly the same thing that we have to do to deal with complicated bleeding issues." The researchers' analysis of barnacle glue revealed that it has a unique composition. The sticky protein molecules that help barnacles attach to surfaces are suspended in an oil that repels water and any contaminants found on the surface, allowing the adhesive proteins to attach firmly to the surface. The MIT team decided to try to mimic this glue by adapting an adhesive they had previously developed. This sticky material consists of a polymer called poly(acrylic acid) embedded with an organic compound called an NHS ester, which provides adhesion, and chitosan, a sugar that strengthens the material. The researchers froze sheets of this material, ground it into microparticles, and then suspended those particles in medical grade silicone oil. When the resulting paste is applied to a wet surface such as blood-covered tissue, the oil repels the blood and other substances that may be present, allowing the adhesive microparticles to crosslink and form a tight seal over the wound. Within 15 to 30 seconds of applying the glue, with gentle pressure applied, the glue sets and bleeding stops, the researchers showed in tests in rats. One advantage of this new material over the double-sided tape the researchers designed in 2019 is that the paste can be molded to fit irregular wounds, while tape could be better suited to sealing surgical incisions or attaching medical devices to tissues, the researchers say. "The moldable paste can flow in and fit any irregular shape and seal it," Wu says. "This gives freedom to the users to adapt it to irregular-shaped bleeding wounds of all kinds." Better bleeding control In tests in pigs, Nabzdyk and his colleagues at the Mayo Clinic found that the glue was able to rapidly stop bleeding in the liver, and it worked much faster and more effectively than the commercially available hemostatic agents that they compared it to. It even worked when strong blood thinners (heparin) were given to the pigs so that the blood did not form clots spontaneously. Their studies showed that the seal remains intact for several weeks, giving the tissue below time to heal itself, and that the glue induced little inflammation, similar to that produced by currently used hemostatic agents. The glue is slowly resorbed within the body over months, and it can also be removed earlier by applying a solution that dissolves it, if surgeons need to go in after the initial application to repair the wound. The researchers now plan to test the glue on larger wounds, which they hope will demonstrate that the glue would be useful to treat traumatic injuries. They also envision that it could be useful during surgical procedures, which often require surgeons to spend a great deal of time controlling bleeding. "We're technically capable of carrying out a lot of complicated surgeries, but we haven't really advanced as fast in the ability to control especially severe bleeding expeditiously," Nabzdyk says. Another possible application would be to help stop bleeding that occurs in patients who have plastic tubes inserted into their blood vessels, such as those used for arterial or central venous catheters or for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). During ECMO, a machine is used to pump the patient's blood outside of the body to oxygenate it. It is used to treat people with profound heart or lung failure. Tubes often remain inserted for weeks or months, and bleeding at the sites of insertion can lead to infection. More information: Rapid and coagulation-independent haemostatic sealing by a paste inspired by barnacle glue, Nature Biomedical Engineering (2021). www.nature.com/articles/s41551-021-00769-y Journal information: Nature Biomedical Engineering Rapid and coagulation-independent haemostatic sealing by a paste inspired by barnacle glue,(2021). DOI: 10.1038/s41551-021-00769-y In this June 8, 2021, file photo, a car heads into the U.S. from Canada at the Peace Arch border crossing in Blaine, Wash. Canada is lifting its prohibition Monday, Aug. 9, on Americans crossing the border to shop, vacation or visit, but the United States is keeping similar restrictions in place for Canadians. The reopening Monday is part of a bumpy return to normalcy from COVID-19 travel bans. Credit: AP Photo/Elaine Thompson, File Canada on Monday is lifting its prohibition on Americans crossing the border to shop, vacation or visit, but the United States is keeping similar restrictions in place for Canadians, part of a bumpy return to normalcy from COVID-19 travel bans. U.S. citizens and legal permanent residents must be both fully vaccinated and test negative for COVID-19 within three days to get across one of the world's longest and busiest land borders. Travelers also must fill out a detailed on application on the arriveCAN app before crossing. Even though travelers have to register, the Canada Border Services Agency won't say how many people they are expecting to enter Canada for the reopening. But travelers should plan for the possibility of additional processing time at the border. "CBSA will not compromise the health and safety of Canadians for the sake of border wait times," agency spokeswoman Rebecca Purdy said in a statement. While the Canada Border Services Agency won't say how many people it's expecting, Garnet Health, an Essex, Vermont-based company that offers same-day COVID-19 testing, has seen the number of tests it performs more than triple in recent weeks. The increase coincides with Canada's decision last month to drop a two-week quarantine requirement for its citizens when they return home from the U.S. "I imagine once that border opens, we are going to see lots of people," said Chelsea Sweeney, the company's director of business development. The U.S.-Canada border has been closed to nonessential travel since March 2020 to try to slow the spread of the coronavirus. The U.S. has said it will extend its closure to all Canadians making nonessential trips until at least Aug. 21, which also applies to the Mexican border. But the Biden administration is beginning to make plans for a phased reopening. The main requirement would be that nearly all foreign visitors to the U.S. will have to be vaccinated against the coronavirus. But Canadians aren't waiting for reciprocal rules. Joel Villanueva, owner of Primo's Mexican Grill in White Rock, British Columbia, about 2.5 miles (4 kilometers) north of the U.S. border, is more than ready for Americans to return. In this June 8, 2021, file photo, a car approaches one of the few lanes open at the Peace Arch border crossing into the U.S. in Blaine, Wash. Canada is lifting its prohibition Monday, Aug. 9 on Americans crossing the border to shop, vacation or visit, but the United States is keeping similar restrictions in place for Canadians. The reopening is part of a bumpy return to normalcy from COVID-19 travel bans. Credit: AP Photo/Elaine Thompson, File "Let's get this thing going," he said. "A lot of our customers are from the United States, and we are literally minutes from across the border. We welcome our Americans, and we depend on their foot traffic." Villanueva said he supports people coming who are fully vaccinated and doesn't think there will be a rush of Americans initially. But if his restaurant and dozens of others along the waterfront could fill some tables with U.S. visitors every day for the rest of the summer, it would be a big financial boost, he said. Near the border in Washington state, Blaine Chamber of Commerce board member Carroll Solomon called the reopening a step in the right direction for businesses. But she also said it was somewhat concerning because of an increase in COVID-19 cases nationwide as the highly contagious delta variant spreads. "For people who need to get up there (to Canada) for family reasons, it's wonderful," said Solomon, who also volunteers at the Blaine Visitor Information Center. With all the hoops people need to jump throughbeing fully vaccinated, getting tested for COVID-19 and uploading that information to an appshe doesn't think that people will be going to Canada for many day trips. "I have a lot of friends on the Canadian side and would love to go have lunch with somebody, but you can't just do that; you have to plan days in advance to make sure you can get through," Solomon said. It's going to be an event for the Blaine area when Canadians can come down on a regular basis, she said. As far as returning to the United States from Canada, U.S. Customs and Border Protection spokesman Jason Givens said there's no requirement to show proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test. "CBP officers have been processing essential travel throughout the pandemic and remain ready and able to process American citizens and permanent residents returning from Canada," Givens said by email. Steve Blake, who lives in Stanstead, Quebec, just across the border from Derby Line, Vermont, is hoping his siblings living in the United States will be able to visit Canada soon so they can hold a memorial service for their mother who died in early 2020, just before the pandemic closed the border. But given the requirements, he doesn't know how quickly that will happen. "I'd like it to be sooner rather than later," he said. Explore further Fully vaccinated Canadians exempt from quarantine in July 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Credit: CC0 Public Domain Crowding in prisons dramatically increases the risk for COVID-19 infections among inmates, according to a new study by researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH). The authors of the study, published in JAMA Internal Medicine, argue that policy changes are necessary to protect the vulnerable population of incarcerated men and women. Earlier studies found that the incidence of COVID-19 infection is significantly higher in prisons than in the general population, but the degree to which crowding contributed to the problem was unknown. The senior author of the JAMA Internal Medicine study, MGH infectious diseases physician Amir Mohareb, MD, has worked on a pro bono basis with several advocacy groups working to ensure that infection control measures are implemented in prisons during the coronavirus pandemic. One group he advised, Prisoners' Legal Services of Massachusetts, was suing the state's Department of Correction over its practices. Mohareb and his colleagues analyzed a trove of data in Massachusetts that allowed them to examine more closely what's driving the high incidence of COVID-19 in prisons. One element the data lacked was detailed information about each individual inmate who became ill, which would have allowed Mohareb and his team to study the characteristics of who got COVID-19 and who didn't. However, they had other critical data, including weekly reports on the number of positive COVID-19 tests at 14 Massachusetts state prisons, the population of each prison, and the number of inmates the facility was designed to hold (known as design capacity). "So we asked, What are characteristics of these facilities that might lead to more COVID-19 transmission?" says Mohareb, who is also a researcher at MGH's Medical Practice Evaluation Center. Their analysis found that crowding at the facilities varied greatly during the observation period, with the population at some dropping as low as 25 percent of design capacity, while others were extremely crowded, reaching up to 155 percent of design capacity. Mohareb and his colleagues found that as facilities became more crowded, the threat to inmates rose: Every increase of 10 percentage points in a prison population relative to the facility's design capacity raised the risk of getting infected with COVID-19 by 14 percent. As Mohareb notes, that means a facility doesn't have to be exceeding its design capacity to increase the danger for inmates, since a prison that's operating at 80 percent capacity is riskier than one at 70 percent capacity. "We may need to have stricter thresholds for where we draw the line on how crowded a facility can be," he says. To study the effect of crowding another way, Mohareb's team calculated the percentage of inmates in each prison who were housed in single cells during each week of the observation period. They found that every 10-percentage-point increase in the proportion of inmates living in single cells reduced the risk of COVID-19 infection in that prison by 18 percent. Similar to other studies, this investigation found that inmates in prisons have a significantly greater riskmore than sixfoldfor becoming infected with COVID-19 compared to the general public. But in a novel finding, Mohareb and colleagues showed that infection rates in prisons tended to reflect those of their surrounding communities. "We found a very close association," says Mohareb. When numbers of COVID-19 cases were low in Massachusetts during the summer of 2020, they tended to be low in prisons, too. And as numbers spiked in many communities late last year, they also soared in local prisons. "Prisons are intricately linked to their surrounding communities," says Mohareb, noting that greater attention to infection control (through vaccination and routine testing) among guards, support staff, vendors, and others who come and go from these facilities is essential. While COVID-19 vaccination became available to inmates in Massachusetts state prisons earlier this year, it is optional; what's more, news reports indicate that a significant portion of prison workers remain unvaccinated. Mohareb and his coauthors argue that policymakers should strongly consider decarcerationreleasing prisoners deemed to be at low risk for reoffendingas a way to lower the risk for COVID-19 in prisons. "It was the almost universal opinion of experts in public health, infectious disease and epidemiology from the start of the pandemic that prisons were going to be places of immense suffering unless inmates were released in a coordinated manner," says Mohareb. "And that really didn't happen." Explore further Some prisons highly successful in vaccinating inmates More information: Association Between Prison Crowding and COVID-19 Incidence Rates in Massachusetts Prisons, April 2020-January 2021, JAMA Internal Medicine (2021). Journal information: JAMA Internal Medicine Association Between Prison Crowding and COVID-19 Incidence Rates in Massachusetts Prisons, April 2020-January 2021,(2021). DOI: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2021.4392 (HealthDay)Vaccination is the best way parents can protect the health of kids 12 and older during the COVID-19 pandemic, the American Academy of Pediatrics says. AAP offers a checklist to prepare older kids and teens for the shot. To begin, tell their health care provider you're planning to have your child vaccinated against COVID. Ask questions and outline any concerns. Your child should be up to date on all routine immunizations. If not, make an appointment to get caught up. Once that's done, your child can immediately get a COVID-19 shot. To find a local vaccination site, go to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's VaccineFinder. Or text GETVAX (438829) or VACUNA for Spanish (822862) to receive three vaccine sites on your phone within seconds. You can call the National COVID-19 Vaccination Assistance Hotline at 800-232-0233. Be sure the vaccine being given at your preferred location is Pfizerthe only currently authorized vaccine in the U.S. for 12- to 17-year-olds. There are no approved vaccines for kids under 12. After your child receives their first dose, schedule the second dose. Keep the paper vaccination card you receive after your child is vaccinated. Take a photo of it or copy it and keep everything in a safe place. Don't laminate the vaccination card, in case more information needs to be added. To avoid identity theft risk, don't share a photo of the card on social media. After the second vaccine dose, send a copy of the card to your pediatrician's office so it can be added to your child's medical record. You may also need to provide a copy to your child's school or college health office. Your child is considered fully vaccinated two weeks after the second shot. At that point, they can return to group activities such as sports, choir, plays and parties, and you'll know they're fully protected. More information: The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more on The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more on COVID-19 vaccines for children and teens Copyright 2021 HealthDay. All rights reserved. Credit: CC0 Public Domain While much of the discussion about internet usage and abusage focuses on young people and in particular the so-called "digital natives", those people born after the internet and more specifically the world wide web had become commonplace, there is a growing and aging population of frequent and experienced users who benefit considerably from access to online resources just as much as the youngsters. Research conducted in The Philippines and published in the International Journal of Web Based Communities discusses the use of online communities by the "silver surfer" generation and the gaps and opportunities that exist. Ryan Ebardo and Merlin Suarez of De La Salle University in Manila, explain how "Older adults are thriving online and it is paramount for research to present the recent directions of scholarly works to depict the everyday digital lives of this specific social cluster." The team has carried out a systematic review of the pertinent research literature and identified twenty important papers that could be used to glean insights into the motivations of older internet users as well as to ascertain what problems they are facing if any and what prospects might exist for improving their online experiences. The team found that the prime movers among older internet users to join online communities and to be active in those communities are engagement and enjoyment, there are also known cognitive benefits. Fundamentally, the team has found that "online communities are living spaces where older adults interact, socialize and acquire support." The team adds that not only might a more systematic study of the use of online communities by older people help guide other members of digital society it could also feed into studies of older people at different stages of their livesretirement, in assisted living, through partner bereavement and other life-changing states. "In studying the impact of online communities based on social media on older adults, society will be more attuned to the complexities brought forth by late life," the team concludes. Explore further New research reveals why older Australians shy away from taking selfies More information: Ryan A. Ebardo et al, Older adults and online communities: recent findings, gaps and opportunities, International Journal of Web Based Communities (2021). Ryan A. Ebardo et al, Older adults and online communities: recent findings, gaps and opportunities,(2021). DOI: 10.1504/IJWBC.2021.116598 Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain A large-scale study provides further evidence that being overweight causes depression and lowers wellbeing and indicates both social and physical factors may play a role in the effect. With one in four adults estimated to be obese in the UK, and growing numbers of children affected, obesity is a global health challenge. While the dangers of being obese on physical health is well known, researchers are now discovering that being overweight can also have a significant impact on mental health. The new study, published in Human Molecular Genetics, sought to investigate why a body of evidence now indicates that higher BMI causes depression. The team used genetic analysis, known as Mendelian Randomisation, to examine whether the causal link is the result of psychosocial pathways, such as societal influences and social stigma, or physical pathways, such as metabolic conditions linked to higher BMI. Such conditions include high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. In research led by the University of Exeter and funded by the Academy of Medical Sciences, the team examined genetic data from more than 145,000 participants from the UK Biobank with detailed mental health data available. In a multifaceted study, the researchers analyzed genetic variants linked to higher BMI, as well as outcomes from a clinically-relevant mental health questionnaire designed to assess levels of depression, anxiety and wellbeing. To examine which pathways may be active in causing depression in people with higher BMI, the team also interrogated two sets of previously discovered genetic variants. One set of genes makes people fatter, yet metabolically healthier, meaning they were less likely to develop conditions linked to higher BMI, such as high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes. The second set of genes analyzed make people fatter and metabolically unhealthy, or more prone to such conditions. The team found little difference between the two sets of genetic variants, indicating that both physical and social factors play a role in higher rates of depression and poorer wellbeing. Lead author Jess O'Loughlin, at the University of Exeter Medical School, said: "Obesity and depression are both major global health challenges, and our study provides the most robust evidence to date that higher BMI causes depression. Understanding whether physical or social factors are responsible for this relationship can help inform effective strategies to improve mental health and wellbeing. Our research suggests that being fatter leads to a higher risk of depression, regardless of the role of metabolic health. This suggests that both physical health and social factors, such as social stigma, both play a role in the relationship between obesity and depression." Lead author Dr. Francesco Casanova, of the University of Exeter Medical School, said, "This is a robust study, made possible by the quality of UK Biobank data. Our research adds to a body of evidence that being overweight causes depression. Finding ways to support people to lose weight could benefit their mental health as well as their physical health." The study, titled "Higher adiposity and mental health: causal inference using Mendelian Randomisation," is published in Human Molecular Genetics. Explore further Defying body clock linked to depression and lower wellbeing More information: Francesco Casanova et al, Higher adiposity and mental health: Causal inference using Mendelian randomisation, Human Molecular Genetics (2021). Journal information: Human Molecular Genetics Francesco Casanova et al, Higher adiposity and mental health: Causal inference using Mendelian randomisation,(2021). DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddab204 Credit: CC0 Public Domain A new study published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ) sheds light on the impact of COVID-19 on ethnocultural community members living in vulnerable circumstances. Researchers from the University of Alberta and the Multicultural Health Brokers Cooperative (MHBC) community health workers of immigrant and refugee backgrounds serving diverse ethnocultural communities in Edmonton, Alberta collaborated during the fall of 2020 to collect 773 stories of the impacts of COVID-19 and the efforts to mitigate it. "We sought to understand how the challenges of COVID-19 are entangled with contextual factors at multiple levels, how families and communities are leveraging strengths and social capital to adapt, and the role of cultural brokers in managing the crisis," write co-leads Yvonne Chiu, co-executive director of MHBC, and Denise Campbell-Scherer, University of Alberta professor of family medicine, with coauthors. The team found that COVID-19 destabilized family units and made it more time-consuming and resource-intensive for people to support their families. For many, finding appropriate information and support to help manage the impacts of the pandemic was also a major challenge. Financial, food and housing insecurity; precarious employment; job loss; lack of sick leave to allow self-isolation; low English literacy and other factors intensified the negative effects of COVID-19. "The surge of COVID-19 in ethnocultural communities across North America, and the pandemic's destabilizing effect on health care systems, has highlighted the systemic structures that result in poorer health in ethnocultural communities," write the authors. The study also shows how families and communities have leveraged strengths and social capital to adapt and highlight the important role of community health workers in helping people navigate health and social care systems. "Cultural brokering and community social capital were key supports for people in [the COVID-19] crisis, and our findings can support policy and interventions that may reduce harm and support community resiliency," the authors conclude. "Illuminating and mitigating the evolving impacts of COVID-19 on ethnocultural communities: a participatory action mixed-methods study" is published August 9, 2021. Explore further How caring for children can help Aboriginal Elders during lockdown More information: Denise Campbell-Scherer et al, Illuminating and mitigating the evolving impacts of COVID-19 on ethnocultural communities: a participatory action mixed-methods study, Canadian Medical Association Journal (2021). Journal information: Canadian Medical Association Journal Denise Campbell-Scherer et al, Illuminating and mitigating the evolving impacts of COVID-19 on ethnocultural communities: a participatory action mixed-methods study,(2021). DOI: 10.1503/cmaj.210131 Using microwave sensing technology, UBCO researchers have developed a low-cost, contactless, portable and reusable microwave sensor that acts as a fast and reliable evaluation tool for measuring antibiotic resistance. Credit: UBC Okanagan UBC researchers have developed a method for monitoring bacterial responses to antibiotics in health-care settings that opens the door to personalized antibiotic therapy for patients. Using microwave sensing technology, UBC Okanagan Assistant Professor Mohammad Zarifi and his team at the Okanagan Microelectronics and Gigahertz Applications (OMEGA) Lab have developed a low-cost, contactless, portable and reusable microwave sensor that acts as a fast and reliable evaluation tool for measuring antibiotic resistance. According to the World Health Organization, over-prescription of antibiotics has led to growing resistance of bacteria towards drug treatments. As a result, the newly evolved "superbugs" have put a large strain on health-care systems globally, says Zarifi. This newly developed sensor aims to combat the drawbacks of the current Antibiotic Susceptibility Test (AST), as it reduces the time and cost taken to conduct the test, while increasing the portability for AST to be used in remote regions. "Many types of bacteria are continuously evolving to develop resistance to antibiotics. This is a pressing issue for hospitals around the globe, while sensor and diagnosis technology has been slow to adapt," explains Zarifi, who teaches at the School of Engineering. Existing AST practices are expensive and can take up to 48 hours to process results. "Longer wait times can significantly delay the treatments patients receive, which can lead to further medical complications or even fatalities. This method showcases the requirement for a reliable, rapid and cost-effective detection tool,"' he says. The new sensor, developed by the UBC team, can differentiate bacterial growth variations before any visible cues are evident. Therefore, the dosage or type of antibiotics can be fine-tuned to combat the specific bacterial infection. In the next phase of development, the OMEGA lab aims to integrate artificial intelligence algorithms with this sensing device to develop smart sensors, which would be a big leap towards personalized antibiotic therapy. "Our ultimate goal is to reduce inappropriate usage of antibiotics and enhance quality of care for the patients," says Zarifi. "The more quality tools like this that health-care practitioners have at their disposal, the greater their ability to combat bacteria and viruses." This research has been published in Nature Scientific Reports with financial and instrumental support from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Council of Canada, the Canada Foundation for Innovation and CMC Microsystems. Explore further Researchers develop tool for speedy diagnosis of bacterial infections More information: Mandeep Chhajer Jain et al, Rapid and real-time monitoring of bacterial growth against antibiotics in solid growth medium using a contactless planar microwave resonator sensor, Scientific Reports (2021). Journal information: Scientific Reports Mandeep Chhajer Jain et al, Rapid and real-time monitoring of bacterial growth against antibiotics in solid growth medium using a contactless planar microwave resonator sensor,(2021). DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-94139-y Association between greater amounts of sedentary digital media use during preadolescence (mean age = 11 y) and the risk of being overweight in adolescence (mean age = 14 y) among all participants, and by their LTPA levels during preadolescence. Results from binary logistic regression (n = 4661). LTPA levels: low, 0 to 5 hours per week; moderate, 6 to 8 hours per week; high, 9 to 10 hours per week. (A) Adjusted for baseline BMIz. (B) Adjusted for maternal SES; baseline BMIz, sleep duration, and eating habits (and LTPA in all children); and follow-up digital media use and LTPA. BMIz indicates body mass index z score; CI, confidence interval; LTPA, leisure-time physical activity; OR, odds ratio; SES, socioeconomic status. Credit: DOI: 10.1123/jpah.2021-0163 Children's heavy digital media use is associated with a risk of being overweight later in adolescence. Physical activity protects children from the adverse effects of digital media on their weight later in adolescence. A recently completed study shows that six hours of leisure-time physical activity per week at the age of 11 reduces the risk of being overweight at 14 years of age associated with heavy use of digital media. Obesity in children and adolescents is one of the most significant health-related challenges globally. A study carried out by the Folkhalsan Research Center and the University of Helsinki investigated whether a link exists between the digital media use of Finnish school-age children and the risk of being overweight later in adolescence. In addition, the study looked into whether children's physical activity has an effect on this potential link. The results were published in the Journal of Physical Activity and Health. More than six hours of physical activity per week appears to reverse adverse effects of screen time The study involved 4,661 children from the Finnish Health in Teens (Fin-HIT) study. The participating children reported how much time they spent on sedentary digital media use and physical activity outside school hours. The study demonstrated that heavy use of digital media at 11 years of age was associated with a heightened risk of being overweight at 14 years of age in children who reported engaging in under six hours per week of physical activity in their leisure time. In children who reported being physically active for six or more hours per week, such a link was not observed. The study also took into account other factors potentially impacting obesity, such as childhood eating habits and the amount of sleep, as well as the amount of digital media use and physical activity in adolescence. In spite of the confounding factors, the protective role of childhood physical activity in the connection between digital media use in childhood and being overweight later in life was successfully confirmed. Activity according to recommendations "The effect of physical activity on the association between digital media use and being overweight has not been extensively investigated in follow-up studies so far," says Postdoctoral Researcher Elina Engberg. Further research is needed to determine in more detail how much sedentary digital media use increases the risk of being overweight, and how much physical activity is needed, and at what intensity, to ward off such a risk. In this study, the amount of physical activity and use of digital media was reported by the children themselves, and the level of their activity was not surveyed, so there is a need for further studies. "A good rule of thumb is to adhere to the physical activity guidelines for children and adolescents, according to which school-aged children and adolescents should be physically active in a versatile, brisk and strenuous manner for at least 60 minutes a day in a way that suits the individual, considering their age," says Engberg. In addition, excessive and extended sedentary activity should be avoided. Explore further Abundant screen time linked with overweight among children More information: Elina Engberg et al, Physical Activity Among Preadolescents Modifies the Long-Term Association Between Sedentary Time Spent Using Digital Media and the Increased Risk of Being Overweight, Journal of Physical Activity and Health (2021). Journal information: Journal of Physical Activity and Health Elina Engberg et al, Physical Activity Among Preadolescents Modifies the Long-Term Association Between Sedentary Time Spent Using Digital Media and the Increased Risk of Being Overweight,(2021). DOI: 10.1123/jpah.2021-0163 Graphical abstract. Credit: DOI: 10.1038/s41589-021-00803-9 Findings from a University of Kentucky College of Medicine study could lead to a new way to combat the bacteria responsible for tooth decay. The research led by Natalia Korotkova, assistant professor in the UK Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, identified a potential therapeutic target in Streptococcus mutans, bacteria that lives in the mouth and causes tooth decay. "The findings could be promising to the development of a therapy that could prevent cavities by specifically targeting S. mutans," Korotkova said. Current methods for reducing plaque including mechanical cleansing, mouthwashes and conventional antibiotics have limited effects against already-established colonies of the bacteria, says Korotkova. In addition, they can also kill healthy, beneficial oral bacteria. Korotkova's team identified polysaccharide decorations in the cell wall of S. mutans that are necessary for the bacteria to divide correctly and reproduce, which makes the enzymes that make them attractive targets for future drug development. Korotkova says understanding how cell wall polysaccharides regulate bacterial cell division is also helping to answer a long-standing fundamental question in microbiology: How do bacteria maintain their exact shape? "The findings will open new venues for investigation of the factors controlling cell morphology in other bacteria and development of the approaches to manipulate it," Korotkova said. Study results were published in the August 2021 edition of Nature Chemical Biology. Explore further Research identifies potential target for strep A vaccine More information: Svetlana Zamakhaeva et al, Modification of cell wall polysaccharide guides cell division in Streptococcus mutans, Nature Chemical Biology (2021). Journal information: Nature Chemical Biology Svetlana Zamakhaeva et al, Modification of cell wall polysaccharide guides cell division in Streptococcus mutans,(2021). DOI: 10.1038/s41589-021-00803-9 Experimental and bioinformatics workflow (A) and comparison between viral abundance estimated with direct extraction from plasma and the protocol involving initial high centrifugation (B). Main steps at panel (A) are marked in bold (See details in Methods section). For panel (B), comparison of normalized data was achieved by transforming total reads for each specific taxonomic group into abundance, which was obtained with Centrifuge using an Estimation-Maximization algorithm31 (See details in Methods section). For clarity, abundance 104 was represented in log scale. Error bars indicate standard error of the mean (SEM, n = 2 replicates). Asterisk indicates the statistical significance of a t-test analyzing the efficiency of the purification protocols (*P<0.01P<0.01). For VV, the only indicated value for each treatment was obtained with 1 m pore size filtration. Credit: DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-86427-4 The Institute for Integrative Systems Biology (I2SysBio), a joint center of the University of Valencia and the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), has developed a procedure that increases the sensitivity to detect viruses in blood samples from healthy people, in addition to reducing the effect of contaminations. The research, published in Scientific Reports, also describes 28 potentially new species of anellovirus, a family present in numerous animal species, but for which no clear associations with specific pathologies have been detected to date. The detection of viruses in blood samples has been facilitated by new metagenomic analysis techniques, but there are still barriers to overcome before routine surveillance mechanisms can be established. For this reason, the I2SysBio has designed a protocol aimed at enriching the virus fraction in samples from healthy people and thus increasing the probability of detecting new viruses or, simply, rescuing a greater diversity of those already known. "When a biological sample is sequenced, the nucleic acids of the host (in this case, human) or any type of organism that contaminates the sample we work with are found, so to avoid this we have defined this specific protocol of purification," says Jose Manuel Cuevas, the main person in charge of the study and a member of the I2SysBio. The procedure, in which the Transfusion Center of the Valencian Community has also collaborated, consists of subjecting pooled plasma samples from 120 healthy donors to high speed centrifugation. Subsequently, the viral particles concentrated in a smaller volume are purified by molecular procedures, after which the massive sequencing of the samples is carried out. As Jose Manuel Cuevas explains, "this type of study based on massive sequencing is relatively new. In it, billions of sequences are recovered from a biological sample, and a great taxonomic variety of everything in the sample can be found." Having ruled out contamination through this procedure, researchers have found a wide variety of anelloviruses, the viral family most frequently found in human blood and apparently harmless. These viruses represented almost 97% of the total viral sequences obtained in the study. It should be noted that 28 potentially new anellovirus species have been detected, which represents a notable increase in the diversity described for these viruses in human populations. "Beyond looking for some type of pathological association, our research emphasizes the great diversity of anelloviruses found, thanks mainly to the implemented protocol for enrichment of the viral fraction," says the author. Thus, the results underline the importance of applying more efficient purification procedures that enrich the viral fraction as an essential step in virome studies, in addition to questioning the potentially pathological character that has been suggested for anelloviruses. Explore further DNA sequencing from water and leech bloodmeals reveal viruses circulating in the wild More information: Maria Cebria-Mendoza et al, Deep viral blood metagenomics reveals extensive anellovirus diversity in healthy humans, Scientific Reports (2021). Journal information: Scientific Reports Maria Cebria-Mendoza et al, Deep viral blood metagenomics reveals extensive anellovirus diversity in healthy humans,(2021). DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-86427-4 A synthetic SMC phenotype underlies coronary microvascular contractile dysfunction. The profile of biomarkers for contractile vs. synthetic phenotype strongly reflects whether an artery can generate MT and therefore contribute to the regulation of coronary blood flow. Credit: DOI: 10.1093/cvr/cvab218 New research has shown abnormalities in the tiny blood vessels of human hearts in regions well beyond the large arteries with atherosclerotic blockages that trigger the need for stents or bypass surgery. The findings could lead to the development of new treatments for patients with angina-like symptoms without blockages or those recovering from a heart attack or unexplained heart failure. Normal intrinsic constriction of these micro-arteries in response to changing blood pressure is called myogenic (automatic) tone. Myogenic tone controls blood flow distribution within the heart muscle, and in other parts of the human body. Current heart scans can identify blockages in large coronary arteries, but they are unable to show these tiny, hair size micro-arteries in patients, making it impossible to diagnose poor myogenic tone, which is thought to develop independent of disease in the larger arteries. This study used tissue biopsies to study the function, structure and alterations in pathways in the micro-arteries that link to abnormalities in myogenic tone. The study, led by Professor Raimondo Ascione (Clinical Lead) at the University of Bristol and Professor Kim Dora (Basic Science Lead) at the University of Oxford, and funded by the BHF, is published in Cardiovascular Research. The research team took small heart samples, that are otherwise discarded, from 88 patients with no large coronary artery blockages and undergoing valvular cardiac surgery at the Bristol Heart Institute. In addition, cardiac samples were obtained from three human organ donors from the Newcastle Institute of Transplantation Tissue Biobank and 45 pigs treated at the University of Bristol Translational Biomedical Research Centre (TBRC). The research team found that 44 percent of the micro-arteries from patients had abnormal myogenic tone despite retaining their cell viability. This abnormality was associated with an excessive presence of a molecule called caldesmon within the muscle cells in the wall of the abnormal micro-arteries and with poor alignment of these contracting cells compared to micro-arteries with normal myogenic tone from the other 66 percent of patients, and all the organ donors and pigs. Abnormalities in the micro-arteries affects the blood supply within the beating heart, and other organs in the body, affecting people's quality of life and life expectancy. The findings offer new insights on coronary microvascular dysfunction that could predate the development of clinically known heart disease such as heart failure. Professor Raimondo Ascione, NHS Consultant Cardiac Surgeon and Head of the TBRC at the University of Bristol, said: "It has been a pleasure to work with Professor Dora on this landmark study over the last seven years. No study had focused on ex vivo poor myogenic tone of the cardiac microcirculation before. These tiny arteries are sited deep within the cardiac wall, well beyond the blocked arteries we treat in the NHS with stents or bypass surgery and cannot be seen with a naked eye. "Our study lifts the lid on cardiac microvascular dysfunction. It could help to develop new treatments to help patients with angina-like symptoms without coronary blockages, or those recovering from a heart attack or unexplained heart failure." Kim Dora, Professor of Microvascular Pharmacology at the University of Oxford, explained: "I am so excited with the results of this study and the excellent teamwork with Professor Ascione in Bristol. Not only will our findings enhance the development of new medical treatments and possibly new patient imaging modalities, but they represent a new ex-vivo research model for thousands of scientists globally working on microvascular dysfunction in the heart and other organs." Professor Jeremy Pearson, Associate Medical Director at the British Heart Foundation, added: "This study is the first to develop techniques to understand the links between the structure of micro-arteries and impaired myogenic tone, representing the outcome of years of painstaking work to develop the methods and apply them to micro-arteries from human hearts. The findings provide new information that will help to develop treatments for the many patients whose angina occurs without significant narrowing of their coronary arteries." There is now a new area of research that confirms thousands of patients, mostly postmenopausal women, have angina-like symptoms despite their coronary angiogram showing no obvious blockages of the large epicardial arteries in the heart that are usually treated with stent or bypass. Other patients seem to develop heart failure associated with either the contraction or the relaxation of their heart for no obvious reasons. The human coronary micro-arteries the Bristol and Oxford team has studied in the laboratory represent the microvascular area in human organs (lung, heart, brain and elsewhere) where COVID-19 has caused most of the problems during the ongoing pandemic. Explore further One type of heart disease requires special testing More information: Kim A Dora et al, Human coronary microvascular contractile dysfunction associates with viable synthetic smooth muscle cells, Cardiovascular Research (2021). Journal information: Cardiovascular Research Kim A Dora et al, Human coronary microvascular contractile dysfunction associates with viable synthetic smooth muscle cells,(2021). DOI: 10.1093/cvr/cvab218 Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain Neuroscientists and computer scientists from Princeton University, the Allen Institute and Baylor College of Medicine have just released a collection of data that marries a 3D wiring diagram with the function of tens of thousands of neurons to create the most detailed examination of mammalian brain circuitry to date. "Our five-year mission has been truly arduous, with an ambitious goal that many regarded as unattainable," said H. Sebastian Seung, Princeton's Evnin Professor in Neuroscience and a professor of computer science, who is one of the lead scientists of MICrONS. "In the first year, a lab member argued to me that even the Phase 1 pilot would be impossible. Fast-forward to today, and we are releasing a cubic millimeter of reconstructed mouse cortex, which is 1000 times larger than the Phase 1 target." The dataset, which is now publicly available for anyone to browse and use, maps the fine structures and connectivity of 200,000 brain cells and close to 500 million synapses all contained in a cubic millimeter chunk of mouse brainapproximately the size of a grain of sandfrom the visual neocortex, the part of the mammalian brain that processes what the eyes see. "The cerebral cortex is the largest structure in the human brain, and has attained an almost mythic status," said Seung. "It was dubbed an 'enigma of enigmas' by Santiago Ramon y Cajal, the 1906 Nobel laureate and Spanish hero who pioneered the mapping of neural circuits. We like to think that Cajal would be delighted by our 21st century reconstruction of a piece of cortex. And I think we're delighted too, though we're still too exhausted by the five-year mission to realize it!" This massive project, dubbed the Machine Intelligence from Cortical Networks (MICrONS) program, took five years to complete and was funded by the Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity. The goal of the research funding was to mine brain-wiring information to improve machine learning. But the dataset is also valuable to the neuroscience fieldboth for scientists seeking to understand how the brain conveys information along defined circuits, and for biomedical researchers wanting to treat brain disorders where wiring or connections are altered. "We're basically treating a brain circuit as a computer, and we asked three questions: What does it do? How is it wired up? What is the program?" said Clay Reid, senior investigator at the Allen Institute and one of the lead scientists of MICrONS. "Experiments were done to literally see the neurons' activity, to watch them compute. The reconstructions that we're presenting today let us see the elements of the neural circuit: the brain cells and the wiring, with the ability to follow the wires to map the connections between cells. The final step is to interpret this network, at which point we may be able to say we can read the brain's program." The dataset joins the ranks of other recently released wiring diagrams from human and fruit fly brains captured using the same technology: electron microscopy. This method reveals incredible details of an entire microscopic landscapein this case, the densely packed topography of tendrilled neurons, astrocytes, blood vessels and other cells that make up the brain's physical matter, as well as all the minuscule internal components of each cell. The newly released MICrONS data contains the most cells and connections of any such dataset to date, and it is large enough to capture entire local circuits and near-complete 3D shapes of individual mouse neurons. Some neurons make connections at incredibly long distances, sending their axons all the way across the brain, and those long-distance connections aren't represented fully in this dataset. But the cubic millimeter volume was chosen to catch circuits across multiple brain areas involved in vision while also capturing the structure of as many entire neurons as possible. Before the structural data was gathered, the research team at Baylor captured neurons' activity in this part of the brain as the mouse viewed images or movies of natural scenes. "The neocortex contains billions of neurons communicating through trillions of connections that have endowed mammals with astonishing capabilities. A key question to untangling this bewildering complexity is to discover the relationships between the wiring rules and the functional properties of neurons," said Andreas Tolias, a professor of neuroscience and the director of the Center for Neuroscience and Artificial Intelligence at Baylor College of Medicine and one of the lead scientists of MICrONS. "This program is unique since it enabled us to assemble an interdisciplinary team to perform a very ambitious experiment that will enable us to answer this question." After the Baylor experiments, Allen Institute researchers preserved and sliced the brain piece in more than 27,000 slices, each only 40 nanometers thick, capturing a total of 150 million images of those slices using customized electron microscopes. The cutting process ran around the clock for 12 days, during which teams of biologists, engineers and software developers stood watch in shifts, ready to stop and restart the instrument at a moment's notice if the cutting went awry. Then the Princeton team used deep learning to "segment" the images, defining each cell and its internal components individually. A team of software engineers, students and postdocs at Princeton used convolutional nets, painstakingly trained over months, to align the serial section images into a 3D image stack, detect neuronal boundaries and identify synaptic partners. Each step was distributed over supercomputers running for days at a time. The result: beautiful, intricate digital renderings of 200,000 brain cells and the connections between them, many of which had never been captured in their complete form before. "I feel privileged to have worked with such an amazing team at Princeton, and our outstanding partners at the Baylor College of Medicine and the Allen Institute," said Seung. "We have been rewarded by breathtaking new vistas of the cortex. As we transition to a new phase of discovery, we are putting our energies into building a community of researchers who will use the data in many ways, most of which we cannot predict. Only the collective efforts of a community can realize the resource's potential for enabling new discoveries about the brain." Explore further A new high-resolution map of how the brain is wired COVID-19 cases for each per capita income, zip code group of Salt Lake County, Utah (USA) between 17 February and 12 June 2020. The dashed vertical lines show the start (blue) and end (red) of lockdown directives. The color scale ranges from red (lowest income to highest income). Credit: Daniel Mendoza Racial minorities comprise around a quarter of Utah's population but represent a third of COVID-19 cases in the state. A similar story has played out across the country. Why have racial minorities been unequally affected by the COVID-19 pandemic? Researchers are still working out the answer to this question, but a new study from University of Utah researchers including Daniel Mendoza and Tabitha Benney explores the hypothesis that variation in income and occupational status, on a neighborhood-by-neighborhood scale, may be the reason. During the 2020 lockdowns, residents of affluent areas in Salt Lake County, Utah were able to stay at home more than residents of the least affluent zip codes, suggesting that the "essential worker" occupations of the least-affluent areas, which are also the highest minority populations, placed them at greater risk for contracting COVID-19. Subsequently, the least-affluent zip codes experienced nearly ten times the COVID-19 incidence rate of affluent areas. "We were shocked at the nearly tenfold difference in contagion rate increase when comparing the groups we had defined," Mendoza says. "I think it was a very sobering moment when we realized how deep the disparities truly were in our own backyard." The study is published in the journal COVID. Salt Lake County's disparities Two factors make Salt Lake County an ideal site for exploring the link between inequality and COVID-19 infection. First, says Benney, an associate professor of political science, a dense network of traffic sensors produces extraordinarily detailed traffic and mobility data, organized by zip code. Pair that with a similarly detailed level of COVID-19 incidence rates and demographic, occupational and income data, and a high-resolution picture emerges. Second, says Mendoza, a research assistant professor in the Department of Atmospheric Sciences and visiting assistant professor in the Department of City & Metropolitan Planning, Salt Lake County exhibits "strongly marked socioeconomic disparities. The substantial differences in race, income and occupation are very clear and provide a strong basis for inequality analysis." The divide in Salt Lake County roughly follows the I-15 freeway, which separates the county into east and west sides. The east side has a higher per capita income and percentage of white-collar workers. The divide isn't strictly racial, however, with a more diverse northeast and less diverse southwest quadrant of the valley. But with COVID-19 overlain onto this socioeconomic landscape, a pattern emerged. "The first time our team crunched the numbers," Benney says, "we were all dismayed to see how well income and occupation related to COVID incidence rates." Geographic Distribution of 2020 (left to right) per capita income, percent white, and percent white-collar group for each zip code of Salt Lake County, Utah. The color scale ranges from red (least affluent, least percent white population, lowest percent of white-collar workers) to blue (most affluent, highest percent white population, highest percent of white-collar workers). Zip codes not considered in the study are shown in white. Credit: Daniel Mendoza What is structural inequality? How does income and occupation relate to race? The researchers explored that question through the lens of structural inequality, which is a system of privilege in institutions and policies that place people on an unequal starting footing in society. This inequality, the researchers write, "create[s] relational patterns that effectively socialize and dictate how individuals see the world and their place in it. Inequality is considered structural when policies produced by the system keep some groups from getting ahead, regardless of their actions." In the first few months of the COVID-19 pandemic, as white-collar office workers and others stayed home, those deemed 'essential' workers still journeyed out to keep hospitals running, grocery store shelves stocked and packages moving around the country. In this case, the structural inequalities at work would be those that placed racial minorities disproportionately into lower-income occupations, and thus disproportionately into the category of blue-collar worker least likely to be able to stay home during the initial lockdown. "The true front-line workers were far more varied than expected," Benney says. "Medical workers are the heroes for sure, but janitors, repair people and folks that kept our homes and our families healthy throughout the pandemic were, and may again, be facing greater risks due to their starting point in life and the occupation they have today." The evidence for the unequal effect of lockdowns on different occupations and incomes comes from traffic data collected between February and June 2020before, during and after the main lockdown phase of the pandemic. Traffic decreased in zip codes with high percentages of high-income, white-collar and white residents by up to 50%. But in the least affluent zip codes, traffic decreased by only around 15%. Statistical correlations linked those traffic patterns to income, occupation and, eventually, to COVID-19 outcomes. "Income and occupation go hand in hand much more so than race and either of the variables," says Mendoza, who also holds appointments as an adjunct assistant professor in the Pulmonary Division at the School of Medicine and as a senior scientist at the NEXUS Institute. In a place like Salt Lake County, structural inequalities can lead to income and occupational divides falling along racial lines. Benney says that policies such as lockdowns, which expose some populations to higher disease risk, need to be better designed and implemented in future waves of the current pandemic and beyond. "In this case, because more affluent communities were more likely to stay home under the Stay-Home-Stay-Safe Directive in Utah, this behavior appears to have shifted the disease risk away from the wealthiest, most white, and white-collar workers, who were already more likely to rebound from a crisis," she says. While Utahns benefitted overall from the directive, she adds, designing this policy with low income, essential workers in mind may help prevent the spread of disease, improve outcomes for vulnerable populations, and create a more resilient society overall. Facing successive waves Since the end of the study period in June 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic has continued with a surge in winter 2020-21, the rollout of vaccines and the growing impact of the Delta variant. Both Mendoza and Benney emphasize the need for policymakers to consider vulnerable populations, including those from low-income zip codes, in crafting a pandemic response. "Frankly, we should be showing our support for these people by masking up in public, getting vaccinated, and looking out for our community in any way we can," Benney says. "Our hope is that our research provides insight into the most vulnerable and affected groups and we can pay attention to their specific needs and take care of them as they take care of the rest of us," Mendoza adds. More information: Daniel L. Mendoza et al, The Role of Structural Inequality on COVID-19 Incidence Rates at the Neighborhood Scale in Urban Areas, COVID (2021). Daniel L. Mendoza et al, The Role of Structural Inequality on COVID-19 Incidence Rates at the Neighborhood Scale in Urban Areas,(2021). DOI: 10.3390/covid1010016 Brainbehavior correlations. A, Regions of interestnamely left superior parietal lobule (SPL) and left precuneuswhere a significant correlation (plotted in panel [B]) was observed between pre-to-post change in cortical thickness and in neuropsychological scores (corrected total score [CTS]). The two regions of interest are highlighted with dotted black contours on lateral and medial views of the DKT atlas parcellation; base image from the Mindboggle project (www.dataverse.harvard.edu/dataverse/mindboggle101). B, Data points in the scatter plot represent patients (N = 17; SPL: green triangles; precuneus: purple squares). Data points sharing the same x value are horizontally jittered by up to 0.25 units to aid visualization. Vertical/horizontal dotted gray lines correspond to no pre-to-post change in terms of neuropsychological score/cortical thickness. in the axis labels refers to pre-to-post-TPS change. C, Distribution of neuropsychological (CTS) scores, pre- and post-TPS. Dots represent individual patients, with gray lines connecting values at pre and at post. Horizontal red lines indicate group means. *P The Transcranial Pulse Stimulation with ultrasound (TPS) technique developed at MedUni Vienna under the lead of neuroscientist Roland Beisteiner from the Department of Neurology can be used in various neuropsychiatric brain diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. It improves brain function by externally activating still-functioning neurons. It has now been demonstrated that TPS can even reduce morphological brain degeneration in dementia patients. The paper has been published in a prestigious medical journal. In neurological diseases such as Alzheimer's or Parkinson's disease brain neurons are constantly being lost, resulting in memory lapses, speech disorders, mood swings and impaired mobility, for example, as well as muscle tremors in the case of Parkinson's. Treatment options for neurodegenerative diseases are limited and there is currently no cure. A technique that at least temporarily reduces the breakdown of neurons was developed in Vienna. Transcranial Pulse Stimulation with ultrasound (TPS) is a non-invasive technique that penetrates all areas of the brain and stimulates those neurons that can help to regenerate brain functions. Clinical data from earlier studies showed that two to four weeks of treatment with Transcranial Pulse Stimulation can improve the functional networks and cognitive performance of Alzheimer's patients for up to three months. Tissue loss is slowed The recent study has now looked at brain morphology using MRI techniques and has shown that TPS can slow down the cortical atrophy (brain tissue loss) that is typical in Alzheimer's. "We found a significant correlation between neuropsychological improvement and thickness of the cerebral cortex in areas of the brain that are critical in Alzheimer's," explains study leader Roland Beisteiner, who oversaw the development of the new technique of Transcranial Pulse stimulation with ultrasound (TPS) at the Department of Neurology of MedUni Vienna and Vienna General Hospital. Successful add-on option to supplement current treatments These results underline the suitability of this technique as an additional option for treating dementia. Due to the effectiveness and attractiveness of the practically side-effect-free technique, several TPS treatment and research centers have already been set up in Europe, North America, and Asia, in addition to MedUni Vienna's Department of Neurologyan Austrian success story, as it were. However, neurological expertise is necessary for low-risk and effective implementation, stresses Beisteiner: "Given the complexity of the technique, it is particularly important from a social perspective that it is used by neuroscientific experts, so that maximum safety and effectiveness can be guaranteed," explains Beisteiner. Explore further Ultrasound in the treatment of brain diseases More information: Tudor Popescu et al, Transcranial ultrasound pulse stimulation reduces cortical atrophy in Alzheimer's patients: A followup study, Alzheimer's & Dementia: Translational Research & Clinical Interventions (2021). Tudor Popescu et al, Transcranial ultrasound pulse stimulation reduces cortical atrophy in Alzheimer's patients: A followup study,(2021). DOI: 10.1002/trc2.12121 Transmission electron microscope image of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, emerging from human cells. Credit: NIAID Although COVID-19 is primarily treated as a respiratory disease, patients often experience neurological problems, such as headaches, anxiety, depression and cognitive issues, which can persist long after other symptoms have resolved. Some research has shown blood vessel damage and inflammation referred to as vasculitis in COVID-19 patients' brains and central nervous system (CNS). Most cases of CNS vasculitis have been associated with elderly patients with severe COVID-19, but in a report published July 28, 2021 in the journal Neurology: Neuroimmunology & Neuroinflammation, a multidisciplinary team of physicians at University of California San Diego School of Medicine describe the first known case of a young, healthy adult infected by the SARS-CoV-2 virus who also experienced CNS lymphocytic vasculitis. The 26-year-old woman was diagnosed with COVID-19 four days after an airplane flight in mid-March 2020. Her symptoms were mild, but progressed two to three weeks later to difficulty moving her left foot and weakness on the left side of her body. She had no headaches and had experienced no change in her mental status or cognition. Magnetic resonance imaging, however, revealed multiple lesions in the right frontoparietal region of the brain, which is involved in motor control and sensation of the left side of the body. A biopsy revealed CNS lymphocytic vasculitisinflammation or swelling of blood vessels in the brain and spine. The woman underwent a series of corticosteroid-based treatments, began a long-term immunosuppressive medication, and, after six months, the lesions had substantially decreased and no new lesions had formed. She is still under treatment with immunosuppressive medications. "This patient was first confirmed case of COVID-19 CNS vasculitis, confirmed by biopsy, in a young healthy patient with otherwise mild COVID-19 infection," said corresponding senior author Jennifer Graves, MD, Ph.D., a neurologist at UC San Diego Health and associate professor of neurosciences at UC San Diego School of Medicine. "Her case tells researchers and clinicians to consider these serious potential brain complications even in young patients and those with minor initial COVID-19 infections." Co-authors include: Garrett M. Timmons, Torge Rempe, Elizabeth A. Bevins, Vanessa Goodwill, Annalise Miner, Arthur Kavanaugh and Michelle Ritter, all at UC San Diego. Explore further Chilblains in recent case series not tied to COVID-19 infection More information: Garrett M. Timmons et al, CNS Lymphocytic Vasculitis in a Young Woman With COVID-19 Infection, NeurologyNeuroimmunology Neuroinflammation (2021). Garrett M. Timmons et al, CNS Lymphocytic Vasculitis in a Young Woman With COVID-19 Infection,(2021). DOI: 10.1212/NXI.0000000000001048 For Yonce, Sundays performance also meant ending an almost two-year gap since he last played side-by-side with a full orchestra, and he said hes happy to see this come. Yonce graduated from the Interlochen Arts Academy, where he studied music and has performed with multiple wind ensembles and orchestras across the country such as the Interlochen Orchestra, All Northwest Ensemble and the Montana All State Wind Ensemble. I was really excited and I felt really, really good," he said. "At Interlochen I was playing with small groups, but nothing like Sundays full orchestra performance. It just feels so good and feels so amazing to play with all these great musicians. Its a great experience and its also a ton of fun. Ive really enjoyed getting to work and play with Mrs. Tai, shes just so great. For listeners Rebecca Boerst and Mallory Witham, Sundays evening performance was picture perfect, especially when they got to hear the symphonys ensemble of Gabriels Oboe and John Williams Jurassic Park." Its amazing to be back. This is something that my mom and I have enjoyed doing for years, so its wonderful to see this again, Boerst said. One of the most effective ways to house folks is to ensure that theyre not homeless to begin with, Engen said Monday. Our agreement with Western guarantees long-term, stable housing for residents who would otherwise be exceptionally vulnerable in Missoulas tight real-estate market. The city will purchase the property through the Missoula Redevelopment Agency, which has access to tax increment financing, Engen said. The building lies within Urban Renewal District II. Inside those boundaries, any property taxes from new development created since the district's formation are controlled by the agency. The Western Montana Mental Health Center is excited to arrive at a resolution that allows this supportive housing to be maintained in public ownership while allowing our agency to continue focusing on clinical programs and services, Anderson said in a statement. Engen said the city will take care of any deferred maintenance and ensure the building is safe for residents. The city will seek a partner to operate and potentially own the building provided they guarantee the current use remains in place permanently. Huddled with water shoes dangling from their packs and bear spray canisters clipped to their belts, eight excited backpackers stretched and chatted at the Granite Creek Trailhead last month. The hikers, all members of the BIPOC (Black/Indigenous/people of color) community, were preparing for a four-night, five-day trip into the 1.5-million-acre Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex. The expedition was organized by Here Montana, an outdoors program run through the Missoula Parks and Recreation Department. The goal get people of color out into one of the largest and most remote wilderness areas in the country to learn and explore the outdoors as a community. For many, this would be their first time on an extensive backpacking trip. For most, it would be a lifetime first entering grizzly country. Talk of possible grizzly encounters went around as Erynn Castellanos, of the Bob Marshall Wilderness Foundation, guided the pack down the Granite Creek Trail. They spoke loudly, to make their presence known to any bears that might have been in the area. It didnt take long for the strong smell of ripe huckleberries to waft its way through the fresh forest air. Tenzin Lhanze, who was born in India and has family ties to Tibet, enjoyed the sweet fruit as she hiked, stopping every now and then to grab a handful more. Three hours passed and no bears presented themselves. They pitched basecamp along the sandy and rocky bed of the Middle Fork of the Flathead River roughly seven miles into the Bob at the junction with Granite Creek where waves crash against a gorge. This was home for a couple of days. 'Wild Connections' Alex Kim, the expedition leader and founder of Here Montana, said he had never seen a full backpacking expedition or any other outdoor recreation activity comprised mostly of BIPOC individuals. He recalled working on a project about diversity on hiking trails in Montana and was disappointed to find that members of the BIPOC community were largely excluded from outdoor recreational activities in a country where, according to the National Health Foundation, 70% of use in national forests, national wildlife refuges and national parks is by white people. The Bob Marshall Wilderness Foundation typically leads work projects to open trails or fight invasive weeds with crews of volunteers, but this trip was part of a new initiative theyre calling "Wild Connections." Our motto is, Connecting People to Wild Places, and its important to us that this includes all people who want to experience wilderness, said Rebecca Powell, Wild Connections program director. To do this, we need to start thinking about the barriers that exist for some including access to the skills and knowledge needed to safely recreate in the backcountry," Powell said. "For those of us who were lucky enough to have friends or family members show us the ropes, its easy to forget that these connections are rare or dont exist in every community. Kim, Powell and Castellanos organized a series of educational and cultural activities at the trailhead before the trek started. On day one, they learned about first aid in the outdoors, how to safely set up a campsite in bear country, the principles of leave-no-trace-behind, bear safety and awareness and how to safely operate bear spray canisters. The next morning, they experienced a forest bathing session for the first time, conducted by certified forest therapy guide Ellen Horowitz. The term "forest bathing" originated in Japan in the 1980s as a physiological and psychological exercise called shinrin-yoku (forest bathing or taking in the forest atmosphere). Through meditation processes and relaxation, they went through five invitations as they immersed themselves and became one with the forest. The purpose is to offer a nature-inspired escape to tech-boom burnout and to motivate participants to reconnect with and protect forests. They also heard a lecture from Kellie Carim, an aquatic research biologist, about the states two native fish species: cutthroat and bull trout. She talked about protecting river ecosystems and native fish species, and preventing invasive species from taking over Montanas pristine rivers. At the end of day two, Lailani Upham and Naomi Billedeaux-Holocomb, both registered tribal members of the Blackfeet Nation, joined the group to dedicate songs and prayers, wishing them safe travels before their journey. Upham and Billedeaux-Holocomb also talked about the history of the land on which the Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex sits, which was inhabited for thousands of years by the Blackfeet. 'Kind of overwhelming' Sitting on the sand among rocks, with the gushing Flathead River in front of her, Danielle Plumage spoke of what it meant to be deep in the backcountry of the Bob as a young Native American woman alongside other BIPOC hikers. I feel really happy to be out here, but its kind of overwhelming, she said, pausing as she looked out into the water. Living in Montana my whole life, I never got the opportunity to be in these spaces because theyre reserved for people who can afford to do trips like these. But Im also really grateful to experience it, especially when the history of this land is linked to my ancestors, so its nice to be back. For Plumage, who has family ties to at least nine Native American tribes, being back in the Bob means returning for the first time to the land which her ancestors used to inhabit. (We) were talking about how the trees are so old, and so theyve seen my people on this land before it was taken, and now theyre seeing us as we come through as a different kind of people linked to them, she said. Joel Oldperson, the youngest of the group at 18, saw personal progress after being off the grid for five days, he said. He is Blackfeet, Salish, and Yakama. When I first met everyone, I was scared because I didnt know anyone and they were older than me, he said with a big smile. From there to now I can really see everyone as family. Ive learned a lot from everyone from just talking to them. Its a good thing to be here and Im really glad Im here. Oldperson spoke of the good feeling he got from being far away from Missoula to enjoy Montanas open spaces with others who look like him. Getting out of the city is one of the main things I want to do, and being out here in the middle of nowhere allows you to relax and be one with the area, he said. It feels good to be here now because usually when I do stuff outdoors theres never people of color, and sometimes I cant really relate to them, but being here with our group doesnt feel strange to me. For Elif Bilal, who made the trip from Bozeman to join the rest of the crew, the adventure has definitely taken her out of her comfort zone, she said. Nonetheless, shes glad she took the opportunity to be a part of it, and be at home. Spending this much time in nature and in the wilderness is a first for me, she said. Its been really relaxing and peaceful to be here, and just being around everyone makes me feel comfortable because I do have anxiety sometimes. Bilal was born in Kutahya, Turkey, and lived in Istanbul for 27 years before immigrating to Bozeman in 2017, where she finished graduate school at Montana State University. It was scary moving to the U.S., she said. The culture shock and the language barrier were hurdles she had to overcome, but she later found refuge in Montanas open spaces. I didnt realize how important it is to be around people who look like me, and that made me feel really safe, she said. This is the first time Ive done something like this ever since I moved to this country. Just being here feels really good. Being this close to water has been the most magical part of the trip because Ive always wanted to live close to water," she added. "I just feel humbled when I look up at the trees and notice how small I am, but I feel welcomed here by the forest as a human being, and that feels good. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 5 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Other Republican senators objected to the size, scope and financing of the package, particularly concerned after the Congressional Budget Office said it would add $256 billion to deficits over the decade. Two Republicans, Sens. Jerry Moran of Kansas and Todd Young of Indiana, had been part of initial negotiations shaping the package but ultimately announced they could not support it. Rather than pressure lawmakers, Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky has stayed behind the scenes for much of the bipartisan work. He has cast his own votes repeatedly to allow the bill to progress, calling the bill a compromise. Trump called Hagerty, who had been his ambassador to Japan, on Sunday and the senator argued for taking more time for debate and amendments, in part because he wants to slow the march toward Bidens second phase, the $3.5 trillion bill that Republicans fully oppose. The outline for the bigger $3.5 trillion package is on deck next in the Senate a more liberal undertaking of child care, elder care and other programs that expected to draw only Democratic support. Senators are expected Tuesday to launch a lengthy session to consider amendments to the blueprint, the start of a months-long debate on the package. Individuals must take a COVID-19 test on arrival, if required. Failure to do so could result in a ticket. Border officials say even though travelers are fully vaccinated, they must also provide a quarantine plan in ArriveCAN and be prepared to quarantine. "At any time after entry, if a fully vaccinated traveler tests positive or is exposed to someone who has tested positive for COVID-19, they must follow all local public health requirements, including quarantine or isolation," Canadian Border Service Agency officials said. Only fully vaccinated U.S. citizens or permanent residents living in the U.S. are eligible to come to Canada for non-essential purposes. The border remains closed to Canadians attempting to leave for nonessential purposes. U.S. travelers must submit mandatory information including digital proof using ArriveCAN starting after a new version of the software is released at midnight on Monday. Travelers using the app must ensure that they have the most up-to-date version available in the Google Play Store and the App Store for iPhone as of Monday as it will be needed before and after crossing the border. If travelers can't enter their information themselves, they can have a friend or family member enter the information for them, officials said. VICTORIA, Minn. A relative has identified three people killed in the fiery crash of a small plane in southeastern Minnesota as a surgeon from Omaha, Nebraska, and two of his family members from Montana. Jo Mertes, of Mantador, North Dakota, told the Star Tribune Sunday that her nephew, 42-year-old Jacob Mertes and his 37-year-old wife, Sara Mertes, of Libby, Montana, died along with her nephew's 72-year-old stepfather, Dr. James Edney, who was piloting the plane. There were no survivors, officials said. The Federal Aviation Administration said the plane was flying from Alexandria Municipal Airport to Eden Prairie's Flying Cloud Airport before 6 p.m. Saturday when it went down and burst into flames in Victoria, a city of about 7,300 about 25 miles southwest of Minneapolis. "This is a tragic event that happened near the heart of Victoria and our community will keep the victims of this incident and their loved ones in our thoughts and prayers during this time," city officials said in a statement. Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} Debris from the Mooney M20M landed in nearby yards and struck at least one house, igniting a fire that bystanders quickly extinguished. No one in the home or on the ground was injured, officials said. CANBERRA, Australia (AP) Australian special envoy and former Prime Minister Tony Abbott said a free trade agreement between his nation and India would signal the democratic worlds tilt away from China. Abbott visited New Delhi last week as Australias special trade envoy for India as the Australian government gives priority to sealing a bilateral trade deal. In an opinion piece likely to anger Beijing that that was published in The Australian newspaper on Monday, Abbott said the answer to almost every question about China is India. With the worlds other emerging superpower becoming more belligerent almost by the day, its in everyones interests that India take its rightful place among the nations as quickly as possible, Abbott wrote. Because trade deals are about politics as much as economics, a swift deal between India and Australia would be an important sign of the democratic worlds tilt away from China, as well as boosting the long-term prosperity of both our countries, Abbott added. Abbott was prime minister when China and Australia finalized a bilateral free trade deal which took effect in 2015. He also hosted a state visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping a year earlier. When Europeans first landed on the North American continent it was ripe for the picking, lush with forests, rivers, wildlife, fish and land as far as the eye could see. As for those already inhabiting those lands and waters, well, they were considered "savages" and their removal by whatever means necessary was a foregone conclusion. And so civilization rolled across the continent, spurred on by the capitalist economic system in which the foundational tenet was continuous growth. But now the continent is covered coast to coast and the once abundant resources have been seriously diminished through over-use, pollution, outright destruction and unbridled consumption. The old myth that continuous growth was not only possible, but necessary, has hit the wall of our current state, national and global reality. We are running out of water, clean air and livable habitat not only for the once-abundant wildlife and fish but for humans as well. As this desperate summer of climate-change induced and exacerbated drought, wildfires, insect infestations and extreme weather events bluntly portends, we have hit the wall on our myopic approach to how much more we can squeeze from already over-extended systems. This summer, Montanas rivers have been suffering from an alarming combination of extreme conditions that are threatening our fisheries, our outdoor recreation economy, and the livelihoods that depend on both. As outfitters, guides and flyshop owners, we are among those whose livelihoods are at stake. A winter of low snowpack and a spring with little precipitation was followed by record-high temperatures that started early in the summer and have lingered since. These drought conditions have resulted in warm water and low flows that are putting enormous pressure on our fisheries already under pressure from more people coming to Montana than ever before to fish. Theres no getting around the fact that climate change is largely driving the dangerous extremities our rivers are facing and jeopardizing the businesses and jobs that rely on our world-class fisheries here in western Montana. That means our streams need all the help they can get to remain healthy and support robust trout populations, which are precious in their own right, but also part of the foundation for Montanas $7 billion outdoor recreation economy and its 71,000-plus jobs. When someone asks, Whats special about Montana? the answer is usually something about mountains or rivers or quality of life. Heres the answer we prefer: Montana is special because people help each other. Its as much in the DNA of the state as self-sufficiency. Its not hard to understand that in the early days, from tribal life to homesteads, ranches and mining camps, both virtues were necessary to cope with Montanas challenging physical environment. And across rural Montana (and much of urban Montana too!), that has not changed. Blizzards, drought, fire, personal issues like disease or injury: Whatever the circumstance, when help is needed, help is given. Without hesitation or reservation even if the act of helping imposes its own hardship on the helper. All across Montana in this fire season, examples abound. Ranchers have sent crews including themselves to fight fire on neighboring ranches. When stackyards full of hay burned as well as grazing lands themselves neighbors did all they could in recent weeks to see that afflicted ranchers livestock had enough hay and water to see them through. Perhaps one of the most personal decisions you can make every day is deciding what to eat. But what happens when multinational corporations in the agricultural industry take that power away from the individual by using their size, wealth and power to determine the price and selection on our grocery shelves? For these conglomerates to influence what we consume, they first need to control the people who produce our food. That is where the corporations real power lies: dominating what is grown, how its produced and, most critically, how they can make the most money by paying farmers as little as possible. This is why I testified last week in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee to help bring fairness back into the agricultural industry. We hope that lawmakers and President Joe Biden have finally had enough and are ready to take on the multinationals that dominate the food chain. These agribusiness corporations are doing what most companies do: grow in size, overtake their competitors and increase shareholder value. This has created consolidation and monopolies with fewer companies dominating the food business. Hence, whats on the shelves at the grocery store and its cost is being determined by corporations and finance not farmers, nutrition or quality. Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity. Martin Luther King Jr. The remerged raging Covid pandemic is a grave threat not only to public health but to American democracy. One third of Americans opposes public health measures such as mass vaccinations and mask-wearing on the basis of prejudice, ignorance and rumor. These people view those advocating for robust public health measures as enemies. This minoritys voice is amplified beyond their numbers by the support of government leaders, such as our governor, Republican senator and representative, who, in order to gain or keep political power, are willing to pander to this witless and uneducated mob. Such happenings bode ill not just for public health in the U.S. but for democratic decision-making. Because the current COVID health crisis is a crisis in every sense of the word, the time has come to mandate vaccinations and reinstitute a mask mandate. The relatively few who live in a world of public ignorance and misinformation cannot be allowed to harm the many. When private actions harm the public, government has an obligation to step in to regulate this conduct. It is the purpose of government to see that not only the legitimate interests of the few are protected but that the welfare and rights of the many are conserved. Franklin Roosevelt A U.N.-appointed panel of experts said Monday that the Earth is getting so hot that temperatures in about a decade will probably blow past the most ambitious threshold set in the Paris accord. That increases the risk of extreme weather and long-term climate-related disasters. The Paris agreement called for limiting temperature increases to well below 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) and ideally to no more than 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) over pre-industrial levels. Politicians, scientists and activists were swift to react: "(The report is) a code red for humanity. The alarm bells are deafening, and the evidence is irrefutable: Greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuel burning and deforestation are choking our planet and putting billions of people at immediate risk. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres Let the Emmett Till statue be there for 100 years, he said. Then, it would be balanced. Ultimately, late last month, the council voted unanimously in favor of erecting the Till statue, just not at the courthouse. Instead, the statue will go up in a park a half-mile away. Jordan's decided to be optimistic about the location. The park is by railroad tracks that once separated where Black and white residents lived and worked in racially segregated Greenwood. He hopes the statue unites the community. For now, residents on both sides of the issue are frustrated with progress. Larry McCluney said he considers the statue a tribute to Confederate soldiers who died in battle. Hes also in favor of the Till statue even at the courthouse as long as the Confederate statue stands. Its the same thing if I went out to the graveyard and knocked over one of your family members headstones, said McCluney, commander-in-chief of the Sons of Confederate Veterans, an organization for male descendants of Confederate veterans that spans 30,000 members. Thats how people feel about these things: You are removing the only thing I have that I can go to as a family member and remember my ancestors. Local As Napa public schools return to in-person teaching, district outlines remote learning option Courtesy of Dan and Holly Dawson Talia Dawson, back right, sat with the three other members of her learning pod shortly after the Napa school district opened in August 2020 with online-only instruction due to the coronavirus pandemic. District leaders last week announced an expanded independent study program as an alternative for parents preferring not to send their children back to campus for in-person learning when the new school year begins Aug. 18. Napa Countys largest public school system intends to bring thousands of students back to campuses after months of remote teaching forced by the coronavirus pandemic. But the Napa school district is leaving an option open for parents still wary of sending their children back to classrooms. Virtual instruction within the Napa Valley Unified School District will be provided as part of an expanded Napa Valley Independent Studies program in the 2021-22 academic year, which begins Aug. 18. While NVUSD is pulling back on the extensive remote instruction model that became its exclusive teaching method after COVID-19 triggered Californias first stay-home orders in March 2020, families can instead choose an at-home plan with about four to six hours of daily instruction, district officials announced last week. Quality journalism doesn't happen without your help. Subscribe today! Independent study enrollment numbers were not immediately available, but district spokesperson Stacy Rollo said Thursday NVUSD expects a larger number of students in the program than in a non-pandemic year, with its one-year expansion to grade-school pupils. Current independent-study teachers will stay on for 2021-22 and may be joined by additional staff for the elementary grades, she added. The plan, which NVUSD directors shared with parents in a Wednesday videoconference, offers a parallel track for those not yet ready to join the districts move to a traditional full-time classroom model for most public-school students in Napa and American Canyon. After launching a hybrid of classroom and online teaching last October, NVUSD is reopening schools at all grade levels with a variety of health safeguards against the coronavirus, including a requirement that all students and teachers wear face masks while indoors, even if vaccinated against COVID-19. (None of the three vaccines federally approved in the U.S. have yet been authorized for children younger than 12.) Napas independent study track is normally designed for the secondary grades and requires a family visit with a school counselor before enrolling. However, this years version of the program is open to all grades, to families who believe a classroom environment would be a health risk to their children, said Pat Andry-Jennings, assistant superintendent for instructional services. Masks required for all students as Napa public schools prepare for full-time classroom teaching District officials call a masking requirement -- for vaccinated as well as unvaccinated students -- key to its return to in-person learning. Independent study from kindergarten to third grade will include an hour a day of synchronous learning in real-time, with four to six hours of learning under a parents or caregivers supervision, according to Matt Manning, NVUSDs director of elementary curriculum. Children at the elementary and middle school levels may schedule in-person or online time with a teacher for additional support. For at-home students from the fourth grade up, the schedule will include the same four to six hours of asynchronous learning time each day, as well as one real-time hour each week to assign activities and review content. Students in grades 4 to 8 will have a daily attendance and wellness check, while high schoolers can consult with teachers during their regular office areas, online or in person, said Monica Ready, secondary curriculum director. Officials also outlined attendance requirements for those studying from home, to prevent children from falling behind their peers attending school in person. Elementary and middle school students who miss three meeting times in a week must enter a re-engagement plan, as will high schoolers completing less than three days of a weeks work. If children continue missing online class times and assignments, district officials will evaluate whether those students should remain in independent study. Its a very unique learning style and its not for everybody, said Drew Herron, NVUSDs coordinator of independent studies. If its continuing to be a problem, we have to evaluate if its the best placement for that student. Napa Valley College to require mask wearing in most indoor settings this fall Students will be able to go maskless in certain activities where face coverings are impractical, but will need to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. NVUSD will provide Chromebook laptop computers and Wi-Fi hot spots for at-home students needing them, Herron added. Textbooks and school supplies will be supplied to students after year-opening orientations, which start Thursday for returning students and Aug. 16 for newcomers. The online curriculum for those in kindergarten through eighth grade will be based on NVUSDs standard core curriculum for elementary and middle schools, while those attending virtual high school will use a state-approved online learning system created by Edgenuity, Manning said. English-learning students also can sign up for at-home learning and will have access to language development and the chance to be reclassified as proficient in English. Parents with children in special education programs will be required to meet with district staff to decide whether at-home study is appropriate for those students. Parents wishing to keep children in independent study can make the request in the form of a transfer, similar to shifting a child to a school outside ones home neighborhood, through the NVUSD School Mint site by Wednesday, a week before the start of classes. District staff will then email families to confirm childrens registration into the remote learning program. Students wishing to leave independent study and return to the classroom may request a move to in-person instruction. If space is not available at a pupils home campus, a place will be offered at the next-closest school. The day before its briefing on remote learning, NVUSD leaders outlined various safety regulations for those students who rejoin their classmates and teachers next week. The reopening is approaching as COVID-19 cases in Napa County are on a summer upswing, with cases increasing for five weeks running. The key to the districts reopening plan is a universal face-covering requirement, expanding a mandate that in 2020-21 applied to students from the third grade up while recommending masks for younger pupils. (Children unable to wear a mask for medical or other reasons can use a face shield with a neck drape.) The rule mirrors a mandate the state Department of Public Health issued in July, although it left enforcement to local school districts. The district is expected to open the year with 16,681 students, according to spokesperson Rollo. +11 +11 Photos: Napa kids both learn and play at NVUSD summer school Some 2,000 Napa students are currently enrolled in a free summer school program for elementary-age students through a partnership with NVUSD, According to previous Register reporting, county consultants estimated the reentry facility could cost about $900,000 more with a PLA, though unions disputed that estimate. And county consultants estimated construction cost on the jail could increase by 10% or 15% under a PLA, which the unions again disputed. So what is a PLA, Goehring said at the meeting. Its an exclusionary labor agreement that discourages the vast majority of local contractors and small business owners from competing on and winning construction projects. In many cases, proponents and opponents of PLAs dispute whats stated by the other side about the agreements. For example, Cabral said at the meeting that construction projects under PLAs can actually reduce overall costs despite the estimates of higher construction costs cited by Goehring because of the lack of labor disputes or delays. Councilmember Mary Luros said it seemed like PLAs could provide many benefits, but shes concerned about potential negative impacts as well. She said her take is a lot of the concerns with PLAs are based on fear of the unknown, and its her hope the city can continue to look into PLAs as an option for large-scale projects and also continue discussion about PLAs to quell fears and establish facts. Komplin had been excited about the pending trip to Alaska, Johnson said. Henderson had just sold a piece of property, and they were eager to spend some time together. It was a celebration time, she said. Everyone in the office is like this cant be happening we just saw her; we were just laughing with her. She just bought everybody flowers, Johnson said. Authorities have yet to officially identify the victims of the crash while they attempt to recover the wreckage in a remote area. The plane crashed Thursday as the pilot was returning five passengers to Ketchikan from Misty Fjords National Monument, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said. The planes emergency beacon was activated about 11:20 a.m. when it crashed near the monument, the U.S. Coast Guard said. A helicopter company reported seeing wreckage on a ridgeline in the search area, and Coast Guard crew members found the wreckage around 2:40 p.m. A Coast Guard helicopter lowered two rescue swimmers to the site, but they reported no survivors, the agency said. Alaska State Troopers were working with members from the Ketchikan Volunteer Rescue Squad to coordinate recovery efforts. Armenia territorial administration and infrastructure minister visits Civil Aviation Committee and Zvartnots Airport Algerians burn man alive after blaming him for causing forest fires in country More Syrians and Afghans entering EU via Western Balkans Armenia PM makes new personnel appointment Armenia ex-deputy minister of finance appointed deputy defense minister Republican Party of Armenia spokesperson on border protection and document signed by former authorities with Russia Netherlands may have to close Kabul embassy NATO to coordinate Western embassy staff reduction in Kabul Lifeguards bring citizens out of Armenia's Lake Sevan Armenia official's son gets into car accident 168.am: Armenia's Pashinyan to attend wedding in Gyumri tomorrow Armenia 3rd President visits Amaras Monastery Iran President picks Hossein Amirabdollahian as new FM 21-year-old by the name of "Potorik" stabbed in Armenia's Etchmiadzin Turkish defense minister says Kabul International Airport should remain open 30-year-old resident of Armenia's Khachpar stabs fellow villager, is detained Commander of Armenia Armed Forces' first army corps dismissed Armenia defense minister visits Yerablur Military Pantheon, meets with relatives of deceased servicemen (PHOTO) Armenia acting first deputy finance minister sacked Armenia PM appoints Chief Protocol Officer Armenia finance minister receives IMF Resident Representative Elections to be held in Armenia's Goris, Meghri, Tatev and Tegh on Oct. 17 Armenia parliament to convene special session on Aug. 17 Armenia premier meets with outgoing Ambassador of Georgia Uruguay FM to pay official visit to Armenia Dollar gains value in Armenia Fire contained at former Yerevan leather factory (PHOTOS) Democratic Party leader explains which option of unblocking communications is beneficial for Armenia Death toll from floods in Turkeys Black Sea region rises to 27 Lavrov says Russia will continue its foreign policy after State Duma elections British envoy responds to Iran MFA's allegation about published photo Germany's Merkel to meet with Putin in Moscow Armenia party leader: Russia is now bearer of principle of not an inch of land in Artsakh Armenia police conducting internal investigation in connection with NEWS.am report Monument to fallen soldiers of 44-day war unveiled at Yerevan school yard (PHOTOS) Armenia revenue committee: 1,571 grams of gold jewelry hidden from customs control is found Firefighters trying to contain fire for over 3 hours at former Yerevan leather factory About 3 million people instructed to evacuate in Japan due to heavy rains Russia not considering evacuating its embassy in Kabul Two new cases of coronavirus reported in Karabakh Artsakh army dismisses statement that its units opened fire on Azerbaijan positions Young man dies, there are injured after road accident on Armenia motorway Six people killed in mass shooting in England Zvartnots International Airport: Lufthansa launches new flight between Yerevan, Frankfurt (PHOTOS) Unrest in Turkey capital, dozens detained in attack on Syrians 26 people apply to hospital due to drinking water poisoning in Armenias Armavir Province Torrential rains kill 21 people in China Blinken discusses Afghanistan with Canada, Germany FMs, NATO Secretary General 397 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Russia peacekeepers in Artsakh donate about 40 liters of blood to patients Taliban take control of Afghanistans Lashkar Gah city Pham Minh Chinh: Vietnam has always underscored traditional friendship with Armenia 9 residents of Armenias Armavir Province poisoned by drinking water, criminal case opened One dead, 2 injured after car catches fire on Armenia motorway Three US brothers die after getting stuck in manure pit Newspaper: Armenia National Security Service to call Criminal Court of Appeal judges for questioning Newspaper: What will new Armenia government look like? Banak.info coordinator: Azerbaijan deliberately fires at Armenias Yeraskh village Israel and Morocco agree to open their embassies in the near future Mysterious video of UFO sparks heated discussions UK researchers warn of new coronavirus outbreak in fall Nine Armenia village residents with same complaints hospitalized at infectious diseases department Armenian soldier who lost eyesight during 44-day Karabakh war and his fiance tie the knot (PHOTO) Armenia defense minister introduces new commander of 2nd military formation to administration and units Russia bans entry of ex-Ambassador of Azerbaijan into country for 50 years Russia Defense Ministry reports ceasefire violation committed by Azerbaijani Armed Forces in Karabakh Armenian court rules to arrest Spain citizen who cruelly murdered a man and injured 2 citizens of Armenia's Etchmiadzin Attorney says Yerevan travel agency plundered millions from hundreds of citizens through fraud Israel FM opens country's diplomatic representation in Morocco Russia MOD arrives in China to follow active stage of Russian-Chinese military exercises Armlur.am: Armenia PM is in parliament where "Civil Contract" faction is holding a closed session Karabakh emergency situations service: Searches for servicemen's remains in Mataghis-Talish direction were fruitless Armenia MOD: Azerbaijani troops open fire at Armenian military posts in Yeraskh section starting from 5:20 p.m. Floods that hit Turkey leave 9 dead, 1 missing Ukrainian businessman's company selling its coal mines to Armenia citizen Yelena Hovhannisyan Pavel Manukyan charged for statement about eliminating Armenia PM Nikol Pashinyan Names of chairpersons of Armenia Parliament's 12 standing committees announced after vote Ebrahim Raisi: Cooperation between Iran and Turkey is necessary for establishment of peace in the region Armenia Parliament Speaker meets with representative of Assyrian community Erdogan not ruling out meeting with the Taliban Hermitage shop of perfumes and cosmetics is now also open at Erebuni Mall (PHOTOS) Strong winds severely damage Armenias Zvartnots museum-reserve roof (PHOTOS) Armenians Forward Together forum kicks off in Yerevan (PHOTOS) Shoygu on current situation in Afghanistan Dollar goes up in Armenia Iran FM slams Russian, British envoys over inappropriate photo Armenia parliament holding vote for chairpersons of 12 standing committees Authorities of Afghanistan's Farah surrender to Taliban Artsakh Defense Army: Azerbaijan tried to break line of contact, attempt was prevented Lufthansa entering Armenia civil aviation market Armenia parliament ruling faction nominates candidate for European integration committee chair Two of the injured in Artsakh cluster bomb explosion still in critical, moderate condition Russian peacekeepers ensure security during construction of water pipeline in Nagorno-Karabakh Water poisoning in Armenias Armavir, 9 people hospitalized Armenia official: Railway will pass through Nakhichevan, Meghri if it is decided to be operated No fallen soldiers remains found during Wednesday's search in Artsakh Armenia ambassador to Israel is recalled Opposition Armenia Faction MP: Authorities are exerting unprecedented pressure on media Armenia government to recompense Constitutional Court ex-judge Economy minister, Lufthansa representatives underscore intensification of Armenia-Germany business relations Under the pretext of "restoration" of the occupied territories of Karabakh, Azerbaijan is creating a military-political bridgehead for pursuing an expansionist policy. This was stated by Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) Foreign Minister David Babayan, commentingat the request of Armenian News-NEWS.amon the latest information regarding the construction of roads in occupied Karabakh. "What is happening in Karabakh now should be viewed in various ways, but the most important thing is that everything that is happening has a geopolitical background. Moreover, not so much local, directed against Artsakh and Armenia, but regional and to some extent global, pursuing goals outside the borders of Transcaucasia, in the bordering geopolitical territories. We see that a transport infrastructure of an expansionist direction is being created. Moreover, the moment is very conveniently chosen: the restoration of the occupied lands from Armenian barbarism, and so on. In fact, we see that the basis of the offensive policy of Turkey and Azerbaijan in the future is being laid. They are creating a very common network of roads, tunnels which will enable large number of troops to be thrown on the border with Iran, as well as to encircle the Russian peacekeeping contingent. Turkey has the largest presence in Azerbaijan in Nakhichevan and Ganja. The goal is to connect those regions with Araks [River]. Large-scale transport projects are dedicated to it. Moreover, Armenia will be under complete blockade. This will enable solving offensive issues against Iran, throwing troops in a secret regime. There are similar offensive projectsa branched network of roads, and very-far-reaching goalsin other occupied territories of Artsakh. Understanding what is happening will enable us to be prepared and react," said David Babayan. The head of the Security Council, Hayk Petrosyan, on Monday met with Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) Secretary General Stanislav Zas, who is on a working visit to Armenia. During the meeting, the interlocutors discussed the situation on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border, the latest developments in this regard, and the possibilities of using the existing mechanisms within the CSTO in the process of peaceful settlement of this situation. Petrosyan and Zas touched also upon the process of coordinating the draft documents to be discussed at the session of the Committee of Secretaries of the CSTO Security Councils to be held in Tajikistan in September, as well as the preparation of the priorities of Armenia's forthcoming chairmanship at the CSTO. The Foreign Ministers of Russia and Azerbaijan, Sergey Lavrov and Jeyhun Bayramov, discussed by telephone the ways to resolve the situation on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border. According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, the two FMs discussed current issues of bilateral relations, as well as regional and international agendas. "There was a substantive exchange of views on the various aspects of the implementation of the statements by the leaders of Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia on November 9, 2020 and January 11, 2021, as well as ways to resolve the situation on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border. The importance of a quick resumption of the activities of the trilateral working groupco-chaired by the Deputy Prime Ministers of Russia, Azerbaijan, and Armeniaaimed at unblocking economic and transport ties in the region was stressed," the statement said, in particular. The parliamentary inquiry committee is not an instrument of the authorities; it is an instrument intended exclusively for the opposition. The head of the opposition With Honor Faction, Artur Vanetsyan, on Monday told this to reporters in the National Assembly of Armenia. "The opposition must use the inquiry committee and be able to get the answers to the questions that concern it. If the authorities talk about the inquiry committee, it means that the authorities are incompetent. If the establishment of the inquiry committee is proposed by the authorities, it is another step to hide the real culprits of the 44-day [Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh)] war," he said. Referring to the issue of not having a new foreign minister until now, Vanetsyan said: "These authorities are not promoting the interests of independent Armenia, but are trying to please the interests of other countries. These authorities do not have a professional personnel reserve and cannot choose a candidate for that key position. Reflecting on the charges brought against him, in particular, the case of the assassination attempt against PM Nikol Pashinyan, Vanetsyan said: "After November 9, they detained me, applied to the court with a motion to arrest [me], but the court did not grant [the motion] due to the lack of reasonable doubt; that is, I have nothing to do with the charges made. The case has been initiated, I have the status of an accused in two criminal cases, but 7-8 months have already passed and I have never been called to any investigation. He also said that all the accusations were absurd. "Now, after this interview, I do not rule out that very actively I will be called back to the investigative bodies," he added. Some of the relatives of the Armenian prisoners of war (POWs) who are detained in the Azerbaijani capital Baku have left the meeting with Mane Gevorgyan, the spokesperson of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, and are again outside the main building of the government of Armenia. "They did not speak about anything specific, the parents presented their demand that the relatives of the prisoners of war should meet with a representative of the government and present their demands in connection with the urgent return of the prisoners of war," said a relative of one of these POWs. These relatives are still standing outside the said government building, waiting for an answer. "We will not go until we meet," added the aforementioned relative of one of these POWs. These relatives are outside of the main building of the government for several hours, demanding a meeting with a someone competent from the government who can give thorough answers to their questions in terms of having these Armenian POWs returned. The government first had said that they would receive two of these relatives, but the latter refused to meet that way. After some time, however, several of these relatives met with the Prime Minister's spokesperson. These past days, I have noticed that there is no self-criticism, some people dont have a sense of guilt, and people talking from this podium show that there is no culture for holding discussions. This is what leader of the opposition Armenia faction of the National Assembly of Armenia Seyran Ohanyan said as he addressed deputies of the ruling parliamentary faction today. The Republic of Armenia with Artsakh was a factor from the perspective of security and economic development, and it is a different factor in the security systems of Artsakh and Armenia in the current geopolitical situation. One of the negative aspects of the war was the confusion that was caused in Armenia. From this perspective, this committee [the committee to lead a probe into the 44-day war in Nagorno-Karabakh] will also cooperate to explore the chaos, the lack of lawfulness and the retreat of servicemen from the battlefield, he said. Touching upon the changes being made in the Armed Forces, the ex-defense minister stated that the relations between the Ministry of Defense and the General Staff of the Armed Forces have been undermined as a result of those changes. You politicized the position of Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces and have extremely lowered the age limit for the leadership of the Armed Forces. There also hasnt been relevant control over mobilization resources. During war, one of the extremely important directions is exchange and analysis of experience, but this wasnt done during the recent war, he said to the authorities. Armenias Minister of Defense Arshak Karapetyan today received Secretary-General of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) Stanislav Zas, who is on a working visit to Armenia, as reported the Armenian Ministry of Defense. Greeting the guest, the defense minister particularly stated the following: Armenia was expecting you to visit back in May. It was a rather tense period for Armenia, but unfortunately, you didnt visit. Today the situation on our borders is stable, but difficult. In May, the Azerbaijani Armed Forces invaded Armenian territory in two directions. This extremely concerns us. We support peace. We dont want escalation on our borders. At the same time, Armenia isnt ready to put up with the actions that may lead to violation of the state border of Armenia. We will resolutely defend our territories. Of course, we seek to solve the issue peacefully, but at the same time, we cant be patient forever, and if the situation on our borders isnt solved peacefully, we will reserve ourselves the right to solve the issue by force. The defense minister also informed the CSTO Secretary-General about the conceptual approaches of the Armenian chairmanship in the CSTO, stressing that increase of effectiveness of the activities of the CSTO and the objectives for further development of the military component of the CSTO will be among the priorities of the Armenian side. Stanislav Zas congratulated the defense minister of Armenia on assuming the high office. He also informed the defense minister that the joint sessions of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Defense and Committee of Secretaries of Security Councils of CSTO member states are scheduled to take place in Dushanbe on September 15, and on September 16, the chairmanship of the CSTO will be transferred to Armenia during the Assembly of the Collective Security Council. Story Highlights Recent ratings of CDC communication are more positive than earlier ones Biden generally rated well for communication, approach to the situation Americans more positive about Democratic than Republican governors' approach WASHINGTON, D.C. -- U.S. views that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has clearly communicated a plan of action to deal with the coronavirus have shifted during the pandemic. Americans have been more likely to agree than disagree the CDC has communicated a clear plan at certain times, and more likely to disagree at others. In recent months, the public has been more positive than negative about the agency's communications, including in a late July measure that found 39% agreeing and 32% disagreeing. This most recent reading preceded the controversy over the agency's revised guidance on the need for vaccinated Americans to wear face masks in public. Line graph. Agreement and disagreement that the Centers for Disease Control has communicated a clear plan of action in response to the coronavirus. In June 2020, Americans were divided with 33% agreeing and 32% disagreeing. By September, opinion had turned more negative than positive, with 41% disagreeing and 25% agreeing. Opinion was divided in October 2020 through December 2020, before becoming negative again in January 2021. Since March, opinion has been more positive than negative, including 39% agreement and 32% disagreement, similar to the readings in most months. Since June 2020, Gallup has asked Americans, as part of its online COVID-19 tracking survey, to indicate whether they agree or disagree that the CDC and other government actors have communicated a clear plan of action in response to the coronavirus. After initially being divided about the agency's communication in polling conducted last summer, Americans grew more critical of it last fall amid concerns about possible political influence in the vaccine approval process. In September, 41% disagreed and 25% agreed the CDC had communicated a clear plan. The public gave a similarly critical review in January, during the initial slow rollout of the vaccination process and when U.S. coronavirus deaths and infections were peaking. In subsequent months, as the coronavirus situation improved, Americans tended to be more positive than negative toward the CDC. The exception was a divided May reading after the agency abruptly announced that fully vaccinated Americans no longer needed to wear face masks in public. In late July, the CDC came under criticism after it issued a seeming reversal of that guidance, saying that fully vaccinated people should wear masks when out in public in areas dealing with the increased spread of the delta variant of the virus. That announcement was made after the July 19-26 survey finished, so the most recent reading does not reflect its impact on public opinion toward the CDC. In the latest survey, Americans give more positive ratings to the COVID-19 communications from President Joe Biden and their state governor than from the CDC. Overall, 48% of U.S. adults agree and 35% disagree that Biden has communicated a clear plan of action. Forty-six percent agree and 31% disagree that their state's governor has done so. Agreement That Government Leaders Are Communicating a Clear Plan of Action in Response to the Coronavirus Agree Neutral Disagree Net "Agree" % % % pct. pts. President Joe Biden 48 17 35 +13 Your state governor 46 23 31 +15 The CDC 39 29 32 +7 Gallup Panel, July 19-26, 2021 Residents of states with Democratic governors give their state chief executive's communication more positive ratings than residents of Republican-led states do. Fifty-one percent of those with Democratic governors agree their leader has communicated a clear plan, while 26% disagree. For those living in states with Republican governors, 41% agree and 36% disagree. Public More Likely to Agree Than Disagree CDC Has Right Approach to COVID-19 A new question in the July survey asked Americans whether they agree or disagree that the same set of government leaders has the "right approach to dealing with the coronavirus situation." On this measure, Americans are more likely to agree that the CDC and Biden have the right approach than to agree their governor does. Forty-six percent of U.S. adults agree Biden has the right approach, and 42% say the same about the CDC, roughly 10 percentage points more than disagree for each. By comparison, Americans divide about evenly on whether their governor has the right approach -- 41% agree, and 37% disagree. Agreement That Government Leaders Have the Right Approach to Dealing With the Coronavirus Situation Agree Neutral Disagree Net "Agree" % % % pct. pts. President Joe Biden 46 18 36 +10 The CDC 42 27 31 +11 Your state governor 41 22 37 +4 Gallup Panel, July 19-26, 2021 On this measure as well, Democratic governors are rated more positively than Republican governors. Forty-seven percent of residents of Democratic-led states agree their governor has the right approach to dealing with the coronavirus, while 33% disagree. In contrast, more of those living in states with Republican governors disagree (41%) than agree (36%) with their approach. One contributing factor to the disparity in governor ratings is that Republicans are less positive about Republican governors than Democrats are about Democratic governors. Fifty-seven percent of Republicans living in states with Republican governors agree their governor has the right approach to the coronavirus situation, while 74% of Democrats in Democratic-led states say the same. Bottom Line The CDC has been a major source of information about COVID-19 for Americans, but communicating about the virus has proved challenging. The public has often not reacted well to changing guidance, even if it is grounded in science and based on changing circumstances -- particularly when it comes to advice about the wearing of face masks. It is not yet clear what the latest change in guidance on face masks has done to Americans' evaluations of the CDC. Gallup's late August update of its COVID-19 tracking survey should provide clues. What is clear from Gallup's tracking of ratings of the CDC's communication on COVID-19 is that public opinion has been responsive to various events and controversies, but sharp changes in attitudes seen in one month usually do not persist beyond that month. To stay up to date with the latest Gallup News insights and updates, follow us on Twitter. Learn more about how the Gallup Panel works. This summer, Olivia Prevost, C22, completed a three-week volunteer program to minister to individuals experiencing homelessness in Michigan City, Indiana, through Christ in the Citya national volunteer project designed to grow college students into Catholic missionaries through four pillars of formation: spiritual, intellectual, human and apostolic. Prevost, an Honors student and a Mount Fellow, was awarded funds from the Office of Competitive Fellowships to pay for her room, board and transportation costs associated with this service work. A philosophy major, who also minors in theology, music and English, Prevost is currently working on her Honors project with Department of Philosophy advisors Joshua Hochschild, Ph.D., and Mike Miller, Ph.D. She is the 2021 recipient of the Gadamer Liberal Arts Scholarship for dedication to lifelong learning and critical investigation in and outside of the classroom; the 2021 Margaret E. and William P. Moyles Memorial Award for demonstrated excellence in pre-law studies; and the 2021 Della Ratta Award for exhibiting the highest standards of liberal learning through breadth and depth of study in the liberal arts and sciences, her exceptional abilities of critical and creative thinking and fine moral character. In my conversation with Olivia the other day, I was struck by a few things: growth in courage, growth in desire for community and growth in desire for prayer, said Brendan Johnson, S21, assistant director of campus ministry and social justice. She said shes really eager to bring back to the Mount what she learned to help build our community here. This interview has been edited for length and clarity. How did you hear about Christ in the City? Two Mount alumni did it before me: Emily Flaherty, C19 and Sean Fahey, C21. What initially attracted you to the program? The programs focus on service to the poor. I was in Ireland my sophomore year, fall 2019, with the Mounts study abroad program; we lived in Dublin. I was really struck with my first encounters with the problems of homelessness and the struggles people faced in Ireland. Ever since I lived there that semester, Id been looking for an opportunity to help people who suffer from those things. Christ in the City appealed to me because its their apostolate to serve the poor, specifically in urban areas. When I went in, I didnt really know too much about the philosophy of the program. One of the things thats so great about the program is their emphasis on forming the missionaries. Where a lot of service programs will have you build houses and evangelize, talk to people, spread the gospel, this program was interested in growing the missionary spiritually to serve others from that good place. What surprised you about these three weeks? It was a very structured lifestyle; there was a lot of community prayer involved. We had Mass and Adoration every day. We had personal prayer time built into our community life. I got so much more spiritual food than I thought I was going to get. I thought I was going to serve other people, and I found myself being served more than anything else. Describe how you spent your days. We would wake up every morning at 6:30 a.m. and have prayer together. Wed eat breakfast together and clean the house together. From 9 a.m. until 1 p.m., wed do the street ministry. The life of the missionaries in this program is structured around four formation pillars: human, spiritual, apostolic and intellectual. Everything we did was focused on those four points. For the intellectual pillar, we had classes on Catholic Social Teaching. We read some of Pope John Paul IIs encyclicals. We were doing things that were engaging us intellectually with the mission we were doing. For the spiritual pillar, we had Mass, Adoration and we did a silent retreat at the end of the program to process everything and pray about it. The human pillar was forming the missionaries as a group, so you intentionally strengthen your relationship with the others in the program. The apostolic pillar was service to the poor. How did you minister to these individuals? The primary thing we were trained to do was to sit and talk with people. We were connected to a local social service. We went to homeless shelters. We had packets of information for people who were interested in getting a job or looking for housing. We did have water and socks to attend to material needs. What we wanted to do first was to spend time and get to know these people. What we were trying to do was minister to that poverty of loneliness, that poverty of never being treated like a human beingbeing treated either like you dont exist or youre a problem to solve. We tried to find that space of accepting people and wanting to be with them as friends first and then as people who could help them second. When we would go out on the street, we would do it with that intention. We split into teams and would walk the same route every day because wed be trying to meet the same people every day, build up a relationship with them, and show them through our presence and our friendliness that theyre worth having a better quality of life. What did you learn about those suffering from homelessness? People who suffer from homelessness have financial problems, right? They dont have moneythats why theyre on the streets. Often there are underlying reasons why people struggle financially: mental illness, family history, personal human brokenness and other struggles are the root and foundation of their homelessness. Christ in the City is a program that recognizes, primarily, that while these people are suffering from material poverty, their biggest poverty is loneliness. When youre on the street youve burned every relationship bridge that you have. If you or I were approaching the point where we couldnt pay for housing, someone would let us crash on their couch for a bit until we could get on our feet. These people have no one in the world who cares about them enough to give them a couch to stay on. You mentioned the poverty of loneliness. How did you minister to that need? One of the most powerful things for me to witness as I grew to know these individuals more was that I really could tell how much the poverty of loneliness affects a person. I met so many different people. Everyones story was different. One thing I noticed again and again is how grateful and how much it meant to these people that we listened. For example, there was one man I got close to over the three weeks I was there. He was at the food pantry where we helped serve. He would come and start talking the moment he arrived and would not stop talking until the moment we ran out of the room. His personality was so overwhelming that people wouldnt even listen to him anymore; they would just block him out and move to the other side of the room. I would sit and listen to him for three hours talk about big, exciting things he would do when he was younger. He had amazing stories to tell. At the end of three weeks, he told us he was going to miss us when we were gone because we were the only people who valued him enough as a human being to listen to what he had to say. Thats an extreme example but illustrates the impact it has on someone where you sit down and listen. You dont listen to do something else. You dont listen to solve their problem. You dont listen to get something from them. You just listen to what they have to say. How did active listening and receiving without judgement make a positive impact? Before this program, I had a hard time distinguishing between a moral judgement and a critical judgement. I believe in absolute truththat certain things are right and certain things are wrong. But I was able to see, in this program, how you can listen to someone and ask them questions and disagree with the choices theyve made. You can understand that in your mind but still listen to them with an accepting and receptive attitude toward what theyre trying to communicate. I saw how powerful that was in so many cases where I would watch my fellow missionaries, who are amazing people, listen to these very sad storiesand I just saw these people open up. It was like nothing Id ever seen before. The people you think would be the most hostile and unfriendly toward you just want someone to listen and learn about them. Everyone needs that so much. One of the biggest takeaways from this program was the importance of listening well. Where did you see hope? Hope was a huge theme for me in my spiritual life during those three weeks. I had lost a lot of hope before I started this programin the sense of believing things could be different at the Mount, at home and in the world in general. For a period of time, I had lost trust that God could really make change happen for the better. When I went to Christ in the City, the experience I had there showed me that healing and good change, change for the better, is possible. God is capable of it in my own life, in my own person. How do you think youll bring this experience with you to the Mount for your senior year? I was able to see the change in the people suffering from homelessness. I was able to see the change in their lives in such a short period of time, and I could see the change in my own life as I was formed, grown, and shown a better way. This experience restored my trust in Gods ability to work through me to do his will and bring healing to those in need. That experience can translate to my life at the Mount because the apostolate is listening to people who have suffered from poverty. It was special for me to be there because material poverty to the level of what I was experiencing in Michigan City is not part of the everyday life at the Mountbut spiritual and social poverty is. As I was being formed as a missionary, I was shown how to have an attitude of receptivity without judgement and engage in community life and prayer. Those are all skills, attitudes and passions that I can apply to my relationships and academic life at the Mount. It turns out everyone suffers from some kind of povertyeven those lucky enough not to suffer from material poverty. Loneliness is everywhere, in every part of society. Im excited to come back to the Mount and do the best I can to continue the lifestyle and the skills of listening and receiving that I developed over those three weeks and apply them and bring them to the Mount for the good of my friends and family that I love. Have you kept in touch with any of the other missionaries that you met? I have. Two or three of us meet for night prayer over Zoom a few times a week. Jesus spent a lot of time with the poor. Do you think serving these individuals is an act of social justice? Theres a phrase about Gods preferential love for the poor. The idea is that people who suffer from material poverty have a special place in Jesus heart. You can read that in the gospels and in the Bible. I think we have a duty to care for those in our families, communities and in our country who suffer from material poverty. We have a duty to address these needs because our Lord showed that example. He had a desire to be present and in solidarity with those who suffered material poverty. When I started the program, I didnt think of myself as educating or fulfilling a moral imperative as much as I thought that Jesus was with the poor and I want to be with Jesustherefore I should help the poor. Thats where my heart was in terms of motivation. Did you journal while you were there? Ive always been terrible with journaling, but I wrote every day. Tell me how your liberal arts training informed your experience. There was a lot of liberal arts occurring. I play the Irish fiddle. We had a professional stunt fiddler and she played Americana. We had a classically trained saxophonist and a good improve pianist. We had a bunch of people who were good at singing. We would host dinner a lot and host dinner concerts and put together song set lists. One night we went to one of the local mens shelters and did a performance on the street in front of their house. It was so much fun. What have you learned from this experience about the power of trust combined with the power of truth to change the community and the world? I met a man who really struck me. He wasnt someone I met with my street team; he was someone another street team met. He invited all the other street teams to come together. This man had been homeless for a long time, and he was well known in the local area. He had a job but didnt have reliable transportation, so he struggled. He invited us into his community. He wanted to serve us. He brought 11 of us missionaries to this park. All his belongings were there; this was a place he had been camping for a while. He shared his food with us. He had some meat he got from a pantry, and he had bread and toppings. Even though he was the one we were supposed to be helping, he hosted a party for us at this park. It was such an amazing experience. His generosity was striking. He wanted to share what he had with 11 affluent, not materially poor, young people aged 18-27. It was a beautiful experience for me. Again, I expected to serve this person, and he ended up serving us. He had a need to be generous and give something back. Because we were humble enough to accept his gift and have this barbeque with him, we met his need and found joy in the face of so much suffering. What are your next steps? How are you moving toward your purpose? Im seriously thinking about taking a gap year after graduation and looking at continuing to work with Christ in the City. I completed the three-week summer program, but they have a yearlong version to become a full-time missionary in Denver, Colorado. Im thinking about applying because this was a wonderful experience, and I grew closer to Jesus. Im taking the Graduate Record Examinations and looking at graduate schools for philosophy. Its big scary. University of Notre Dame is very attractive because of their Classics department, same with Baylor University. Im interested in Christian and Catholic philosophy. Taliban capture city without a fight Taliban fighters guard a checkpoint in Kunduz city on Monday. The insurgents are adding to recent gains, capturing Aibak on Monday. Photo: AP The Taliban seized a sixth Afghan provincial capital on Monday following a weekend blitz across the north that saw urban centres fall in quick succession and the government struggle to keep the militants at bay. Insurgents entered Aibak without a fight after community elders pleaded with officials to spare the city from more violence following weeks of clashes on the outskirts, said Sefatullah Samangani, deputy governor of Samangan province. "The governor accepted and withdrew all the forces from the city," Samangani added, saying the Taliban were now in "full control". A Taliban spokesman confirmed the city had been taken. The insurgents have overrun five provincial capitals across the north, sparking fears the government is rapidly losing control of the region. They have also taken Zaranj, capital of Nimroz province, in the southwest. Earlier Monday, the Taliban said they were moving in on Mazar-i-Sharif -- the largest city in the north and a linchpin for the government's control of the region -- after capturing Sheberghan to its west, and Kunduz and Taloqan to its east. A spokesman said Taliban fighters had entered the city, but officials -- and residents contacted by phone -- said the group was exaggerating, with clashes confined to surrounding districts. "The enemy is trying to distort public opinion and create anxiety for the civilian population by their propaganda," said a statement from the provincial police force in Balkh, where Mazar-i-Sharif is the capital. Mazar's longtime strongman Atta Mohammad Noor vowed to fight to the end, saying there would be "resistance until the last drop of my blood". "I prefer dying in dignity than dying in despair," he tweeted. The loss of the city, an economic hub steeped in history, would signal the collapse of Kabul's control of the north and raise questions about the future of the government. In neighbouring Kunduz, the second-largest city in the north that fell to the Taliban Sunday, residents said insurgents were all over the city, occupying government offices and institutions. Tolo News reported government forces still had control of the airport and army barracks outside the city, although there has been no official comment on the situation. "The security situation is not good and we fled to save our lives," Rahmatullah, a 28-year-old resident, told AFP. "It is like a horror movie." Thousands of people have fled the north, with many arriving in Kabul Monday after a harrowing 10-hour drive through multiple Taliban checkpoints en route. "The Taliban are beating and looting," said Rahima, now camped out with hundreds of people at a park in the capital after fleeing Sheberghan province. "If there is a young girl or a widow in a family, they forcibly take them. We fled to protect our honour." As the Taliban tightened a noose around the north, Afghan forces were trying to flush out the insurgents from the outskirts of several cities in the south. The Taliban have for weeks been trying to take Kandahar and Lashkar Gah -- both with Pashtun majorities from where they draw their strength. "We're clearing houses, roads, and buildings that the Taliban occupy," General Sami Sadat, commander of the Afghan army's 215 Corps, told AFP from Lashkar Gah. The ministry of defence said hundreds of Taliban fighters had been killed or injured in the last 24 hours. Both sides routinely exaggerate death tolls that are virtually impossible to verify. Northern Afghanistan has long been considered an anti-Taliban stronghold that saw some of the stiffest resistance to their rule in the 1990s. The region remains home to several militias and is also a fertile recruiting ground for the country's armed forces. Fighting in Afghanistan's long-running conflict has escalated dramatically since May, when the US-led military coalition began the final stage of a withdrawal set to be completed before the end of the month. The withdrawal of foreign forces is due to finish at the end of this month ahead of the 20th anniversary of the September 11 attacks. The US-led invasion sparked by 9/11 toppled the first Taliban regime in 2001. (AFP) Bloomberg (Bloomberg) -- The cryptocurrency sector is back in sight of a $2 trillion market value, a level last seen in May, but further gains face an obstacle from potential new U.S. tax reporting requirements.The value of more than 8,800 tokens tracked by CoinGecko has risen 55% to $1.95 trillion from a July low, helped by rallies in Bitcoin and Ether. The climb in Bitcoin has stalled due to the oversight of virtual currencies in the infrastructure bill passed by the Senate, according to crypto exchange The best gifts for college-bound students Recommendations are independently chosen by Revieweds editors. Purchases you make through our links may earn us a commission. It can be hard to find the right gift for the college-bound kid. Do they need a necessity, a fun gadget or something to keep them from getting homesick come move-in day? To make it easier for you to find the perfect one, weve put together a list of 35 practical yet thoughtful gifts for the college-bound kid. From the comfiest sheets to top bunk storage solutions, weve got everything any little bird needs on its way out of the nest. Need help finding products? Sign up for our weekly newsletter. Its free and you can unsubscribe at any time. 1. For the kid who needs some high-quality sheets: Brooklinen sheets Gifts for college-bound students: Brooklinen sheets Everyone deserves a set of nice sheetsespecially for those late-night cram sessions or Netflix reruns. Our favorite bed sheets are the Luxe Core sheets from Brooklinen, which are available in all sorts of cute patterns and stripes. We loved how soft and breathable they are, and noted that stains come out easily. Get the Luxe Core Sheet Set from Brooklinen for $121.50 2. For the kid who loves to order takeout: Pyrex Ultimate Storage Set Gifts for college-bound students: Pyrex Ultimate Heres something most kids wont think about before they leave for college: Theyre going to need someplace to store their leftovers. All those extra slices of pizza, half pots of ramen and Chinese lunch combos have to go somewhere! Be the person that picks them up this Pyrex Ultimate 10-piece storage set, which we named the best overall food storage container for its strong glass construction and oven-safe features. Get the Pyrex Ultimate Storage Set from Williams-Sonoma for $62.95 3. For the kid who always forgets to charge their phone: Mophie Powerstation PD Nowadays, colleges are packed with plugs and outlets, but on the off chance theyre all taken and your giftee's a little scatterbrained, theyd feel blessed to have a sweet little USB battery pack. Our favorite battery pack is the Mophie Powerstation PD, which is powerful enough to juice up two phones at onceperfect for any study session. Story continues Get the Mophie Powerstation PD from Amazon for $42.86 4. For the kid you want to come home on weekends: Travelpro Platinum Elite Gifts for college-bound students: Travelpro Platinum Elite Set junior up for spring break in style with some new luggage. We adore the Travelpro Platinum Elite, which is the best piece of checked luggage available right now. If they need a large suitcase this is it, thanks to its expandable size, smooth maneuverability, and easy front-opening access. Its a little pricey, but good luggage can last a lifetime. Get the Travelpro Platinum Elite 29 Inch Expandable Spinner from Amazon for $339.99 5. For the kid with the bad back: Sleep On mattress topper Gifts for college-bound students: Pure Green mattress topper Dorm mattresses have been slept on by multiple people before your kidthat's why some choose to just bring their own, even though a lot of colleges frown upon that. Why not opt for a sleeker solution instead, and nab your giftee a nifty little mattress topper? While we named the Casper option our best overall for 2021, they can be a little hard to find. A great second choice is Sleep Ons natural latex topper, which we said delivered an amazingly comfortable sleep experience. Get the Sleep On natural Latex Mattress Topper from Amazon for $220 6. For the secret chef: Cuisinart Hot Plate Gifts for college-bound students: Cuisinart hot plate Some dorms might have rules against it, but lets be real: A hot plate can be a lifesaver for those nights when your student works through dinner and just needs a little something to eat before bed. We like the Cuisinart cast iron single burner, and more than 2,000 Amazon reviewers agree, giving it a 4.5-star rating. As one notes, its got simple, easy controls with variable heat levels, heats fast, maintains heat evenly and well and requires near nil cleaning. Sounds perfect for a messy college kid! Get the Cuisinart Cast Iron Single Burner hot plate from Amazon for $59.99 7. For the kid who loves to whip up a little something to eat: Always Pan Gifts for college-bound students: Always Pan If your student has a hot plate, theyre going to need something to use on it. We love the Instagram-famous Always Pan, which is basically eight different appliances in one. It can fry, steam or even act as a saucepan. It also comes in a variety of adorable colors and, is a storage-friendly solution for those who live in a small apartment or share space with others. Sounds like a dorm to us! Get the Always Pan from Our Place for $145 8. For the kid who already drew the top bunk: BedShelfie Gifts for college-bound students: BedShelfie Sleeping in a top bunk can be challenging enough, even without trying to figure out where youre going to store your phone, water, book and retainer when its time to go to bed. Fortunately, there are solutions for that now, including the BedShelfie. Much-beloved by Etsy users, the BedShelfie is an easy-to-use minimalist snap-on accessory that Etsy shoppers say is so incredibly easy to install and very sturdy. Its even got a little space for a water cup, so hopefully, the roommate down below will never have to face an unfortunate dousing in the middle of the night. Get the BedShelfie from Etsy for $39.99 9. For the kid who hates cleaning: Roomba robot vacuums Gifts for college-bound students: Roomba vacuums Keeping their dorm room clean might be a hassle, especially amidst early classes, extracurriculars and more. A useful gift they'll love is a robot vacuum and iRobot makes some of our favorites. Roomba's are universally well-loved and if you're willing to shell out the extra cash, they'll make your child's life a lot easier. Our favorite is the iRobot Roomba i7+ for its strong suction and self-emptying capabilitiesthey'll never have to touch the dirt. It could also easily pick up 10 grams of debris per run and works with both Alexa and Google voice assistants for a hands-free experience. If the i7+ is too far out of your budget, consider our favorite affordable Roomba, the i3+. The i7+ might come with extra disposal bags and an extra cleaning side brush, but the i3+ was able to offer the same powerful cleaning and packed a sleeker design. 10. For the kid who'll miss their dog more than they miss their parents: Pet Pillow Gifts for college-bound students: aurespaces custom pet pillow If your college-bound students biggest concern is how much theyre going to miss their dog, cat, lizard or fish, help them take a version of their little pal with them via this custom-shaped pet pillow. Just provide a picture of Fido or Sir Meowington, and this company will produce a pillow version of that image perfect for snuggles, cuddles and lonely nights missing home. Get a Custom Shaped Pet Pillow from Etsy from $25.49 11. For the kid who's always stressed: YnM Weighted Blanket Gifts for college-bound students: YnM Weighted blanket A weighted blanket is a great stress reliever and might help your kid get a better night of sleep during midterm season. Our most affordable option is the YnM Weighted Blanket which we found easily conforms to the shape of your body to both help you relax or fall asleep. It's not as cozy as our favorite, the Gravity weighted blanket, but with multiple sizes and weight options available it still makes for a great gift for kids away at college. Get the YnM Weighted Blanket from Amazon for $52.90 12. For the kid who lives on soup: EZ-DUZ-IT Deluxe Opener Gifts for college-bound students: EZ-DUZ-IT Deluxe Opener One item no freshman ever knows theyre going to need is a good old can opener. That soups not going to open itself, after all. A good can opener can last decades, too, making it the gift that keeps on giving. We love the EZ-DUZ-IT Deluxe opener, which has an all-metal construction for durabilityperfect if your kid's a little clumsy and keeps dropping it off the counter. Get the EZ-DUZ-IT Deluxe Opener from Amazon for $10.64 13. For the kid who likes to snooze: Sweeney from StyleWell Gifts for college-bound students: Stylewell sheets Heres a universal fact: Any kids going to need new bedding when they go to school. Were big fans of this Sweeney four-piece set from Home Depot, which comes with a comforter, sham and even two decorative pillows. Our reviewer said it was both soft and lightweight, and noted that it was machine-washablea big plus for messy college students. Get the Sweeney from StyleWell from Home Depot for $58.48 14. For the kid who really loves a good pillow: Coop Home Goods pillow Gifts for college-bound students: Coop Home Goods pillows Speaking of sleeping: Pillows. Everyone needs them, and no one wants to spend the money to get a good one for themselves. Thats why we love the idea of giving a nice pillow as a gift, especially for a sure-to-be snoozing college kid. We weighed dozens of options and landed on the Coop Home Goods Original pillow as our favorite pillow of 2021, hailing its washability and the inclusion of a little pack of extra stuffing, just in case that pillow isnt as fluffy as they might like. Coop even offers a generous 100-night sleep trial, just in case the person you gift this to isnt vibing with the pillows feel. Get the Coop Home Goods Original Pillow from Amazon for $59.99 15. For the kid who wants the best laptop on the market: MacBook Air Coop Home Goods pillows: MacBook Air If youre really feeling generous, you could gift your grad a brand new laptop. For our money, the best one on the market is the Apple MacBook Air, which we said is thin, light, packs 13 hours of battery life, crushes most Windows laptops in benchmarks and real-world performance, and comes in a beautiful rose gold chassis. Its a little pricey, but just think about it as an investment into your grads education. Get the MacBook Air from Amazon from $899.99 16. For the kid who always forgets to stock up on essentials: Billie razors Coop Home Goods pillows: Billie razors If you dont mind getting a little personal, consider setting up your grad with the gift of a Billie razor subscription. For just $9, your grad will receive a razor starter kit and two blades. Then, however often you wantmonthly, bi-monthlyBillie will send an additional four blades for just $9 more. Until college, most kids have never had to worry about the price of razors or, frankly, running out. Billie helps continue that trend by taking that one little item off their plate for the foreseeable future, and it's Reviewed-approved too! We loved this subscription, finding it an easy way to find " excellent and durable disposable razors" at an affordable price. Get the Razor Starter Kit from Billie for $9 17. For the kid who loves movie night: TCL 5-Series Gifts for college-bound students: TCL 5-Series Dorm rooms need TVs. Watching an epic movie with buddies on someones laptop screen just doesnt measure up. Help your grad rule the room with one of our favorite affordable TVs, the TCL 5-Series. Considering its a TV for college kids, you probably wont want to break the bank, but the TCL 5-series offers max bang for your buck with decent picture quality. As a bonus, its also a Roku TV, so your grad can sync their Netflix accounter, probably your Netflix accountand stream to their hearts content. Get the TCL 5-Series from Amazon from $599.99 18. For the kid who's always prepared: Energizer Ultimate batteries Gifts for college-bound students: Energizer batteries No one thinks about buying batteries until they actually need them, and then its often annoying too late. Its not the slickest gift, but your kid will thank you 20 times over for a 20-pack of Energizer AA batteries, which theyll no doubt use to power up just about every remote on their dorm floor. Who knows? Maybe those batteries will help start a conversation that leads to a lifelong friendship. Get a 20-pack of Energizer Ultimate Lithium AA batteries from Amazon for $28.99 19. For the kid looking for dorm decor: Stylewell Lanterns Gifts for college-bound students: Stylewell lanterns Dorm room lights are usually fluorescent or have a weird burned orange glow that lacks a certain hominess. Let your child create a zen space with his set of Stylewell wooden lanterns. It's got a perfect 5-star rating from Home Depot shoppers who loved the simple, rustic wooden design. Just make sure your child is using flameless candles if their dorm has an extra set of fire safety rules like ours did. Get the Stylewell Lanterns from Home Depot for $63.20 20. For the kid in need of new kicks: New Balance Sneakers Gifts for college-bound students: New Balance sneakers New Balance is well-known for its comfortable, stylish shoes and for those weekend runs and long walks to classes, your kid deserves a new pair. We tested the New Balance 993 shoes which we found were comfy, versatile and felt like "pillows on your feet." These shoes do come at a hefty $185 price tag, so if you're looking for more affordable options, scroll through the rest of our top choices right below. 21. For the kid who needs their quiet: Sony headphones Gifts for college-bound students: Sony headphones If your grad has a roommate, then theyd absolutely adore a nice set of noise-canceling headphones. Our favorite headphones right now are the Sony WH-1000XM4, which we found are incredibly comfortable, great-sounding, and have among the best [noise-canceling] we've ever tested. Take that, roommate whos just learning acoustic guitar! Get Sonys WH-1000XM4 headphones from Amazon for $278 22. For the kid who's serious about not getting athlete's foot Gifts for college-bound students: shevalues shower sandals Just like every college-bound kid needs a good shower caddy, every college-bound kid also needs a good pair of shower shoes. Amazon users love these little guys, which come in eight different colors and come with drain holes in the soles. Some reviewers hail the shoes ability to dry quickly, also noting that they're "sturdy, comfortable, and do not slip at all. Get Shower Sandals from Amazon for $13.99 23. For the kid who always needs a new backpack: Incase Icon Gifts for college-bound students: Incase Icon Its always nice to start a new school year with a fresh new backpack, and for college, youre going to want to pick one thats laptop-friendly. We need the Incase Icon the best backpack for electronics, thanks to its multiple pockets and hefty protective elements. As our testers noted, the ICON is a heavily padded backpack that is meant to keep your laptops and tablets safe. Get the Incase ICON backpack from Amazon for $199.95 24. For the kid who's always fixing something: Cartman tools Gifts for college-bound students: Cartman tool set Everyone needs a good set of tools. College is a great place to start accruing those, too, because you never know when youll need a tape measure or a handy screwdriver to fix that uneven desk. Gift your grad a nice basic set and start them on a lifetime of handiwork and sustainability. Our best value tool kit is the Cartman 148-piece set, which comes with two screwdrivers, allen wrenches, a socket set, nails, screws, electrical tape, a hammer and a whole bunch of other things. In other words: Your kid won't have to scramble around for any additional gear, assuming theyre doing basic dorm room repairs. Get the Cartman 148-piece Tool Set from Amazon for $27.99 25. For the kid trying to reach the top shelf: Acko stool Gifts for college-bound students: Acko stool Everyone can use a little boost every now and again. Thats why we love the idea of gifting a college-bound grad a nifty little collapsible step stool. They can use it to tape up posters, store luggage or just change a lightbulb. When theyre done with it, they can tuck it away in the back of the closet for next time. Amazon users love this Acko model, which they say is easy to fold and heavy duty. It even comes in six fun colors, just for some flair. Get the Acko Folding Step Stool from Amazon for $19.99 26. For the kid who never wakes up in time for breakfast: Kind bars Gifts for college-bound students: KIND bars No college student wants to get out of bed a second earlier than they have to, even if it means missing breakfast in the dining hall. Thats why were big fans of giving the gift of food to college-bound students. There are a lot of solid options for dorm room grub, from ramen to Emergen-C, but you really cant go wrong with a case of Kind bars, which offer protein and energy, and come in delicious sweet flavors. Were partial to the dark chocolate, nuts, and sea salt option, but theyre honestly all pretty solid. Get 24 Kind Bars from Amazon for $28.44 27. For the kid who values cozy feet: UGG Fluff Yeah Slides Gifts for college-bound students: Uggs Fluff Yeah Does your kid hate putting their feet down on the cold marbled floor every morning? Us too. That's why we love the Ugg Fluff Yeah slippers that are not just popular all over the internet, they're super comfortable too. Available in multiple different colors, these trendy slides are one of our favorite women's slippers as they were easy to slide in and featured a secure elastic strap for more support. The sheepskin lining was "soft and fuzzy" and the open-toe design kept our feet from over-heating. Not to mention, they're extremely instagrammable! Get the Ugg Fluff Yeah Slides from Victoria's Secret for $100 28. For the kid who lives off mac & cheese: Rapid mac cooker Gifts for college-bound students: Rapid mac cooker Got a grad who loves a good mac and cheese? Then consider gifting them a Rapid Mac Cooker, which Amazon shoppers just love. It cooks a box of mac and cheese in just a few minutes in the microwave and comes in a variety of cute colors. One reviewer even got creative and prepared packaged rice and other types of pasta in it. Pretty impressive! Get the Rapid Mac Cooker from Amazon for $10.29 29. For the kid who's always cold: A thick sweater Gifts for college-bound students: sweaters College kids practically live in sweatshirts, and for good reasons: Dorm temperatures can vary wildly, and its always nice to layer up. If youre looking for a gift for a grad who is perpetually chilly, you might want to check out the Free People Sweetheart sweater that features a 4.6-star rating from more than 70 shoppers. The chunky knit was considered both warm, thick and stylish by Free People customersperfect to wear to classes this winter. Not their style? Check out some more picks right down below. 30. For the kid who likes to be prepared: Anker flashlight Gifts for college-bound students: Anker Bolder If youre gifting a kid who loves to be prepared, hook them up with a handy little flashlight, just in case. They can use it if the dorms power goes out, to search for things when their roommates asleep or even on some wild Thursday night ghost hunt with friends. We liked the value we got in the Anker Bolder LC40, saying, you'll be hard-pressed to find a flashlight that covers as many bases for the money. Get the Anker Bolder LC40 Flashlight from Amazon for $22.99 31. For the kid who's better safe than sorry: Sabre kit Gifts for college-bound students: Sabre self defense If you're concerned about your child's safety while they're away from home, gift them a handy self-defense kit, complete with a taser and pepper spray. Amazon reviewers give this Sabre model high marks, saying its well-made for the price and that the taser certainly packs a punch. If nothing else, these might offer a skittish freshman some safety and peace of mind. Get the Sabre Self-Defense Kit from Amazon for $21.05 32. For the kid who loves to read in bed: Cloud Pillow Gifts for college-bound students: ComfortCloud reading pillow A true college classic, a reading pillow is great for anyone who wants to get a little studying done before bed. This option from Amazon is well-liked, with over 1,000 reviewers giving it an average of 4.4 stars. Reviews say its firm, but comfy and note that its washable. The pillow even has storage in its arms for a phone, remote or e-reader. 33. For the kid who loves cereal: Denby cereal bowl Gifts for college-bound students: Denby cereal bowl College kids eat a lot of cereal, and while, technically, you can eat cereal out of everything from a mug to a top hat, there is something admittedly pretty nice to having your own special cereal bowl. We like this Heritage option from Home Depot, which reviewers say is Beautiful, smooth and sturdy, noting, they last forever! Get the Denby Cereal Bowl from Home Depot for $26.35 34. For the kid with 10,000 devices: Tessan power strip Gifts for college-bound students: Tessan power strip If youre gifting the type of recent grad whos heading off to college with a phone, a laptop, an e-reader, a tablet, a laptop, a pair of AirPods and other electronic devices, you cant go wrong with a nice power strip. Amazon reviewers love this option, which can sit on a desk and not only has three traditional outlets, but also three USB ports. It even comes in both white and black, because who doesnt like options? Get a Power Strip from Amazon from $15.99 35. For the kid who loves a good cup of fancy joe: Black & Decker 12-Cup Thermal Gifts for college-bound students: Black & Decker coffee maker As kids enter college and mature into adults, they might start getting more into coffee culture. If youre looking for a gift for a college-bound kid with a passion for arabica, consider their very own brewing rig for the dorm. We named the Black & Decker 12-Cup Thermal our most affordable coffee maker as it could make smooth, not overly bitter coffee and featured an intuitive control panel for easy customization of brew times and coffee strength. It was also extremely easy to use and featured little to no spillage so their college floors will always be free of coffee stains. Get the Black & Decker 12-Cup Thermal from Amazon for $49.97 The product experts at Reviewed have all your shopping needs covered. Follow Reviewed on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for the latest deals, reviews, and more. Prices were accurate at the time this article was published but may change over time. This article originally appeared on Reviewed: Gifts for college-bound students: Practical gifts they'll love WEVE SEEN THIS MOVIE BEFORE: The rapid territorial gains of the Taliban in Afghanistan has eerie echoes of the 2014-2015 ISIS takeover of much of Iraq. Then, as now, a vastly smaller, ideologically driven force defeated a numerically superior and better equipped U.S.-trained Army by breaking the will of their enemy. As of this morning, at least four provincial capitals have fallen to the Taliban over the past four days, and the key northern city of Kunduz appears to be the fifth. The string of Taliban victories began Friday in the far western Nimroz province, where Afghan forces defending the capital of Zaranj reportedly took off their uniforms and fled across the border into Iran. Reports said that, much like ISIS did in Iraq, the Taliban tortured and executed captured troops to break the morale of others. The other provincial capitals now fully under Taliban control are Sar-e Pul, Shibirghan, and Taleqan, according to the Associated Press. 'EYES GOUGED': TALIBAN SEIZE TRADING CENTER IN MILESTONE CONQUEST OF PROVINCIAL CAPITAL It was disturbingly reminiscent of the 2014 fall of Mosul in Iraq, when nearly 60,000 Iraqi troops, spooked by the brutal tactics of ISIS, melted away in the face of an assault by a mere 1,500 fighters. When Ramadi fell the following year, then-Defense Secretary Ash Carter told CNN that Iraqi defenders "showed no will to fight. "They were not outnumbered. In fact, they vastly outnumbered the opposing force, and yet they failed to fight, Carter said in March of 2015. We can give them training, we can give them equipment we obviously can't give them the will to fight. SPREAD TOO THIN: While the U.S.-trained and equipped Afghan military also vastly outnumbers the Taliban, without American logistical and air support, the government lacks the ability to resupply and reinforce its far-flung forces far from the capital of Kabul. They're being very smart about this, says Ryan Crocker, former U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan in the Bush and Obama administrations. They are not launching major strikes into Kabul. They are doing what they're doing in part to create a climate of fear and panic. And they are succeeding wonderfully at this, Crocker said on ABC. Story continues Speaking on the Sunday show This Week, Crocker said the most likely outcome at this point is a prolonged civil war, rather than a swift Taliban takeover of the entire country. A TEST OF WILL AND LEADERSHIP: The U.S. cant care more than the Afghans do about the future of their country, said Virginia Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine, a member of the Armed Services Committee, on MSNBC Saturday. The United States has been in Afghanistan for 20 years. We've trained more than 300,000 current members of the Afghan National Security Force. The number of Taliban fighters is 50,000 to 60,000, Kaine said. If 300,000-plus can't defeat 50,000 or 60,000, it's not because 2,500 U.S. troops are gone ... at the end of the day, the United States can't be the guarantor of Afghan civil society, that has to be the Afghans' job. At a Pentagon briefing July 21, Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Mark Milley insisted the end game is yet written in Afghanistan, and that the most important factors would be the will and leadership of the Afghan people. US: TALIBAN ATTACKS 'CONTRADICT ITS CLAIM TO SUPPORT' PEACE PROCESS Good Monday 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. CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP OR READ BACK ISSUES OF DAILY ON DEFENSE Subscribe today to the Washington Examiner magazine and get Washington Briefing: politics and policy stories that will keep you up to date with what's going on in Washington. SUBSCRIBE NOW: Just $1.00 an issue! HAPPENING TODAY: EVACUATIONS UNDERWAY: With the security situation in Afghanistan deteriorating by the hour, and with the possibility the Taliban could soon threaten the international airport in Kabul, the U.S. Embassy issued an urgent warning to Americans to get out of the country as soon as possible and not to depend on the U.S. government to provide transportation. Given the security conditions and reduced staffing, the embassys ability to assist U.S. citizens in Afghanistan is extremely limited even within Kabul, the statement said. The U.S. Embassy urges U.S. citizens to leave Afghanistan immediately using available commercial flight options. For now, the embassy remains open with only essential personnel, guarded by some 600 U.S. troops. But all other Americans are being told to consider leaving Afghanistan via the earliest available commercial transportation, and to develop a plan of action that does not rely on U.S. government assistance. STATE DEPARTMENT URGES US CITIZENS IN AFGHANISTAN TO LEAVE 'IMMEDIATELY' WE ARE IN A MOMENT OF CRISIS: What needs to be done right now is to ramp up the evacuation, get more flights in faster. We are in a moment of crisis, said former Ambassador Ryan Crocker on ABC. The problem is the Taliban now control the narrative. They can certainly shut down Kabul airport if they choose. The ability to get our folks out, and others who have served us at risk of their lives out, it really now depends on whether the Taliban want to let them go, Crocker said. The Taliban can wait. They've got the options. They've got the leverage and the capability. We've given all that away. THEY WILL KILL EVERYBODY: Appearing with Crocker on ABC was Janis Shinwari, a former Afghan interpreter and co-founder of the nonprofit organization No One Left Behind, which is working to get Afghans who helped Americans out of Afghanistan before they face retribution from the Taliban. We have to ask President Biden to start more flights. And we cannot wait ... his process has been too slow, Shinwari said. I have been in contact with a lot of people in Afghanistan that they're waiting for their visa. ... We should expedite this program. We should have more planes to evacuate these people as soon as possible. We have to evacuate those people before it's too late, he pleaded. If we do not ... the Taliban will kill everybody. And they will torture them in front of their family and kill them ... they will not only kill the interpreters, but they will kill their immediate families who are still in Afghanistan, he said. They will kill all these people, including the news reporters. Everybody who was working for the Afghan government or U.S. government, they're not safe. They will kill everybody. AN INDELIBLE STAIN ON BIDENS PRESIDENCY: Unlike in Iraq, where the U.S. sent troops back to enable local forces to reverse ISIS gains and eventually crush the terrorist caliphate, Crocker sees little chance President Joe Biden will change course and rescue the faltering Afghan government. President Biden has made that clear. We're going out and are staying out, said Crocker, who argues that total withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghan, while a top priority of former President Donald Trump, will now be part of Bidens legacy. Biden, he says, has now taken complete ownership of President Trump's policy in Afghanistan. He owns it, Crocker said. And I think it is already an indelible stain on his presidency. All U.S. troops, except for those guarding the embassy, are due to be out in three weeks. LESSONS FOR IRAQ: The Center for Strategic and International Studies is out with a new report on Iraq and options for strategic cooperation with Iraq after the withdrawal of U.S. combat forces, scheduled for the end of the year. If there is any lesson the United States needs to learn from both its long war in Afghanistan and its previous efforts in Iraq, it is that the U.S. cannot help a nation that cannot help itself, writes the report's author Anthony Cordesman. Iraq, he argues, is a very different case from Afghanistan. With the worlds fifth-largest proven oil reserves, Iraq, Cordesman writes, not only is strategically important in itself, but its position between a hostile Iran and a Syria tied to Russia will have a major impact on the stability of the region. Cordesman examines three possible futures, of which he says the most likely is an Iraq that is weak, corrupt, and divided between Sunni, Shiite, and Kurds, with factions within each bloc. This Iraq would exist in a self-inflicted state of economic collapse. Instead, he says, the U.S. should deal with Iraq as a strategic partner that faces threats from Iran, Turkey, Syria, and the remnants of ISIS and other extremist groups. It can provide military and economic assistance that will help Iraq stand on its own and become a stable and fully functioning state. The full report can be downloaded here. DEL TORO CONFIRMED AS SECNAV: On a voice vote late Saturday, the Senate confirmed Carlos Del Toro, a former Navy surface warfare officer, to be Navy secretary. In a statement, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin called Del Toro, a Naval Academy graduate, well-prepared for the job, citing his lifelong pursuits and deep experience. Carlos rose through the ranks during the Cold War and Operation Desert Shield and Storm to serve as the first commanding officer of the destroyer USS Bulkeley DDG 84, and then later as a trusted aide to Pentagon leadership, said Austin. He understands firsthand the most pressing challenges and opportunities facing our Navy, from addressing the pacing challenge of China and modernizing our capabilities, to investing in our most valuable asset our people. As an immigrant who has dedicated his life to public service, Carlos exemplifies the core values of honor, courage, and commitment in defense of our country, Austin said of the Cuban-born Del Toro. With Del Toros confirmation, all three military departments, Army, Navy, and Air Force, have civilian service secretaries in place. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER The Rundown Washington Examiner: State Department urges US citizens in Afghanistan to leave 'immediately' Washington Examiner: Eyes gouged': Taliban seize trading center in milestone conquest of provincial capital Washington Examiner: US: Taliban attacks 'contradict its claim to support' peace process Washington Examiner: Israeli defense minister says his country is ready to strike Iran Washington Examiner: Israeli defense minister says his country is ready to strike Iran Washington Examiner: 9/11 families tell Biden to avoid memorials on anniversary unless Saudi Arabia documents are released Washington Examiner: China warns of 'countermeasures' after US confirms $750 million arms sale to Taiwan South China Morning Post: South China Sea: Are Carrier-Killer Missiles Being Primed For PLA Tests? New York Times: The Taliban fly their flag in Kunduz as exhausted Afghan troops regroup New York Times: As the Taliban Seize More Cities, the Propaganda War Grows in Importance Navy Times: Heres Why CENTCOM Thinks Iran Was Behind A Fatal Drone Attack On A Ship Last Month Bloomberg: Bidens Iran Nuclear Deal Ambitions Shrink as Tensions Flare Washington Post: Bill to restrict Internet in Iran could threaten pandemic-era Instagram commerce boom The Drive: Mysterious New Electronic Warfare System Spotted On U.S. Navy Aircraft Carriers Air Force Magazine: News about Chinese Silos Highlights Need for USAF to Accelerate Change, Brown Says Air Force Magazine: AMC Frees Up KC-46 for More Refueling Operations Air Force Magazine: RQ-4 Global Hawk Drone Crashes in North Dakota USNI News: Sail-Powered Drone Pitched As High-Endurance Submarine Hunter Defense One: Floating Robot Gas Station To Get Pentagon Trial 19fortyfive.com: Russia's Yasen-M Submarines vs. the Navy's Block-V Virginia-Class (Who Wins?) 19fortyfive.com: The Forgotten Reasons Why North Korea's Nuclear Program Is So Dangerous Washington Post: George Gonzalez, proud New Yorker and police officer, had served his country since graduating from high school Washington Post: Before Austin Lanz killed a Pentagon police officer, he was accused of targeting the couple next door Marine Corps Times: Top General On Force Design Slated To Be Next Marine Assistant Commandant Washington Post: Dave Severance, commander of Marines who raised flag at Iwo Jima, dies at 102 Washington Examiner: Opinion: Why Russia is sending naval aviators to Crimea Washington Examiner: Opinion: Why isn't the government telling us about Chinese nuclear weapons? 19fortyfive.com: Opinion: China's Strategy To Control the South China Sea: Defense of the Indefensible Forbes: Opinion: How Election Politics Could Shape Pentagon Weapons Spending In A Biden Presidency Calendar MONDAY | AUGUST 9 11 a.m. SmallSat 2021 conference with Space Force Lt. Gen. John Shaw, deputy commander, U.S. Space Command. https://smallsat.org 2 p.m. Secretary of State Antony Blinken delivers remarks at the University of Maryland on "the importance of investing in the infrastructure of tomorrow here at home in order to promote U.S. national security and our ability to compete globally." Livestream at https://www.state.gov TUESDAY | AUGUST 10 8 a.m. Potomac Officers Club virtual 2021 Digital Transformation Forum, with Danielle Metz, deputy CIO for information enterprise in the Office of the Defense Department Chief Information Officer Register at https://potomacofficersclub.com/events 8 a.m. International Institute for Strategic Studies virtual discussion: What is Cyber Power, and Where is it Going?" with Marcus Willett, senior adviser for cyber at IISS; and James Crabtree, executive director of IISS-Asia https://www.iiss.org/events/2021/08/cyber-power 10 a.m. The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies virtual Nuclear Deterrence and Missile Defense Forum, on the need for U.S. nuclear modernization, with Maj. Gen. Michael Lutton, the commander of the 20th Air Force, former Joint Staff deputy director for nuclear and homeland defense operations. Video posted afterward at https://mitchellaerospacepower.org/event/nuclear-deterrence 11 a.m. Potomac Officers Club virtual Space Intelligence Forum with Brig. Gen. Gregory Gagnon, director of intelligence at U.S. Space Command. https://potomacofficersclub.com/events 11:30 a.m. Center for Strategic and International Studies Smart Women, Smart Power virtual discussion: U.S. National Security Policy in the Indo-Pacific," with Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill. https://www.csis.org/events WEDNESDAY | AUGUST 11 6 p.m. Politics and Prose Bookstore virtual book discussion on Here, Right Matters: An American Story, with author and retired Army Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, former National Security Council director for Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, and Russia; and Susan Glasser, staff writer at the New Yorker. https://www.politics-prose.com/event THURSDAY | AUGUST 12 8 a.m. Potomac Officers Club virtual Army Forum on "how the Army will drive future capabilities, with Christopher Lowman, senior official performing the duties of the Army undersecretary; and Gen. John Murray, commander of U.S. Army Futures Command. https://potomacofficersclub.com/events 10 a.m. Woodrow Wilson Center Asia Program virtual Hindsight Up Front series discussion on nearly 20 years of U.S.-led war in Afghanistan, with focus on the U.S. withdrawal and its implications, with former national security adviser retired Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster, senior fellow at Stanford University's Hoover Institution; and Mark Green, president, director and CEO of WWC https://www.wilsoncenter.org/event/hindsight-front FRIDAY | AUGUST 13 1 p.m. Cato Institute virtual book discussion on Reign of Terror: How the 9/11 Era Destabilized America and Produced Trump, with author Spencer Ackerman, contributing editor at the Daily Beast; Abigail Hall, associate professor in economics at Bellarmine University; and Erin Simpson, former co-host of the Bombshell podcast from War on the Rocks. https://www.cato.org/events/reign-terror QUOTE OF THE DAY If 300,000-plus can't defeat 50,000 or 60,000, it's not because 2,500 U.S. troops are gone. At the end of the day, the United States can't be the guarantor of Afghan civil society, that has to be the Afghans' job. Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine, arguing that having trained Afghan forces that vastly outnumber the Taliban, theres little more for the U.S. to do after 20 years. Washington Examiner Videos Tags: National Security, Daily on Defense Original Author: Jamie McIntyre Original Location: Afghan forces fold as rapid Taliban advances test will of government troops The niece of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. supports critical race theory, just not the version "woke white folks" are pushing. Dr. Alveda King believes human beings share 99.5% of the same DNA, and that is what students around the country should hear throughout their education, she said Monday. GINGRICH ASKS WHAT CHINA WILL THINK OF CRITICAL RACE THEORY IN 'WOKE' US MILITARY "The critical race theory we're fixated on now is an academic discipline that has been prevalent in American universities since the 1970s. At its core is the belief that racism underlies everything our legal system, education, banking, housing, even language," King wrote in a Fox News opinion article. Critical race theory and other closely related ideologies hold that the United States is inherently racist and that skin color is used to create and maintain social, economic, and political inequalities between white and nonwhite people. Critics claim it delegates all white people to the role of oppressors and all people of color to victims. The only reason people are discussing legislation against it is because of recent events, King said. "Out of this unrest and amid calls for defunding the police came a renewed focus on how to teach children not only about the events they were seeing on their streets and screens, but about slavery and racism," she added. "The mobs on the street, many of them woke White folks, demanded a new look at civil rights heroes like Frederick Douglass and President Abraham Lincoln," King wrote. "More insidiously, they would stand for nothing less than the total erasure of the contributions of our nations founders if they had been slave owners which most of them were." CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER The push to change education has been met with backlash, and over two dozen states have introduced bills to curtail the teaching of critical race theory. Story continues "But these laws are not the answer, nor is teaching white students that they are privileged and black students that they are disadvantaged," King said. "The answer is found where it always is, in the truth." America will never erase slavery from its past, but there is no reason to live with it in the present, according to King. "We are more alike than we are different," she said. "We are one blood. We are one human race." Washington Examiner Videos Tags: News, Critical Race Theory, Public Schools, Race, Martin Luther King Original Author: Luke Gentile Original Location: Alveda King decries 'woke white folks' pushing own form of critical race theory By Elizabeth Howcroft and Simon Jessop LONDON (Reuters) -A mass corporate switch in Europe to holding virtual annual shareholder meetings or AGMs has picked up pace this year, raising concern among investors that some companies will try to ditch the physical version permanently. The pandemic prompted an overhaul of the way companies meet investors, with those in Britain relying on emergency laws to allow them to hold online AGMs in the 2020 season. But in the second year of the pandemic, there are concerns that permanently virtual meetings could limit investors' ability to hold executives to account. From January through July, 40% of AGMs globally were fully virtual, compared with 27% in the whole of 2020, data from Computershare showed. In continental Europe the jump was particularly high, with 753 of 878 going fully virtual in the first seven months of 2021, compared with 548 of 918 in 2020. The United States did not see the same shift - around half of the 2021 meetings up to July were virtual, a similar proportion to all of 2020. Several companies including British Airways owner International Airlines Group this year sought permission to go fully virtual in future and mostly faced shareholder rebellions of between 10% and 20%, although all such motions passed. While many companies allowed a live discussion with management during virtual meetings, others shielded bosses from tough questions, said Kalina Lazarova, director and analyst in the Responsible Investment team at BMO Global Asset Management. Tactics included requiring questions to be submitted in advance, cherrypicking which were answered, stopping follow-up questions, and limiting the time for questions. "We have recently heard from companies in Germany that the lack of live Q&A removes a degree of scrutiny and pressure from directors at the AGM," said Lazarova. "We worry that if these practices become widespread ... shareholder democracy, particularly retail investors access to boards, will be eroded." Story continues In Britain, Thomson Reuters Practical Law "What's Market" data showed that, so far in 2021, 85 FTSE 350 companies had proposed amending their articles of association's rules about the format of shareholder meetings in 2021, up from 41 in 2020. Among them, three sought to allow fully-virtual meetings: IAG, Sanne Group, an asset management service provider, and Diversified Energy Co (DEC). NOT SUPPORTIVE At its June AGM, IAG's resolution to allow virtual meetings to the extent there are reasons that make it advisable passed with 81% of the vote. Advisory group ISS opposed the change, saying that while virtual meetings are warranted in the current environment, they were concerned the company did not commit to returning to physical or hybrid meetings when it becomes possible again. Britain's Aviva Investors, a top-60 investor in IAG according to Refinitiv data, said it had voted against the motion. "As a matter of principle, we are not supportive of virtual-only AGMs," an Aviva spokesperson said. IAG did not comment beyond confirming the results of the vote. Sanne saw a rebellion of 15% against its resolution in May to allow directors to choose a fully-virtual AGM in future, though advisory firm Glass Lewis recommended voting against the proposal because there was not enough disclosure on the circumstances in which a virtual meeting could be held or how shareholders' rights to participate would be protected. Sanne "remains committed to holding physical AGMs for the foreseeable future", a spokesperson said. Glass Lewis said it also opposed attempts to allow virtual-only meetings at Deutsche Wohnen and the Moscow Stock Exchange. But DEC's change to its articles to allow virtual-only meetings passed by 99% of the vote. ISS said it supported DEC's switch because the company said it had no intention of holding fully-virtual AGMs except in extenuating circumstances. An association of employee shareholders at the Siemens AGM put forward a resolution to allow shareholders to ask questions while virtual meetings are ongoing (rather than in advance), but the company's board recommended against it. With 56% of the votes, the resolution did not reach the 75% threshold required to pass. Diana Lee, director of corporate governance and engagement at AllianceBernstein (AB), said the asset manager's stance depended on the manner in which shareholders can ask questions. "We're not necessarily against (virtual-only meetings)," Lee said, "as long as companies continue to allow shareholders to ask all the questions and answer all of the questions in a way that really mimics in-person meetings, as opposed to having a framed or prepared answers". (Reporting by Elizabeth Howcroft and Simon JessopEditing by David Holmes) Leigh Keily/Getty When Andrew Rannells was 22, he was on a second date with a guy named Brad. Brad had blue eyes, which seemed hot. Even better, he lived in Astoria just like Rannells, who was still years away from scoring his Broadway big break and then starring in TV series and films like Girls, Black Monday, and The Boys in the Band. Twenty years ago, convincing anyone to make the trek to the end of the yellow subway line for a date in the Queens neighborhood was impossible. As he put it, Getting people to go there at the end of the night is like asking a stranger for a ride to the airport. Blue-eyed Brads proximity was positively convenient. Their dull dinner conversation was interrupted by a call on Rannells Nokia flip phone. (Twenty years ago, remember.) It was his sister. He silenced the ring. There was something about Bradthe blue eyes?or maybe just the intoxicating thrill of being a gay man on a date in New York City in your early twenties. Either way, Rannells excused the hardly electric dinner and went with him to a second location, a crowded gay bar. A few Cosmos later (again, it was 2001), they started kissing. Rannells phone rang another time. It was his other sister, and he silenced it. Sufficiently committed to the idea of Brad for the night, he got a cab for the two of them to go back to his apartment. They had sex. It was fine? At least thats what he remembers, or maybe what he wanted to believe at the time. When he excused himself to go to the bathroom, he checked his phone and immediately knew something was wrong. There were six more missed calls from his family. What Its Like to Survive Gay Conversion Therapy While Rannells was having mediocre sex with a guy whose last name he couldnt even remember, his family in Nebraska was desperately trying to reach him as they dealt with the trauma of his father collapsing at his nieces birthday. He would die a few days later. Rannells first wrote about the experience in a 2017 essay for The New York Times weekly Modern Love column, titled, During a Night of Casual Sex, Urgent Messages Go Unanswered. Story continues The column would eventually serve as the cornerstone for his 2019 book Too Much Is Not Enough: A Memoir of Fumbling Toward Adulthood, which chronicles his experience moving to New York from Nebraska and floundering as he tried to find his way in the theater community and come to terms with his own sexuality. Its been a long process with this essay, Rannells tells The Daily Beast in a recent Zoom interview. I never could have imagined that it would have turned into all of this. This would be an episode of Amazons Modern Love anthology series based on the Times column, which Rannells himself wrote and directed. It premieres along with season 2 of the series on Aug. 13. While certainly hitting all the cant-make-this-up bullet points from Rannells experience, fictionalizing the night in an episode of the series allowed him to crack it open a bit. Parsing out a chance encounter he and Brad had two years after that nightwalking past each other on Ninth Avenue, nodding in acknowledgement and moving onthe Modern Love episode, titled How Do You Remember Me?, switches back and forth between perspectives. Zane Pais, Marquis Rodriguez, James Scully in Modern Love Christopher Saunders/Amazon The result is a touching rumination on how two different people experienced one of the most consequential nights in a persons life. I wanted to give this other character, the guy that I was on a date with that night, more of a voice in the story, and I didnt feel like I could do that with the essay, Rannells says. It was a first-person essay about a specific event. I couldnt really imagine I would just be guessing what he was feeling. The character based on Rannells is annoyed by his dates insistence on trying to help him book a flight home and be a shoulder to cry on: They barely know each other. Why would he need or want his support? It was just a one-night stand after a date and some sex he didnt particularly enjoy. The date, however, was having a great time and felt that, especially after hooking up, they had a connection that was meaningful. Of course he would want to be an emotional lifeline for a person he just shared the night with, who was spiraling after hearing such awful news. Writing and directing this episode was a way to revisit everything that happened that night, at a time in his life when he was trying to figure out who he was and sort of messily role-playing my way through New York, but also do it with the emotional space and safety of time. I dont want to say it didnt feel as personal, he says. Its still very personal. But I didnt, you know, weep on set every day because I was thinking about the events of that night. Rannells relationship with the Modern Love column started when his friend Bill Clegg, who was also a literary agent, had written a memoir called Portrait of an Addict as a Young Man. The two of them had corresponded frequently over email, and Clegg felt that, based on that writing, Rannells might have a memoir in him as well. Rannells had written a few essays at that point, and sent them to Clegg. They decided that this one in particular could be a fit for Modern Love, so they sent it to Dan Jones, who edits the section for the Times. By the end of the day, Jones greenlit the piece. At that point, Rannells had never told his family what he was doing that night when he was ignoring all of their phone calls. When he got the word that the Times was going to publish his piece recounting everythingincluding his frank description of the sex he and Brad hadhe happened to be on a family vacation with the entire Rannells clan. It was going to come out the day everyone left to go home, and he opted, again, not to say something. The truth is, he says, there never seemed to be a reason to tell them. It was 2001. It was before texting was a thing. People just didnt have as intense and invasive a relationship with their cellphones. While it might seem strange now, it wasnt outrageous to spend a day not paying attention to who was calling. And then, of course, once he flew home to Nebraska, there was the funeral to worry about. No one asked, Where were you? Nor did I offer up, I was having a one-night stand when I got the call. It just didnt seem like the time, he says. So instead, Kevin, I felt like it would be more appropriate to just put it in print in The New York Times and let them read it. He laughs. It was a much more sensitive way to tell my mother. Of course, they were surprised when they read the piece. It helped that about 15 years had passed at that point, so the pain and drama of that night wasnt as fresh as if he had told them right away. Still, Some of them were a little shocked. I mean nobody really wants to hear about their brothers sex life, certainly, Rannells says. Its an uncomfortable situation that also arose when he published Too Much Is Not Enough, which contained stories with similar candor about sex and dating. I basically told them, if you get to a chapter and theres too many dicks on a page just skip ahead. But it is the honesty about the sex part of that night that makes the story so poignant. A little delicate and embarrassing, sure. But those are the inescapable truths of that event. Everything felt the way it didawful, awkward, intense, confusingbecause of those facts. Theres a section of Rannells original essay that describes this. After he had finally gotten in touch with his brother-in-law and found out what happened, he imagined how horrible the scene must have been: his entire family gathered for his nieces birthday, about to grill hamburgers and eat cake when his dad collapsed on his deck. Everyone scared and crying. He got overwhelmed and started to cry, too. Brad came out to see what was wrong, he wrote. His hair was mussed and he was completely nude. He stood in front of me, his semi-erect penis at eye level, while I tried to get more information from Doug: What hospital? Should I get on a plane? I gestured for Brad to sit down. He started rubbing my back, which felt like torture. I was embarrassed about crying in front of him but didnt care enough to stop. It was tricky to figure out how to depict that in the Modern Love episode. Showing a semi-erect penis might have been too jarring, Rannells worried. Instead, Zane Pais, the actor playing the character inspired by Brad (who is named Robbie in the episode) is shown walking up to the couch naked from behind while Marquis Rodriguez, who plays the Rannells character named Ben, has a breakdown on the phone. The juxtaposition of Bens trauma and Robbies post-coital unawareness ends up being cringe-inducing, sure, but also kind of touching, especially as Robbie immediately springs into crisis-management mode. Before that scene, however, the episode shows the characters in bed having sex. Theres a version of this story in which the camera fades to black instead of actually showing the act. But it was important for Rannells that you see it. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. Something that I learned while I was doing Girlsand it was a lot of sex in that showwas that it always moved the story forward, he says. For this, we didnt have to show a bunch or you know it didnt have to be very long. But the awkwardness of it and the hesitancy of it is important to the story. Its not just that they had sex. Its that they had sex, both with like very different feelings about it. More than that, he knew he had an opportunity to portray sex between two men in a way that, in 2021, is still almost unheard of. I think that type of of gay sex you dont see a lot on TV. Theres just not a lot of that, and if there are it sometimes can be kind of salacious or it can be sort of just gratuitous. This was more sort of a vulnerable, awkward depiction of that. I felt like that was important to include in a queer story. The characters are having sex in the missionary position, and its sort of fumbling, sort of tender, sort of hot, and, still, sort of renegade to show on TV. Modern love, indeed. Jonathan Groff once told The Daily Beast that when he played Patrick, a single gay man living in San Francisco, on the HBO series Looking, some of his straight friends didnt realize that men could have sex in that position until they saw him in a sex scene on the show. And in an episode of Girls in which Rannells and Corey Stoll are doing it missionary-style, Rannells ended up having to choreograph the scene because none of the straight people on set understood the mechanics of it when two men are involved. I looked around the room and I realized that I was the only gay person, and that it was up to me to block it and to make sure it was honest, he says. Without getting too graphic, I think there were just some very basic things people thought that they understood about gay sex and I was like, Hold on. Jesus Christ, you guys And then I had to sort of do an anal sex education about, you know, whats possible. Jonathan and I have compared notes on that. He smirks into the Zoom camera: I dont know. Were just doing our part. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now! Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more. Apple has responded to critics of its new anti-child abuse measures Apple has defended its new system that scans users' phones for child sexual abuse material (CSAM), after a backlash from customers and privacy advocates. The technology searches for matches of known abuse material before the image is uploaded to its iCloud storage. Critics warned it could be a "backdoor" to spy on people, and more than 5,000 people and organisations have signed an open letter against the technology. As a result, Apple has pledged not to "expand" the system for any reason. Digital privacy campaigners warned last week that authoritarian governments could use the technology to bolster anti-LGBT regimes, or crack down on political dissidents in countries where protests are deemed illegal. But Apple said it would "will not accede to any government's request to expand" the system. It published a question-and-answer document, saying it had numerous safeguards in place to stop its systems from being used for anything other than the detection of child abuse imagery. "We have faced demands to build and deploy government-mandated changes that degrade the privacy of users before, and have steadfastly refused those demands. We will continue to refuse them in the future," it said. However, Apple has made some concessions in the past in order to keep operating in countries around the world. Last New Year's Eve, the tech giant removed 39,000 apps from its Chinese App Store amid a crackdown on unlicensed games by authorities in the country. Apple also said its anti-CSAM tool will not allow the company to see or scan a user's photo album. It will only scan photos that are shared on iCloud. The system will look for matches, securely on the device, based on a database of hashes of known CSAM images provided by child safety organisations. Apple also claims it is nearly impossible to falsely flag innocent people to police. "The likelihood that the system would incorrectly flag any given account is less than one in one trillion per year," it said. There is also a human review of positive matches. Story continues Privacy advocates, however, have argued that the only thing preventing that technology being turned to other uses is Apple's promise that it will not be. Digital rights group the Electronic Frontier Foundation, for example, said that "all it would take... is an expansion of the machine learning parameters to look for additional types of content". "That's not a slippery slope; that's a fully-built system just waiting for external pressure to make the slightest change," it warned. Apple also provided reassurances regarding another new feature that will warn children and their parents using linked family accounts, when sexually explicit photos are sent or received. The company says its two new features do not use the same technology, and says it will "never" gain access to users' private communications. While there was a backlash regarding Apple's announcement from privacy advocates, some politicians welcomed the new technology. UK Health Secretary Sajid Javid said it was time for others, especially Facebook, to follow suit. By Paulina Duran SYDNEY (Reuters) -National Australia Bank will buy Citigroup's local consumer unit for about $882.24 million, the companies said Monday, as the American bank exits the region while buy-now, pay-later rivals challenge the old credit card business model. The deal consolidates more than 90% of the country's credit cards industry into the hands of Australia's Big Four banks, with NAB adding a million customers through the deal to become the nation's second-largest credit card provider. "The proposed acquisition ... brings scale and deep expertise in unsecured lending, particularly credit cards, which continue to be an important way for customers to make payments," said NAB Chief Executive Officer Ross McEwan. "Access to a greater share of payments and transaction data will help drive product and service innovation across our personal banking business." Credit card payments in Australia have been shrinking as government pandemic cheques have been used to pay down debt and younger generations turn to buy now pay later (BNPL) providers such as Afterpay to pay in 'interest-free' instalments. The deal, which needs to be approved by the competition regulator, includes a A$4.3 billion unsecured lending portfolio, A$7.9 billion in residential mortgages, about A$9 billion in deposits and 800 Citi employees. NAB said the deal would require equity of about A$1.2 billion, as it would pay cash for the net assets of Citi's book plus a A$250 million premium. "The market is likely to initially question the strategic rationale of the transaction given a mostly unsecured lending business in a segment of the market that has been in recent decline even though NAB is highlighting the increased scale from payments data," Credit Suisse analyst Jarrod Martin said. NAB shares were 0.33% higher, while the broader market was largely unchanged. Alongside McEwan told analysts on a call that he expected credit card usage would fully recover once Australia's borders reopen and that as part of the deal NAB would also get Citi's new buy now, pay later product. The BNPL offering, called Spot, was unveiled earlier in the month but has not been launched. Story continues The deal comes after U.S. lending giant Citi in April said it would exit its 13 overseas consumer operations, including Australia, under an overhaul by new boss Jane Fraser to boost profitability. "As this transaction shows, we are moving forward with urgency as we refresh our strategy," Fraser said in a statement. "We will use the capital generated to invest in our strategic priorities, as well as to continue to return capital to our shareholders." Citi's institutional business and underlying technology or platforms are not part of the deal, which is expected to close by March 2022, subject to the regulatory approvals. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) said it would look "extremely closely" at "any further consolidation involving large players in the banking sector". "In reviewing NAB's proposed acquisition... we will be carefully considering credit cards, including while label credit cards, among other areas of overlap," ACCC chairman Rod Sims said in a statement. NAB will spend A$165 million in building an unsecured lending platform that will replace "old" systems, and in which Citi's unsecured loans will be integrated with its own, it said. Total acquisition and integration costs will add up to A$375 million. The Melbourne-based bank, Australia's third-largest, said it would enter talks with Citi's white label clients, such as PayPal, Qantas, and Virgin Money, but cautioned that all of them may not move across. NAB is due to provide a third-quarter trading update on Thursday. ($1 = 1.3602 Australian dollars) (Reporting by Paulina Duran in Sydney and Nikhil Kurian Nainan in Bengaluru; Editing by Rashmi Aich, Ramakrishnan M., Subhranshu Sahu and Louise Heavens) Belarus leader Alexander Lukashenko on Monday denounced international sanctions on his authoritarian regime, as Western nations announced new penalties over a crackdown on dissent that began a year ago when the country erupted in protests against his rule. In power since 1994, the moustachioed ruler has jailed hundreds since mass demonstrations broke out over an election last August that many observers say were rigged. Western governments have punished his regime with waves of sanctions and on Monday the United States, Britain and Canada slapped new penalties on Belarus. Among the targets was the Belarusian National Olympic Committee, headed by Lukashenko's son, which was accused of participating in an attempt to force a sprinter home from the Tokyo Olympics. The White House accused the committee of an "assault against the democratic aspirations and human rights of the Belarusian people". The UK government said it would stop Belarusian air carriers from flying over or landing in Britain and broadened a litany of financial sanctions because of "the continued undermining of democracy and human rights violations". And Canada said it was targeting key sectors of the Belarus economy over the regime's "blatant disregard for human rights". But the 66-year-old Belarusian leader vowed to resist international pressure, insisting he won a "totally transparent" vote and saying "we will never get on our knees". "You will choke on these sanctions," Lukashenko said at his annual press conference, a marathon event that lasted for more than eight hours. "You are risking starting World War III," he said. "Is that what you are trying to push us and the Russians to?" - 'Will fight on' - Western sanctions so far appear to have had limited effect on Lukashenko's rule, however, as the government has Russia's backing. Lukashenko, who has strived to present the crisis as part of strained relations between the West and Moscow, said Belarus would ask Russia for further financial support. Story continues "You will not tear us away from Russia," he said. The death of a Belarusian activist in Ukraine last week and the defection of Olympic sprinter Krystsina Tsimanouskaya to Poland thrust the country back into the international spotlight. "He was a nobody for us," Lukashenko said of 26-year-old Vitaly Shishov, who was found hanged in a Kiev park. "We have enough people to deal with without Shishov." He then accused runner Tsimanouskaya of being "controlled" by Warsaw. In an interview with AFP on Monday, Tsimanouskaya said she would only return home when it was "safe and free". The Belarus leader -- who claims to have won more than 80 percent of the 2020 vote -- accused the opposition of trying to stage a "coup" last year. The opposition believes Svetlana Tikhanovskaya -- who had stood in the election in the place of her jailed husband and now lives in exile in Lithuania -- to be the real winner. Tikhanovskaya has been rallying Western support and recently met US President Joe Biden and UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson. On Monday, she led a rally in Vilnius to mark the election anniversary and vowed to continue the fight. "We will fight on to free ourselves from the fear that has gripped our country," she told the rally of around 200 people which was also attended by Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte. oc-emg/jxb benkrut / Getty Images/iStockphoto Nowadays, it's generally accepted that $1 million is the ideal amount to save for retirement. But if you're not on track to retire a millionaire, you're not alone. Be Aware: The Best Jobs in America Is Yours One of Them? See: 30 Greatest Threats to Your Retirement In a recent study, GOBankingRates looked at the cost of living in America's major cities and calculated how long a nest egg of $650,000, $750,000 and $850,000 would last in each. This study also takes into account the cities' livability scores and the percentage of the population age 65 and older. With these factors combined, we found some of the best places to retire in the U.S. for those who didn't save $1 million. Last updated: August 9, 2021 Shutterstock.com 10. Des Moines, Iowa How long $850K will last: 20.8 years How long $750K will last: 18.4 years How long $650K will last: 15.9 years Livability score: 78 Percent of seniors 65 and older: 14% AreaVibes gave Des Moines high scores for its available amenities and housing, which are important factors to think about when deciding where to retire. With an average annual expenditure of $40,778 for seniors, $650,000 in retirement savings will last over 15 years in this capital city. Find Out: 27 Ugly Truths About Retirement Sean Pavone / Shutterstock.com 9. Montgomery, Alabama How long $850K will last: 22.3 years How long $750K will last: 19.7 years How long $650K will last: 17.1 years Livability score: 61 Percent of seniors 65 and older: 15.2% There's always something fun for retirees to do in Montgomery. Local events include cruises, comedy shows, concerts and film screenings. Seniors can expect to spend $38,066 on annual expenditures in the Southern city. Read: Avoid These States in Retirement If You Want To Keep Your Money SeanPavonePhoto / Getty Images 8. Shreveport, Louisiana How long $850K will last: 21.8 years How long $750K will last : 19.3 years How long $650K will last: 16.7 years Livability score: 66 Percent of seniors 65 and older: 16.6% Those retiring to Shreveport can expect to spend $38,920 on living expenses each year. So seniors with a savings of $650,000 can afford at least 16 years in this historic city. Story continues Look: Jaw-Dropping Stats About the State of Retirement in America SeanPavonePhoto / Getty Images/iStockphoto 7. Birmingham, Alabama How long $850K will last: 22.8 years How long $750K will last: 20.2 years How long $650K will last: 17.5 years Livability score: 62 Percent of seniors 65 and older: 15.5% Seniors can expect to spend an average $37,213 for every year they live in Birmingham. Having $750,000 in retirement savings should have retirees set for 20 years. Read: 26 Smartest Ways To Invest Your Money Right Now PapaBear / Getty Images/iStockphoto 6. Cleveland, Ohio How long $850K will last: 23.3 years How long $750K will last: 20.6 years How long $650K will last: 17.8 years Livability score: 62 Percent of seniors 65 and older: 14.2% Seniors living in Cleveland will have an average annual expenditure of $36,459. Having $650,000 in retirement savings can last nearly 18 years in Cleveland. Benefits: Chick-fil-A and 23 More Companies With Surprisingly Great 401(k) Plans Davel5957 / iStock.com 5. Fort Wayne, Indiana How long $850K will last : 21.5 years How long $750K will last: 18.9 years How long $650K will last: 16.4 years Livability score: 80 Percent of seniors 65 and older: 14.4% Fort Wayne scored a top mark for its local amenities, and a high score for affordability as well, according to AreaVibes ratings. The average annual expenditure for seniors is $39.623. Stretch Your Salary Further: Best Side Business Ideas Charles Henry / Flickr.com 4. Amarillo, Texas How long $850K will last: 21.1 years How long $750K will last: 18.6 years How long $650K will last: 16.2 years Livability score: 81 Percent of seniors 65 and older: 15.6% Amarillo ranks highly for livability thanks to its local amenities and low cost of living, according to AreaVibes scores. Seniors should expect to spend $40,226 a year to cover living costs, which means an $850,000 retirement nest egg would last over 20 years. Credit Score: 30 Things You Do That Can Mess Up Your Credit Score Davel5957 / Getty Images/iStockphoto 3. Toledo, Ohio How long $850K will last: 23.3 years How long $750K will last: 20.5 years How long $650K will last: 17.8 years Livability score: 63 Percent of seniors 65 and older: 15.1% The average annual expenditure for seniors living in Toledo is $36,509. That means having $750,000 saved in a retirement fund can last for over 20 years. See: 42 Easy Ways To Save For Retirement benkrut / Getty Images/iStockphoto 2. Akron, Ohio How long $850K will last: 24.4 years How long $750K will last: 21.5 years How long $650K will last : 18.6 years Livability score: 65 Percent of seniors 65 and older: 15.2% With an average annual expenditure for seniors of $34,902, a retirement nest egg of less than $1 million will stretch far in Akron. Read: 17 Steps Millennials Can Take Now for a Brighter Financial Future DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images/iStockphoto 1. Brownsville, Texas How long $850K will last: 24.1 years How long $750K will last : 21.2 years How long $650K will last: 18.4 years Livability score: 76 Percent of seniors 65 and older: 12.7% AreaVibes gave the city top scores for its low cost of living -- $35,304 a year for seniors -- wide array of available amenities and pleasant weather. More From GOBankingRates Methodology: GOBankingRates determined the top 30 cities to retire if you didn't save a $1 million by analyzing the 150 largest U.S. cities according the 2019 American Community Survey along the following factors: (1) average annual expenditure for an American aged 65 and older, $50,220, sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' 2019 Consumer Expenditure Survey (latest data available); this was multiplied by each city's (2) cost of living index, sourced from Sperling's Best Places on November 23, 2020; (3) number of years that $650,000 would last in retirement; (4) number of years that $750,000 would last in retirement; (5) number of years that $850,000 would last in retirement. Livabilty scores from AreaVibes are included and they taken into account dozens of characteristics in 7 different categories including nearby amenities, cost of living, crime rates, education, employment, housing and weather. Percent of seniors was also included from the 2019 American Community survey. All factors are given a score with annual expenditures being weighted 3 times as much because that data points determines how long each given amount will last in retirement. All data was collected on and up to date as of Nov.23, 2020. This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: The Best Places To Retire If You Cant Save $1 Million Aug. 9The Canadian Border Services Agency and workers unions have negotiated a deal to end the strike that threatened to delay travelers crossing the border when the country reopens to vaccinated Americans on Monday. Starting at 6 a.m. Friday, Canadian BSA staff at all of the country's points of entry began a "work-to-rule" strike that led to delays at every border crossing. BSA staff performed their jobs to the letter of their contracts, taking no shortcuts and doing nothing extra. Staff did not take money for payment of duties or taxes, and did not answer questions from travelers. The delays led to long lines of essential travelers at Canadian points of entry Friday. After about a day of delays, Canadian and union officials reached a tentative deal around midnight Friday. After years without a contract, BSA employees are set to receive better pay and better protections against a toxic workplace culture. "Finally after three years of negotiations we've resolved longstanding issues that will go a long way towards making CBSA a better, safer place to work for our members," said Mark Weber, the Canadian Customs and Immigration Union president, in a statement sent just after midnight Friday. The two unions the Public Service Alliance of Canada and the CIU said Thursday they anticipated the strike would have major impacts on the Canadian border reopening. Members of Parliament and Canadian business officials alike said the impacts of the strike would have been disastrous for the Canadian economy as business owners anticipate the first flow of tourists they've seen in 16 months. With the strike over and border crossings back to normal capacity, vaccinated Americans should be able to cross into Canada by air or land without issue. To do so, travelers will have to use the ArriveCAN app, available online or in the iPhone and Android application stores, to submit their proof of vaccination and contact information. All travelers over the age of 5 must show proof of a negative COVID-19 molecular test taken within 72 hours of their arrival to Canada. Those who have tested positive for COVID-19 can show proof of a positive test taken between 14 and 180 days prior to their entry date. Story continues COVID-19 vaccination and testing information will be matched to each traveler's passport or enhanced drivers license. Travelers must be asymptomatic, have a paper or digital copy of their vaccination card and have a quarantine plan prepared if it becomes necessary. The final decision on entry or quarantine requirements will be made by the Border Services Agent processing each individuals entry documents. Also on Monday, boaters in Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River will no longer have to worry about crossing the Canadian border as they travel. Beginning Monday morning, U.S. boaters who do not dock, anchor or make contact with other vessels will be permitted to travel through Canadian waters without being stopped or required to submit information through the ArriveCAN service. Canada opens to tourists. What you should know. Canada opened its borders to fully vaccinated U.S. travelers on Monday, but local leaders say it will take time before tourism rates are comparable to 2019 levels. While Canadian businesses near the border have spent weeks preparing for the country's reopening, travelers may have a harder time getting certain reservations or could face longer wait times due to staffing shortages and supply chain issues. Planning a trip up north? All travelers, regardless of vaccination status, will need to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test to enter. Additionally, travelers must show proof of vaccination in either English, French or a certified translation. Canada's government also suggests mask wearing in shared spaces, and certain provinces including Quebec and Ontario enforce mandates. US extends Mexico, Canada border restrictions through Aug. 21 despite Canada's plan to allow fully vaccinated Americans. Prefer to listen? Check out the 5 Things podcast: Committee that could start Gov. Cuomo impeachment meets New York's Assembly Judiciary Committee, which could start an impeachment process, will meet on Monday as Gov. Andrew Cuomo faces pressure to leave office after a report detailed his alleged sexual harassment of female aides. Assembly Democrats are confident they have the votes to impeach Cuomo if he doesn't resign, and drawing up articles of impeachment could start in days. On Thursday, Cuomo spokesman Rich Azzopardi said Cuomo's office would cooperate with the Judiciary Committee's work. Cuomo could also face misdemeanor charges if law enforcement can substantiate a complaint accusing the governor of groping an aide in the Executive Mansion, Albany County Sheriff Craig Apple said. The report, released last Tuesday by Attorney General Letitia James' office, concluded Cuomo sexually harassed 11 women including nine current or former state employees in the past seven years. Story continues R. Kelly faces his first trial on sex trafficking charges The trial of R. Kelly, the R&B star who's been locked up since 2019 awaiting trials in four separate cases, is set to begin Monday with jury selection as he faces multiple charges of sex trafficking and racketeering in a Brooklyn federal court. The charges in New York include child pornography, kidnapping, obstruction of justice, sex trafficking and racketeering for purposes of sexual exploitation of children. Prosecutors accuse the Grammy Award-winning singer of leading "a criminal enterprise" of managers, bodyguards and other employees, who allegedly helped Kelly recruit women and underage girls for sex and pornography, and to cross state lines for that purpose. Kelly, 54, has pleaded not guilty to all charges against him in all of the cases. The trial is projected to last about a month, with opening arguments scheduled to begin Aug. 18. Amazon to mandate masks for its 900,000 workers in warehouses Starting Monday, Amazon will be requiring all of its 900,000 U.S. warehouse workers to wear masks indoors, regardless of their vaccination status. The move follows steps by a slew of other retailers, including Walmart and Target, to mandate masks for their workers. In many of those cases, the mandates apply to workers in locations of substantial COVID-19 transmission. Amazon said Friday that its call for a nationwide mask mandate for its warehouse workers was in response to the spread of COVID-19 variants in the U.S., and guidance from public health authorities and its own medical experts. Amazon has been requiring only warehouse workers not vaccinated against COVID-19 wear masks. What to have at home if you or a family member has COVID-19 including the delta variant Mask mandates are back as COVID-19 cases surge due to the delta variant Massive wildfire continues to devastate California With the weather expected to begin settling down Monday, the largest single wildfire in California history continues to burn ferociously, threatening thousands of homes. After racing through hundreds of square miles of tinder-dry woodland and brush, the Dixie Fire was less than a quarter contained. At least 400 homes and other structures have been destroyed, Cal Fire officials said. And almost all of the town of Greenville, population about 1,000, has been destroyed after 370 homes and structures burned late last week. The Dixie fire was the largest among more than major 100 wildfires in 15 states. Those fires have burned more than 3,500 square miles, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. Smoke from the Dixie Fire, along with the many other fires in the western U.S., also continues to flow into parts of Colorado and Utah, where the air quality in many areas was rated as unhealthy. Contributing: The Associated Press This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Canada borders, Gov. Andrew Cuomo, R. Kelly: 5 things to know Monday American visitors trickled across the Canada-US border on Monday, cheering the reopening of the world's longest land boundary 17 months after all non-essential travel was halted to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus. Ottawa lifted quarantine requirements for US citizens and permanent residents arriving with proof of vaccination. "It's absolutely wonderful," Vicki Poulin said of the border reopening. "We're just so happy to be here." The Canadian-born resident of Queensbury, New York, her American husband and their dog Sully used to make the trip to see her extended family in Montreal every month, but have not visited since the border was shuttered in March 2020. "I was so happy that they opened (the border) because I have a lot of friends in Canada," echoed Richard Antaki, who drove nonstop from New York City to be among the first in line at the Lacolle, Quebec border crossing. He said he was so eager to reconnect with friends in Montreal that he hasn't seen in more than a year and a half that he "didn't touch the brakes" of his car the entire ride up. Most travellers interviewed by AFP said their crossings went smoothly, with lineups much shorter than expected. The changes come, however, as Covid-19 cases are starting to surge once again across North America, led by the Delta variant after a steep drop in infections in early summer. Ottawa and Washington had faced increasing pressure from travel and tourism groups to ease travel and border restrictions. A strike by Canadian border agents last week risked throwing border reopening plans into turmoil, but quick negotiations led to a new collective agreement and in the end there were no major disruptions. US citizens and permanent residents who have had their full course of doses of a vaccine approved by Canadian authorities at least 14 days before arrival will be allowed to cross. Travellers must also be asymptomatic on arrival. Story continues Washington, however, according to White House press secretary Jen Psaki, was "continuing to review" its border restrictions for Canadians wishing to head south for a vacation. Half of the US population is fully vaccinated against Covid-19, while 81 percent of Canadians have received a single dose and 68 percent are fully immunized. gn-ast-tib/amc/st The CDC raised the travel advisories for France and Israel to the highest level Monday, a result of surging COVID-19 cases in those countries. Why it matters: The recent rapid spread of COVID across the world is largely a result of the Delta variant, which is more contagious than the original strain of the virus. Stay on top of the latest market trends and economic insights with Axios Markets. Subscribe for free By classifying those countries as Level 4, the CDC recommends avoiding travel to them, warning that "even fully vaccinated travelers may be at risk for getting and spreading COVID-19 variants." The travel advisory for Israel extends to the West Bank and Gaza. Other countries with Level 4 travel advisories currently include Ireland, Iran, Iceland, Thailand and Greece. Go deeper: Coronavirus Variant Tracker Like this article? Get more from Axios and subscribe to Axios Markets for free. Clashes broke out in Downtown Portland, Oregon, on August 8 following a religious rally earlier in the day. This footage by Grace Morgan shows people armed with various blunt objects, including a baseball bat and riot shield, running down a street. At one point, an unknown group attempts to chase down a car. Go, go, hit that car! Hit that car! someone yells. Later, a person can be seen launching incendiaries from the back of a red pick-up truck. Local media reported opposing groups used pepper spray, flash bangs, and airsoft pellets against each other. Credit: Grace Morgan via Storyful Paul R. Giunta/FilmMagic Communism is a touchy subject for most Americans. It has good reason to becommunists and socialists, their less radical counterparts, have historically been persecuted by the government in the wake of wars showcasing the countrys dependence on capitalist structures. Its rare that Americans openly embrace the radical concept today, but one rapper remains fearless as she advocates for the destruction of oppressive structures that have marginalized communities of color for centuries. capitalism is why black people die. capitalism is democrat and republican, Noname tweeted on March 5. Fatimah Warner, a Chicago-born poet and activist known as Noname, caught the attention of the music industry with her debut mixtape Telefone in 2016. She had been featured on the mixtape Acid Rap by Chance the Rapperwhom she befriended while in an artists collective in their home citythree years prior, but her solo project solidified her as a rising talent. Noname knew there were two paths to choose from when she hit it big: embrace being a celebrity and enjoy the riches, or actively resist what Americas capitalist culture was telling her to do. She chose the latter. You only hate communism due to CIA propaganda, read a meme she tweeted on March 7. Known for her socially conscious lyricism and soft-spoken delivery paired with jazzy basslines, Noname tackles racist, capitalistic structures gracefully from line to line. No words wasted. How R. Kelly Preyed on and Controlled an Underage Aaliyah Her latest single, Rainforest, targeting billionaires and environmental exploitation, is just one example: Its fuck they money, Imma say it every song / Until the revolution come and all the feds start runnin / Fuck a Good Will Hunting, this is brand new murder / Revolutionary suicide, then close the curtain One line pays homage to Karl Marx, the father of communism, referencing the philosophers definition of commodity in his book Capital: They turned a natural resource into a bundle of cash. Story continues Noname is rarely afraid to say whats on her mind. The 29-year-old artist stopped performing live shows in 2019, fed up with misguided critics and predominantly white audiences attending her showwho she says her music was not written for. After her upcoming album Factory Baby, she has teased that she might quit music altogether. In a now-deleted tweet, she said other Black rappers have the same issue, but the draw of money is too strong. whats funny is most black artist are just as uncomfortable performing for majority white crowds but would never publicly say that out of fear and allegiance to money, she wrote. Thats not necessarily a bad thing since artists have to make money, she argues, but yall wouldnt be up and arms if I quit workn @ McDonalds. Her stage name itself is a representation of what she stands for: the ability to think freely for oneself, using education and community to promote social awareness. Its about the collective, not the individual. When she was interviewed on The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, Noname described the comfort of being an independent artist and how she refrains from wearing clothes with brand logos on them. to have no name and to be nothing at all is comforting foundation to build freedom, she wrote in a tweet on May 6. Another tweet a week earlier read like a poem, explaining the name as no allegiance to one ideology / i read all / take what applies / leave the rest. But simply releasing songs and educating herself isnt enough. She puts ideas to work, refocusing her energy on grassroots activism. This way, she can help others get on the path of education shes embarked on. In July 2019, the poet founded Noname Book Club, inspired by a fan on Twitter who had said they were reading the same book as her and wanted to become pen pals. Nonames mother also had a bookstore in Chicago that acted as a community center, which was her other push to get the initiative off the ground. The book clubs slogan is simple and straightforward: Reading material for the homies. With a group of like-minded activists, Noname chooses books twice a month about social justice movements shes passionate about: prison abolition, abolishing the police, defunding the militaryall penned by writers of color. Guests who choose books, a program called Let the Homie Pick, have included Kehlani and Earl Sweatshirt. Books about revolution, socialism, and political radicalization are frequent picks. Want to get reading? The book club recommends Are Prisons Obsolete? by Angela Davis, The Autobiography of Malcolm X, and How Europe Underdeveloped Africa by Walter Rodney. Noname has often praised the work of communist icons like Marx and Ho Chi Minh, promoting their books as well. Though thousands of members read along with the book club online, members can meet in-person, free of cost, to discuss the monthly picks in a safe and supportive environment. There are currently 12 local chapters of the book club, with plans for continuous growth. With about 189,000 Twitter followers and 142,000 Instagram followers, Noname Book Club is a little bit of a fuck you to Amazon, and kind of a fuck you to the FBI, the poet has said, referencing how the government has attempted to shut down Black-owned bookstores in the past. In 2020, Noname launched the groups most ambitious direct form of activism yet: the Prison Program. Through the initiative, the book club sends books to incarcerated people across the country to help them educate themselves on social issues. The Prison Industrial Complex is working incredibly hard to erase members of our community and we feel we have to work even harder [to] counter this effort, the book clubs website says. One recipient sent a typed letter back to the book club in early June, expressing his gratitude for the book he received. I was in the hole. These people want to silence me, said Stevie, a member of the SCI Smithfield prison chapter in Huntington, Pennsylvania. He was put in prison for expressing solidarity with prisoners hunger striking in NYC. Books, he wrote, have been indispensable to people in the chapter. The prison works to separate people and make some people disposable, he said, but the connections we make counter all that nonsense. On Twitter, where Noname frequently interacts with her nearly 600,000 followers, she shares other reading materialoften about settler colonialism and capitalismand offers her own take on the subjects to help her audience understand the topics. Though she has admitted that social media is exhausting, the direct line of communication tears down the barriers of fan and celebrity. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. It is important to understand colonialism in all forms settler, neo, and crude as a tactic of imperialist expansion and exploitation under capitalism, and to understand racism and white supremacy as the ideological justification for that expansion and exploitation, she wrote in a May 19 tweet. She unabashedly takes shots at President Joe Bidenwho she has clarified she did not vote for in the last electioncalling him a white supremacist with the highest ranking position in a white supremacist setter colonial nation. All politicians through policy decisions, and celebrities through paying higher taxes, feed into oppressive systems, she argues, herself included. Echoing her core values of anti-capitalism, Noname pleads for people to please move beyond celebrities and the democratic party, she wrote. both have this country in shackles. Shes not a fan of prominent democratic socialists Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez either. Nonames self-education in the past few months has centered on the Israel-Palestine conflict as it rages on. Taking a solidly pro-Palestinian stance, the poet has called for her followers to understand you are helping the u.s fund it with your taxes. we give billions to israel so they can continue to murder. and murder. and murder. Noname performs onstage at the Pavilion during the 2017 Panorama Music Festival - Day 2 at Randall's Island on July 29, 2017, in New York City. Nicholas Hunt/Getty Her pleas for revolution amid turmoil are reminiscent of Gil Scott-Heron, the soul and jazz poet who helped raise political awareness for a generation of 1970s activists. Also a Chicago native, Scott-Herons 14-track spoken-word album Pieces of a Man honed in on mass consumerism and the ignorance of the white middle class. His popular spoken-word song The Revolution Will Not Be Televised is reminiscent of themes in many of Nonames lyrics: The revolution will not be right back / After a message about a white tornado / White lightning, or white people / You will not have to worry about a dove in your bedroom Few celebrities in American culture have resisted the societal norm to challenge capitalism in recent years with the boldness that Noname has. In the 20th century, expressing communist views in America could get you killed, let alone telling the government to fuck off. i believe in revolutionary study and organizing, she tweeted on May 18. being in an organization that can hold you accountable, sharpen your analysis and teach you how to advance the struggle for liberation in a material way is needed imo. global capitalism is organized. the people need to be. Despite the historical violence against and suppression of Black revolutionaries, Noname has shown that she isn't afraid to work on the ground to make an America she wants to live in, with education at the forefront of her mission. She mightve been onto something with a lyricalbeit taken out of contextin Song 32: Yeah, Im America at its best. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now! Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more. Associated Press A storefront collapsed into rubble at a Las Vegas supermarket at opening time early Friday, injuring four people but none seriously, a fire official and witnesses said. Firefighters pulled one person from wood planking and roof debris about 6:20 a.m. at the La Bonita market east of the Las Vegas Strip, and that person and three others were taken to a hospital for treatment, Clark County Fire Battalion Chief Steve Broadwell told reporters. No life-threatening injuries were reported, Broadwell said. A Dallas school district announced Monday that all students and staff must wear masks on district property despite Gov. Greg Abbotts prohibition against mandates. The Dallas Independent School District cited the county's "level red" status indicating the significant local spread of COVID-19 in its decision to require masking temporarily, beginning Tuesday, which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now recommends. The requirement defies an order Abbott issued on May 18 prohibiting government entities from imposing mask mandates. For schools, in particular, the order prohibited districts from requiring masks beyond June 4. NEW GUIDELINES WILL CALL FOR THIRD COVID SHOT FOR VULNERABLE PEOPLE Texans, not government, should decide their best health practices, which is why masks will not be mandated by public school districts or government entities, Abbott said at the time. We can continue to mitigate COVID-19 while defending Texans' liberty to choose whether or not they mask up. The district said that the governors order, which asserted the authority to override most local mandates, does not apply to its ability to require masks. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. Governor Abbotts order does not limit the districts rights as an employer and educational institution to establish reasonable and necessary safety rules for its staff and students, a statement from the district said. "Dallas ISD remains committed to the safety of our students and staff." The announcement puts the Dallas district in the company of numerous others that have announced similar masking requirements, some of which came even before the CDCs change in guidance on masking among the vaccinated. Since the CDC's change, the issue of masking has again become a divisive political issue. The Biden administration has sharply criticized governors like Abbott and Florida's Ron DeSantis for preventing localities from requiring masks as more people are becoming infected with the coronavirus's delta variant. Story continues CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER While many Republicans have opposed the new federal masking guidance, a few have supported more deference to local authorities. I do disagree with Gov. DeSantis," Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy, a physician, said Sunday. "The local officials should have control here. I dont want top-down from Washington, D.C. I dont want top-down from a governors office. The Washington Examiner reached out to Abbott's office for comment on the district's announcement but did not immediately receive a response. Washington Examiner Videos Tags: News, Face masks, Texas, Public Schools, Coronavirus, Greg Abbott, Dallas Original Author: Jeremy Beaman Original Location: Dallas school district to require masking despite Abbott's prohibition Apocalyptic scenes continue to emerge from the Greek island of Evia, where wildfires fueled by searing heat have forced thousands to flee to safety, charred pristine forests and destroyed dozens of homes and businesses as government officials plea for additional help. "Some people are finding it hard to breathe because there is so much smoke and ash in the air," Bethany Bell, a BBC News foreign correspondent, said. The thick smoke has also led to poor air quality across the region and completely blocked the sun in some cases, creating an eerie orange glow in the sky. More than 2,000 people have been evacuated, with many having to be transported by ferries and boats due to the flames cutting off roadways. Greece is facing a "natural disaster of unprecedented proportions," as over 580 wildfires burn in "all corners" of the nation, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said during a televised address on Monday, CNN reported. He added that the past few days have been "some of the most difficult for our country in decades," due to the extreme heat and drought that have hindered firefighting efforts. The blaze on Evia, Greece's second largest island which is located to the northeast of Athens, began on Aug. 3 and has been decimating the region ever since. More than 121,000 acres have been burned on the island, but all fire fronts were beginning to wane as of Tuesday, according to The Associated Press (AP). The fire is one of many that have broken out across the country over the past week amid a weather pattern featuring triple-digit temperatures and bone-dry conditions. "You could feel the enormous heat, there was also a lot of smoke. You could see the sun, a red ball, and then, nothing else around," Evia resident David Angelou told the AP after evacuating. Satellite images from Sunday, Aug. 8, showed the extent of charred land across the island. Satellite image 2020 Maxar Technologies The death toll from the fires in Greece stands at two, while in neighboring Turkey, eight deaths have been attributed to wildfires. Rain over the weekend allowed Turkish fire crews to gain the upper hand on blazes in the country as fire crews in Greece continued to face an uphill climb. Story continues Emergency responders have been overwhelmed by the flurry of wildfire activity in Greece and officials have requested assistance from neighboring countries as a result. Nearly two dozen countries, including the United States, have responded to the call by sending aircraft, personnel and firefighting vehicles. Turkish officials announced on Monday that they would also send two firefighting aircraft now that their blazes are largely under control, the AP reported. "On behalf of the Greek people, I would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to all the countries that have sent assistance and resources to help fight the wildfires," Mitsotakis said on Twitter. Low visibility due to the thick plumes of smoke has caused hurdles for fire crews, Nikos Hardalias, Greece's deputy civil protection minister, told reporters in a briefing on Sunday. That hasn't been the only obstacle for fire crews. The heat from the flames was so intense over the weekend that "the water from the hoses and the water-dropping aircraft was evaporating" before reaching the fire, one fire official told Agence France-Presse. The forestland across the country has turned into a tinderbox due to a prolonged spell of hot and dry weather. Athens has reported nine days at or above 100 F (38 C) since July 28, with temperatures averaging 10 F (6 C) above normal since that time. The last time rain fell in the city was on June 15. The cause of the fires raging across the country remains under investigation, but officials have already arrested several arson suspects, according to the AP. CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP Many may be wondering if any relief from the brutal heat and extreme fire weather is in sight. "Sweltering conditions are forecast to linger across the interior of Greece through midweek as temperatures range upwards of 100 F (38 C) and AccuWeather RealFeel Temperatures rise to 105-120 F (41-49 C) each afternoon," AccuWeather Meteorologist Alyssa Smithmyer said. Cities such as Athens are forecast to remain in the mid- to upper 90s F (35-37 C), which is not quite as hot as recent weeks but still above the average of 90 F (32 C). "Relative humidity values will remain very low and winds are forecast to be generally light to moderate through midweek," Smithmyer said. Despite a lack of strong winds, large blazes have been known to create their own weather which can include strong wind gusts that lead to erratic fire behavior and breached containment lines. Smithmyer noted that toward the end of the week there may be an uptick in winds which may hinder firefighting efforts as a storm system hovers nearby. Unfortunately, this storm will not have much moisture associated with it, meaning very little, if any, needed rainfall for the region. Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier, Spectrum, FuboTV, Philo, and Verizon Fios. Jeff Merkley. Drew Angerer/Getty Images The Biden administration has been quick to label the atrocities committed by the Chinese government against the Uighurs and other ethnic minorities a genocide, and President Biden also bucked convention by officially recognizing the 1915 Armenian genocide despite concerns about potential damage to the U.S.-Turkey relationship. But the White House has been less clear about its stance on the plight of the Rohingya, a Muslim ethnic minority that has been the subject of ethnic cleansing in Myanmar, sparking some criticism within the halls of Congress, Politico reports. Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), for instance, told Politico that "this administration is undermining the legitimacy of its human rights policy by failing" to declare the atrocities a genocide. By not doing so, he added, the White House also "undermines the legitimacy of the U.S. declaring other situations a genocide, particularly the way the Uighurs are treated." In other words, it raises the question of whether geopolitics is the real reason behind the Uighur designation. Read more about the Biden administration and the Rohingya at Politico. You may also like Why Tom Brady's 'gentle' roast of Trump at Biden's White House was actually 'deeply vicious' Olympics historian: Tokyo may have gone 'near the top of best organized' Games if not for pandemic How sociology shows 'policy makers have been looking at vaccine refusal all wrong' (AP) A group of Democratic senators have urged the US Department of State to ensure the protection of LGBT+ asylum seekers following President Joe Bidens February executive order directing federal agencies to advance human rights for LGBT+ people. The senators have also asked Secretary of State Antony Blinken for more details about his departments February pledge to use a broad range of diplomatic and programmatic tools and resources to protect LGBT+ refugees and asylum seekers. Their letter written by Senator Amy Klobuchar and signed by 13 senators points to the more than 11,400 applications for asylum on the basis of LGBT+ status between 2012 and 2017, according to the Williams Institute on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Law and Public Policy at UCLAs School of Law. In a memo issued on 4 February, the president called on the State Department and Department of Homeland Security to enhance their ongoing efforts to ensure that [LGBT+] refugees and asylum seekers have equal access to protection and assistance. That day, Secretary Blinken said his agency would use a broad range of diplomatic and programmatic tools and resources to protect vulnerable [LGBT+] refugees and asylum seekers, among other commitments. We write to commend the State Department for taking swift action to implement President Bidens expansive commitment to pursue an end to violence and discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or sex characteristics, and to lead by the power of our example in the cause of advancing the human rights of [LGBT+] persons around the world, the senators wrote. At the same time, we also write regarding the need for additional steps to support [LGBT+] asylum seekers, they said. According to the Williams Institute, roughly 2,000 credible fear interviews for asylum based on LGBT+ status occurred in 2016 and 2017, proportional to an overall increase in defensive asylum claims during those years. Story continues At least 69 countries criminalise same-sex sexual acts, and at least nine countries target transgender and gender nonconforming residents by criminalising gender expression, according to Human Rights Watch. At least seven countries maintain the death penalty for same-sex conduct. US law provides that anyone entering the country is eligible to apply for asylum, a form of humanitarian protection for those fleeing violence and persecution from their home countries. Donald Trumps administration obstructed the asylum process by replacing the US Citizenship and Immigration Service first-in, first-out policy with a last-in, first-out policy that prioritised new arrivals and ballooned wait times for asylum seekers who already spent years for asylum eligibility interviews. The previous administration also proposed a rule to disqualify LGBT+ asylum seekers who claimed they feared persecution, but the measure was blocked by a federal judge. Immigration advocates have also criticised the Trump administrations reliance on a public health rule through the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to wreak havoc on families and the immigration process, according to Human Rights First. While the Trump administrations use of public health authority to evade US refugee law was specious from the outset, the continued misuse of this authority to endanger the lives of people seeking protection is all the more inexcusable and absurd against the nations progress towards combating the coronavirus pandemic, according to a recent report from the organisation. The Biden administration appears to be continuing this illegal policy as an immigration policy tool to attempt to deter refugees from seeking life-saving asylum protection, according to the report. The continued use of Title 42 provisions to deter migrants leaves LGBT+ people vulnerable to physical and sexual violence, bias-motivated abuse, food and housing insecurity, and other forms of violence, according to Emem Maurus, an attorney with the Transgender Law Center, and Julia Neusner, a legal fellow at Human Rights First. Within the first six months of the Biden administration, the organisation recorded more than 3,200 attacks against asylum seekers expelled from the US at its southern border with Mexico. The group found that Black and [LGBT+] asylum seekers blocked in Mexico under the expulsion policy continue to experience targeted discrimination and violence. In their letter, the group of senators asked the State Department for a status update on its global strategy to address discrimination against LGBT+ people and how Congress can assist in these efforts. The letter was signed by Senators Richard Blumenthal, Cory Booker, Sherrod Brown, Dick Durbin, Dianne Feinstein, Kirsten Gillibrand, Ed Markey, Patty Murray, Alex Padilla, Jacky Rosen, Bernie Sanders, Tina Smith, and Elizabeth Warren. The Independent has requested comment from the State Department. Read More Advocates end work with US to pick asylum-seekers in Mexico Conditions worsen at asylum seekers' camps in north Mexico More than 3,000 asylum seekers report attacks after expulsion from US-Mexico border under Biden Covid and mental health problems rampant at Texas shelter for migrant kids, whistleblower says Justice Department urges Texas to halt new migrant order Gov. Ron DeSantis plans to appeal a preliminary injunction allowing Norwegian Cruise Line to require passengers to show proof that they are vaccinated against COVID-19. On Sunday, a federal judge granted Norwegians bid to require 100% vaccinations, saying its challenge of DeSantis vaccine passport law will likely prevail at trial. Among other reasons, the passport ban violates First Amendment rights of free speech by barring businesses from requiring documentation of vaccination status but not from requiring customers to present other medical documents or respond to oral questions of whether they are vaccinated, the ruling said. DeSantis press secretary Christina Pushaw released this statement from DeSantis office: We disagree with the judges legal reasoning and will be appealing to the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals. A prohibition on vaccine passports does not even implicate, let alone violate, anyones speech rights, and it furthers the substantial, local interest of preventing discrimination among customers based on private health information. Dragon's Den star Sara Davies is to compete in Strictly Come Dancing. (BBC) Dragon's Den star Sara Davies is the sixth contestant to be announced for Strictly Come Dancing 2021. The entrepreneur and TV star was named on Monday's Good Morning Britain by Kate Garraway and Ben Shephard. Read more: All the Strictly 2021 contestants announced so far She said: "My whole life from being a tiny little girl, you watch it every Saturday, the costumes, it just looks like the most amazing experience. "But it always felt like a pipe dream until I joined Dragon's Den and Deborah Meaden did it and she would talk about it and I thought, 'Oh my life, it could...'" Sara Davies tries a product on Dragons' Den. (BBC) Asked about her dancing skills, Davies, 37, said: "I'm really, really good when I've had a few drinks on a Saturday night. The producers were saying to me 'can you dance?' and I actually had no idea because I hadn't done it since I was about 10." Confirming she had no dance experience, she said: "Not a sausage. In my head, I think I'm going to be good. The reality might be a bit different." Garraway and Charlotte Hawkins, who have both taken part in Strictly before, reassured Davies that being a skilled dancer wasn't necessary to enjoy being in the show. Read more: Bake Off's John Whaite to make history as one half of first all-male Strictly couple Davies said that she tried to be "the nice Dragon" in Dragon's Den and that her aim was to "try not to cry" if she came in for criticism from the judges. The County Durham business guru joined Dragon's Den in 2019 as its youngest ever star after enjoying success with her craft company Crafter's Companion, which she set up as a student when she noticed a gap in the market during a business placement. She now employs almost 250 people worldwide, has won numerous business awards, and was given an MBE for services to the economy. Deborah Meaden, one of Sara Davies' Dragon's Den co-stars, has previously appeared on Strictly Come Dancing. (Ian West/PA Images via Getty Images) Talking about signing up to Strictly, Davies said: "The business world has taught me that tenacity, drive and determination deliver results, I hope that I can bring that to the dance floor. And Im excited to see the impact of all those hours of training on my mum tum!" Story continues Davies, who said her parents being able to watch her on Strictly would "make their life", joked that her sons, who are aged 7 and 4, would be much more impressed if she were taking part in Ninja Warrior. The other celebrities already announced for Strictly are Tom Fletcher, AJ Odudu, Robert Webb, John Whaite and Rhys Stephenson. Watch: Who are the 2021 Strictly Come Dancing celebrities? A father and his child are in critical condition at Jackson Memorial Hospital after a Saturday morning shooting, Miami police say. Miami Herald news partner CBS4 reports the boys name is Reynold Antrobus. Police say after a 2 a.m. ShotSpotter alert, officers got to Northwest 44th Street between 17th and 18th Avenues and found only bullet casings. They later learned from Miami-Dade police that Reynolds father had driven both of them to Jacksons Ryder Trauma Center. Miami police say the shooting remains under investigation with a lot of moving parts. Anyone who wants to share information can call Miami police at 305-579-6111 or, to remain anonymous, Miami Crime Stoppers at 305-471-8477 (TIPS). This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. One man dead after overnight shooting, Broward Sheriffs Office says Miami man accused of grocery store killing was out on bond after attempted murder charge Another tantrum in the sky over face mask rules, and this one in Florida on Thursday afternoon turned violent. According to the Pensacola News Journal, a 70-year-old Oregon man was arrested after allegedly hitting a flight attendant as the AmericanAirlines flight was landing at Pensacola International Airport around 2:30 p.m. Thursday. The passengers departure city was not included in the police report. Florida woman was unruly on the plane. Things only got worse on the ground, cops say According to Mike Wood, a spokesman with the Pensacola Police Department, the passenger, John Loucky, was told to readjust his face mask and got agitated. The matter escalated, Wood told the Miami Herald, and the suspect struck the attendant in the arm. Though the injuries were minor, he said, the AA employee wanted to press charges, Wood said. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. Loucky was arrested and was charged with battery and resisting arrest. He was transported to the Escambia County Jail where he was later released on $500 bail. Fines down the road are possible. The latest incident follows a spate of passengers acting up on planes for a variety of reasons, the majority of which are mask-related. Chill out! See a disruptive passenger get taped to his seat on a flight to Miami According to the Federal Aviation Administration, The repercussions for passengers who engage in unruly behavior can be substantial. They can be fined by the FAA or prosecuted on criminal charges. As part of the FAAs Reauthorization Bill (PDF) FAA can propose up to $37,000 per violation for unruly passenger cases. Norwegian Cruise Line Florida reportedly plans to appeal a judge's ruling allowing Norwegian Cruise Lines to check the vaccination status of its passengers. A judge in Miami issued a preliminary injunction in the case Sunday, siding with the cruise line. A Florida law prohibits businesses from asking customers about whether they've been vaccinated for COVID-19. See more stories on Insider's business page. The state of Florida plans to appeal a judge's ruling allowing Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings to check the vaccination status of its passengers against a state law prohibiting companies from asking customers about whether they've been vaccinated, MarketWatch first reported. US District Judge Kathleen Williams in Miami granted a preliminary injunction to the cruise line Sunday. The company argued that in prohibiting it from checking the vaccination status of its customers, the state was violating its First Amendment rights. Lawyers for the company also argued that the policy interrupted the flow of interstate and international commerce. "We disagree with the judge's legal reasoning and will be appealing to the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals," a spokeswoman for Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis told MarketWatch. "A prohibition on vaccine passports does not even implicate, let alone violate, anyone's speech rights, and it furthers the substantial, local interest of preventing discrimination among customers based on private health information." Representatives for DeSantis did not immediately return Insider's request for comment Monday. This is a developing story. Check back for updates. Read the original article on Business Insider Reuters Videos Shares in Moderna and Pfizer sank on Wednesday after the European Union drug regulator said it was looking into possible new side effects of the companies' COVID-19 vaccines.That includes kidney inflammation, an allergic skin reaction, and a renal disorder with heavy protein loss in urine.Pfizer is by far the biggest supplier of COVID-19 vaccines to the European Union, issuing just over 330 million doses in the region compared to some 43 million from Moderna.Both companies did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment.The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has not recommended any changes to the vaccine labels.It says the latest assessment is part of routine updates to the safety section of the authorized vaccines database.It's also looking into menstrual disorders as a possible side effect of vaccines, including those from AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson.Last month, the EMA found a possible link between very rare heart inflammation and Pfizer and Moderna's vaccines, which use mRNA technology.However, the European regulator and the World Health Organization have stressed that benefits from these vaccines outweigh any risks.The watchdog did not give details on Wednesday on how many cases of the new side effects were recorded, but said it's requested more data from both companies. Dan Harris Jonathan Wiggs/The Boston Globe via Getty Images Dan Harris is saying goodbye to ABC News. On Good Morning America Sunday, the 50-year-old anchor announced he would be leaving the show after two decades on air and revealed why. "I am going to be leaving ABC News in two months. This was a difficult decision for me," Harris began. "As some of you may know, I've been spending a lot of time on my extracurricular gig, my side hustle, a meditation company called 10 Percent Happier. Even though I'm a public proponent of work-life balance, if I'm honest, I've struggled to follow my own advice." "I recently asked ABC News management to let me out of my contract early, which would allow me to fully focus on 10 Percent Happier," he continued. "And my bosses did not have to say yes, but they did. It was unusually gracious, and I am super grateful." "... I love ABC News, I've been here for 21 years. I became an adult here, although some of my co-hosts may dispute that," the journalist joked. "... In particular, this show, Weekend GMA, has been one of the highlights of my life ... I really do love these people and I'm going to miss them horribly." This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. RELATED: ABC News' Cecilia Vega on Breaking Barriers as a Latina, Pressing the White House and Her Ideal Day Off Harris joined ABC News in March 2000, according to ABC 7. Alongside his weekend anchoring position on GMA, which the outlet said he's held since 2010, Harris has also reported for World News Tonight, ABC News Digital and ABC News Radio, among others. Before he joined the major network, Harris worked for New England Cable News, WCSH, an NBC affiliate in Portland, Maine, as well as WLBZ, an NBC affiliate in Bangor, Maine. Over the years, Harris has earned himself five Emmy Awards, including one in 2009 for his Nightline report, "How to Buy a Child in Ten Hours," according to his IMDB page. He is also the recipient of an Edward R. Murrow Award and has won the ASPCA's Presidential Service Award for Media Excellence, Deadline reported. Story continues The journalist first used "Ten Percent Happier" as the title for a segment on Nightline after he had a panic attack on live television while anchoring GMA in 2014, per Forbes. The event led Harris to write a book, 10 Percent Happier: How I Tamed the Voice in My Head, Reduced Stress Without Losing My Edge, and Found Self-Help That Actually Works A True Story, which later helped create the company he is leaving ABC News to run full-time. Tweeting the clip of Harris' announcement, GMA wished Harris well in his next adventure. "We are going to miss you, but wish you and @10percent all the best!" the morning show's official account wrote. SheKnows Divorce is never an easy situation, especially when it comes to friends, because they often have to pick sides. Kelly Clarksons divorce from Brandon Blackstock was extra complicated because her Voice co-star, Blake Shelton, was managed by her ex-husband. How did the duo navigate their friendship throughout this tumultuous time? Well, somebody decided to pick [] WASHINGTON Its not a presidential election cycle, but the state of New Hampshire is poised to play a critical role in the fight for power in Washington, D.C. once again in 2022. All eyes are on New Hampshire GOP Gov. Chris Sununu, who many Republicans view as one of the key ingredients to taking back control of the upper chamber if he mounts a Senate bid. But while the political world waits for that decision, the rough-and-tumble world of political advertising certainly is not waiting for anything. The New Hampshire race already ranks as the third-most expensive Senate race in the country when it comes to ad spending, according to AdImpact, with $2.9 million already spent. And before the field is even set, both sides are making clear this will be a nationalized race. Progressive groups are taking swipes at Sununu over things like signing new abortion restrictions, ahead of a major Supreme Court decision on abortion next year. And theyre calling him Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnells handpicked candidate, trying to counter his strong approval rating in the state by tying him to Washington. (Expect them to also try to tie Sununu to former President Donald Trump, who weighed in last month to say hed like to see [Sununu] run.) Republicans are working a similar angle, tying Hassan to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer while attacking H.R.1/S. 1 as Hassans Washington power grab. So far, six groups have already spent at least six figures on ads, all for a race that doesnt have a Republican candidate yet. Sununu has been open about his decision-making process, explaining it to NBCs Henry Gomez in this great story last month. And he has a lot of factors to weigh, not the least of which being how nationalized this race might become. The governor has held onto strong approval numbers despite the difficult job of weathering the storm of the pandemic, and he's positioned himself well for a northeastern Republican he's strong with independents and has been able to walk a careful line with Trump. Story continues That's the kind of profile that has Republicans salivating over a potential bid. But that balancing act gets tougher if he runs for Senate, when it would be harder to keep national forces and Trump at an arms length, and away from his political legacy. A dire warning from U.N. climate scientists A new report from the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change makes a blunt pronouncement: Global warming has been unprecedented and the effects are irreversible for the long-term. But the world knows what it needs to do to curb those effects and it needs to act now. Its a reminder that while the politics over the issue may not be settled, science doesnt wait for a political consensus to shake out. Here are a few of the top findings from the sobering report that one top climate scientist called a "reality check": "Human influence has warmed the climate at a rate that is unprecedented in at least the last 2000 years." "Human-induced climate change is already affecting many weather and climate extremes in every region across the globe." "Many changes due to past and future greenhouse gas emissions are irreversible for centuries to millennia, especially changes in the ocean, ice sheets and global sea level." "Global warming of 1.5C and 2C will be exceeded during the 21st century unless deep reductions in CO2 and other greenhouse gas emissions occur in the coming decades." Data Download: The numbers you need to know today 1 million: The number of students who did not show up for school last year, either in person or online. 463,477 acres: The size of the Dixie Fire, now the second-largest in California history, which has blazing for weeks. 35,841,717: The number of confirmed cases of coronavirus in the United States, per the most recent data from NBC News and health officials. (Thats 252,407 more than Friday morning.) 620,690: The number of deaths in the United States from the virus so far, per the most recent data from NBC News. (Thats 1,532 more than Friday morning.) 351,400,930: The number of vaccine doses administered in the U.S., per the CDC. (Thats 2,434,511 since Friday morning.) 50.1 percent: The share of all Americans who are fully vaccinated, per the CDC. 61.1 percent: The share of all American adults at least 18 years of age who are fully vaccinated, per CDC. Tweet of the day This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. ICYMI: What else is happening in the world Some hospitals are seeing an uptick in children seriously sick with Covid-19. The Washington Post has a deep dive into how the delta variant upended the battle against Covid. A federal judge will allow Norwegian Cruise Line to move forward with plans to require passengers show proof of Covid vaccination, even though its against Florida law. The Taliban continues to amass territory as American forces withdraw from Afghanistan. A top Cuomo aide has resigned amidst the fallout from the attorney general investigation into the governor. The Senate Judiciary Committee is interviewing former DOJ officials about Trumps efforts to overturn the election. The Jan. 6 Committee has hired former GOP Rep. Denver Riggleman to a senior staff position. Inspiration4 Payload specialists in training for STS-51L take a break in shuttle emergency egress training in 1986. Left to right: Gregory Jarvis, Christa McAuliffe and Barbara Morgan. McAuliffe was selected as NASA's first citizen observer in the Space Shuttle Program and Morgan was named her backup. Credit - Courtesy NASA TIME Studios is producing the Netflix documentary series Countdown: Inspiration 4 Mission to Space, starting Sept. 6. Its been 52 years since the artist Jeff Gates made a reservation to go to the Moon. Like many who gathered around their TV sets to watch the first lunar landing on July 20, 1969, Gatesthen a 20-year-old college student home for summer vacationwalked outside immediately afterward and looked skyward. I kept saying, there are human beings on that Moon!, says Gates, now 72. It was unbelievable, and I wasnt quite sure what to do with that feeling. But I wanted to be a part of that shared moment of exhilaration and amazement Its just human nature to want to be part of that. Gates, a longtime reader of sci-fi and fantasy books, had seen some media coverage of Pan Ams First Moon Flights Club, a marketing stunt from the now-defunct airline offering lunar passage by the year 2000. He called an agent at the airline and made a reservation for himself and Mrs. Gates, the wife he assumed he would have by then. His membership card, numbered 1,043 out of 93,000 such tickets issued between 1968 and 1971, has been in the collection of the Smithsonians National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C. since 2016. This Pan Am "First Moon Flights" Club card, number 1043, was issued by the airline to Jeffrey Gates in the late 1960s. Gates acquired the card (as well as reservations for himself and his wife-of-the-future) when he was 20 years old. Courtesy Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum Like so many other hopeful would-be astronauts, Gates never got his chance to go to space. In fact, after booking his flight, he didnt think much about the card at all until the space shuttle Challenger disaster in 1986. What I did realize was we are not at the point where commercial space travel is going to be normalized anytime soon, he says of that incident, which killed all seven aboard. But five decades after booking his never-used tickets, Gatesand his wife, Susie, who he married in 1991has been watching in recent weeks as a series of civilian space missions are bringing his dreams ever closer to reality. Richard Bransons Virgin Galactic flight and Jeff Bezoss Blue Origin launch made headlines with their short suborbital jaunts, while the upcoming Inspiration4 mission plans to put an all-civilian crew into orbit for the first time. Story continues The Branson, Bezos and Inspiration4 missions, while historic in their own rights, also represent new landmarks in a long-evolving effort to open space up to non-professionals. Indeed, private citizens have been joining astronauts in space for nearly four decades, a mixture of experts picked to handle specialized equipment being launched into space, members of Congress who had power over NASAs budget, people selected as publicity stunts or in the name of diplomacy, and billionaires who could afford outrageous sums for the privilege to strap themselves into a Russian Soyuz rocket. To whom the honor of first civilian in space belongs depends on your point of view. Back in the heyday of the Cold War and the 1960s Space Race, NASA recruited its astronauts almost exclusively from the ranks of military test pilots. Diversity at that point meant how many candidates were drawn from the Air Force versus the Navy (with some Marine pilots thrown in). So when Neil Armstrong was selected for the astronaut program in 1962, the choice was notable. Armstrong had served as a Naval aviator in Korea, returned to Purdue to complete his degree, and then joined NASAs predecessor agency as a test pilot. Given that Armstrong was no longer in the military and that NASA was a civilian agency, he was dubbed the first civilian astronaut to fly at the time of his 1966 Gemini 8 mission. Of course, Armstrongs flight test experience and NASA training made the distinction mainly technical. In the mid-1980s, NASA began picking payload specialistspeople with specialized experience on a particular piece of hardwareto join space shuttle missions. While most in the space community now agree that these specialists deserve to be called astronauts as much as anyone else who flew on the shuttle, they were among the first people to travel to space who werent on a government payroll. McDonnell Douglas test engineer Charlie Walker, who flew on three different shuttle missions between 1984 and 1985, was the first such specialist, and ran an experiment designed to help pharmaceutical research. Politicians who held sway over the U.S. space program soon followed. In 1985, Senator Jake Garn (R-UT), then chair of the subcommittee charged with overseeing NASAs budget, joked that the agency wouldnt get another cent unless they let him go to space. NASA granted his wish, giving him a spot aboard the space shuttle Discoverys fourth flight in 1985. In its coverage, TIME noted that the decision to send Garn to space came a few months after then-U.S. President Ronald Reagan announced that the first truly private citizen in space would be a teacher. When the shuttle lifts off, all of America will be reminded of the crucial role teachers and education play in the life of our nation, Reagan said in a 1984 speech to schoolworkers. I cant think of a better lesson for our children and our country. When TIME asked Garn whether he was taking a spot away from a teacher (in an April 22, 1985 story headlined Jake Skywalker), Garn characterized his request as part of his oversight function. I am a public official, he said. I am concerned. I even flew the B-1 bomber years ago, to decide whether that was something I ought to vote for or not, and Ive driven the M-1 tank for the same reason. A Salt Lake City newspaper poll showed 69% of participants supported sending Garnwho was up for re-election the following yearto space. (Bill Nelson, who this year became NASA administrator, similarly flew on a shuttle mission in 1986, when he was a congressperson.) In June 1985, NASA invited another public figure on a shuttle mission, this time a foreign dignitary: the then-28-year-old Sultan ibn Salman Al Saud of Saudi Arabia, who went up to photograph the launch of a Saudi communications satellite. His trip marked a number of firsts: he was the first Saudi, the first Arab, the first Muslim and the first member of a royal family to travel into space. He was also the youngest space shuttle passenger to date. His selection, says Margaret Weitekamp, chair of the National Air and Space Museums space history division, also had a diplomatic angle. The flight of the Saudi prince was a way of demonstrating, materially, some loyalty to a political partner and technological partner in this project, she says. The Saudis were paying NASA to launch the satellites onboard their launch vehicle and so then they got the chance to have a payload specialist [on board]. Reagans earlier promise to send a teacher to space materialized in the mid-1980s as the Space Flight Participant program, an effort to send private citizens into space who could tell great stories or inspire others when they returned, like journalists and teachers. Christa McAuliffe, a New Hampshire social studies educator, was selected as the first teacher in the program. I watched the Space Age being born and I would like to participate, she wrote in her application. The Participant program was all about communicating, says former Alan Ladwig, a former NASA official who once ran the initiative. Part of that was because it was felt that astronauts were not the greatest communicators. Some of them were, but there was a feeling that we want to hear more about what space is like except that its neat. [The goal] was trying to get a more unfiltered look. Tell us what you really felt and why this is all important. The larger goal, says Ladwig, was to inspire people to pursue what are now called STEM careersscience, technology, engineering and mathto firm up a talent pipeline upon which NASA could draw. My hope was this would inspire students to want to study science and math, he says. Not enough students were getting into science and math, especially young women, and even today thats getting better, but its still not where it should be. But the program came to a tragic halt when the Challenger exploded shortly after liftoff on Jan. 28, 1986, killing all those aboardincluding McAuliffe. Over the next decade or so, the Russians picked up the civilian space travel ball where the Americans had dropped it. Throughout the 1990s, private citizens like Japanese journalist Toyohiro Akiyama and British chemist Helen Sharman blasted off aboard Soyuz rockets for Russias Mir space station, which was deorbited in 2001, a few years after the International Space Station (ISS) was launched. Akiyama was sent as a promotional stunt for his television station, while Sharman was sponsored by a consortium of British companies seeking to put the first Briton in space. That the turn-of-the-century dot-com era created a bevy of new millionaires and billionaires with money to burn was opportune for Russias space program, which at the time was hemorrhaging cash. The Russian program badly needed money, and was willing to fly paying customers, says John Logsdon, founder of George Washington Universitys Space Policy Institute. Space Adventures, a Virginia-based space tourism company that launched in 1998, brokered seats aboard the Soyuz for those with enough money to make the trip. First among them was Dennis Tito, founder of investment firm Wilshire Associates, who reportedly paid $20 million in 2001 dollars for a trip to the ISS, thus becoming the worlds first true space tourist. Titos trip, says Ladwig, got the dreamers excited about private space travel again. Space Adventures has since launched six other space tourists to the ISS, including telecom entrepreneur Anousheh Ansari (the first female space tourist, the first of Iranian descent and the first Muslim woman in space, and who now heads the X-Prize Foundation), video game developer Richard Garriott (the first son of an astronaut to pay his own way) and Charles Simonyi (a tech billionaire who helped create Microsoft Word and Excel and the only space tourist to make repeat trips, in 2007 and 2009). Now, with the rise of U.S.-based private space companies, like Bransons Virgin Galactic, Bezoss Blue Origin and Elon Musks SpaceX, prospective space tourists no longer need to travel to the remote desert steppe of Baikonur, Kazakhstan for a ride aboard a Russian rocket. Its still early days for all three companies. But for civilians dreaming of a trip to the stars, their ship may come inand blast offsoon enough. Jeff Bezos, Richard Branson, Elon Musk, [they] should make good on my ticket to the Moon, says Gates, whose wife Susie is game to join him. That would be a great honeymoon, she says. TIME Studios is producing the Netflix documentary series Countdown: Inspiration 4 Mission to Space, starting Sept. 6. Read More About the Inspiration4 Mission: The jailed de facto leader of the giant Samsung group will be released early on parole this week, South Korea's justice ministry said Monday, easing concerns over a possible leadership vacuum at the conglomerate. Lee Jae-yong -- the 188th richest person in the world according to Forbes, with a net worth of $12.4 billion -- is currently serving a two-and-a-half year prison sentence for bribery, embezzlement and other offences in connection with the corruption scandal that brought down ex-South Korean president Park Geun-hye. But calls for his early release from both politicians and business leaders have grown in recent months over concerns about the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the South Korean economy, the 12th-largest in the world. His freedom will ease concerns over decision-making at Samsung, by far the biggest of the family-controlled conglomerates, or chaebols, that dominate business in the country. There is a long history of top chaebol figures being charged with bribery, embezzlement, tax evasion, or other offences. But many of those convicted have subsequently had their sentences cut or suspended on appeal, with some receiving presidential pardons in recognition of their "contribution to the national economy". South Korea traditionally issues pardons around this time of the year as it celebrates Independence Day on August 15, and the justice ministry said this year 810 people had been approved for release on parole. Justice Minister Park Beom-kye said Lee was "among those granted parole in consideration of the national economic situation due to the prolonged coronavirus pandemic". The decision was "based on various factors including public sentiment and his attitude in prison", he told reporters. Local reports said he was a "model prisoner" and this month a rule change came into effect cutting the proportion of the sentences prisoners must serve to be eligible for parole. Story continues Lee, 52, just comes into compliance with the new requirement and will be released on Friday. He was first jailed for five years in 2017, after Park's ouster, then walked free the following year when an appeals court dismissed most of his bribery convictions and gave him a suspended sentence. But the Supreme Court later ordered Lee to face a retrial, which convicted and jailed him again. Even so, Monday's parole announcement will not be the end of his legal travails: he is currently on trial on separate accusations of manipulating a takeover to smooth his succession at the top of the Samsung group -- the same issue on which he was said to have sought help from Park. - Conglomerate delegation - Monday's announcement comes after five major South Korean business groups in April appealed to the presidential Blue House for a pardon for Lee on national economic grounds. In June, leaders of the country's top four conglomerates -- SK Group, Hyundai Motor Group, LG Group and Samsung -- also met with President Moon Jae-in to press him to pardon Lee. Polls also show an increasing number of South Koreans supporting the idea of granting him parole, with more than 66 percent of respondents in favour in a recent Realmeter survey. The turnover of the overall Samsung group is equivalent to a fifth of the national gross domestic product and it is crucial to South Korea's economic health. Analysts have warned the prolonged absence of its de facto leader could hamper its decision-making on future large-scale investments of the kind that have been instrumental to the rise of its flagship subsidiary Samsung Electronics to become one of the world's top smartphone and computer chip makers. Last month, Samsung Electronics recorded a more than 70 percent jump in second-quarter net profits. sh/slb/qan EXCLUSIVE - Republican gubernatorial candidate Caitlyn Jenner will head to the U.S.-Mexico border on Friday to spotlight the issue of border security, on the second day of her upcoming statewide campaign tour in Californias recall election, Fox News has learned. Jenner, who arrived back in the U.S. this past weekend after spending a couple of weeks in Australia to appear in the reality TV program "Big Brother VIP," will kick off her tour on Thursday, just days before state officials begin mailing ballots to Golden State registered voters in the Sept. 14 recall election of embattled Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom. NEWSOM RECALL: CALIFORNIA REPUBLICANS SAY ENDORSEMENT WOULD HAVE HANDICAPPED PUSH TO OUST GOVERNOR The swing was originally advertised as a bus tour, but the Jenner campaign tells Fox News that the candidate will fly around the state rather than travel by bus in order to cover more ground and reach out to more voters. And the campaign says that as part of the campaign swing, Jenner will make stops along Californias southern border with Mexico to meet with border enforcement officials and individuals described as having been affected by the rise of illegal border crossings. Jenner will take a tour of the border in the San Diego region and give remarks on her stance on the issues of immigration and security. The 1976 Olympic gold medal-winning decathlete turned transgender rights activist and nationally known TV personality has taken a stern line on immigration issues. She told Fox News Sean Hannity in May during her first major TV interview after declaring her candidacy: `"I am all for the (border) wall, I would secure the wall. We can't have a state, we can't have a country, without a secure wall." JENNER TO HANNITY: I AM ALL FOR THE WALL And she pledged that if elected governor, she would end Californias "sanctuary state" status. But Jenner also was open to allowing some undocumented immigrants living in the country to remain. Story continues "What do we do with the people that are here? We are a compassionate country, okay? We are a compassionate state," she said. "I mean, some people we're going to send back, OK, no question about that.But I have met some of the greatest immigrants into our country." Jenner is launching her tour on Thursday in the Los Angeles beach community of Venice to address the homelessness crisis and increase in gun violence to highlight what she says are "Gavin Newsoms failed policies." "Our first stop is going to be Venice Beach. We want to talk to law enforcement down there, community leaders, and Venice kind of the epicenter of the homeless crisis in Los Angeles," she told Fox News late last month, during a phone interview from Australia. "Were going to discuss with them whats going on down there and, more importantly, how we can fix it. We need to take back and regulate our public spaces. It is not working right now." IN FOX NEWS INTERVIEW, JENNER DEFENDS TRIP TO AUSTRALIA Jenner faced criticism for traveling to Australia while more than 30,000 Australians were unable to return home due to the countrys COVID lockdown restrictions and for leaving California with the recall campaign reaching the stretch run. "Ive got more (campaign) work done down here than at home because I have no distractions," Jenner responded. "Its actually been very good since this pandemic, weve learned that you can work remotely and get a lot of things done." And referring to her campaign team, she said that "everybody back in California continues to work." But Jenner appears to have her work cut out for her with just over a month to go until Election Day. She was tied for fifth place with 3% support among the field of 46 gubernatorial recall candidates in a UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies/Los Angeles Times poll conducted two weeks ago. Other recent surveys also registered Jenners support among likely recall election voters in the mid-to-low single digits CALIFORNIA VOTERS SPLIT ON WHETHER TO OUST GOV. NEWSOM IN RECALL ELECTION And Jenner appears to be struggling with fundraising. According to the most recent filing, her campaign raised $747,000 from the April launch through the end of July and spent more than $900,000. Thats a far cry from the $4.5 million in fundraising conservative talk radio host Larry Elder hauled in during the first 19 days after launching his campaign on July 12. Most of the latest polls indicate that Elder is the frontrunner in the race to potentially succeed Newsom. Jenner spokesperson Steven Cheung vowed last week that "the campaign will be fully funded to enter the final stretch of the election with the necessary resources to end Gavin Newsom's time as governor." Voters will be asked two questions on the Newsom recall ballots. The first question is whether the governor should be removed from office. If more than 50% support removing Newsom, the second question offers a list of candidates running to replace the governor. LARRY ELDER HAULS IN $4.5 MILLION IN FIRST 19 DAYS OF HIS RECALL CAMPAIGN The recall push was launched in June of last year over claims the governor mishandled the state's response to the coronavirus pandemic. The recall was fueled by the state's COVID restrictions on businesses and houses of worship, school shutdowns, and even opposition to the state's high taxes. But the effort surged in the autumn after Newsom's dinner at an uber-exclusive restaurant, which at best skirted rules imposed by the governor to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Republicans see the recall election as their best chance to topple a politician who has never lost an election during his years as San Francisco mayor, California lieutenant governor and now governor and their first chance to win a statewide contest since the 2006 gubernatorial reelection victory by then-Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who was a moderate Republican. Three years earlier, Democratic Gov. Gray Davis became the second governor in U.S. history to be successfully recalled and was succeeded by Schwarzenegger, who won the recall election. Schwarzenegger captured nearly 50% of the vote on the second question, even though he was one of 135 candidates listed on the ballot. George Washington and Lafayette at Valley Forge, 1777 George Washington and Lafayette on horseback visiting injured soldiers at Valley Forge during the American Revolution, 1777. Credit - iStockphoto/GettyImages With eyes long fixed on external enemies, the military during the American Revolution was forced to grapple with an internal one, the most dangerous enemya virus. The epidemic continued to ravage those in and out of uniform, causing more dread from it than from the Sword of the Enemy. The nation had reached the point where no precaution can prevent it from running through the whole of our Army. Though previously resistant to doing so, the commander-in-chief found himself with no alternative but to inoculate all the troops. It was Feb. 5 1777, and General George Washington reported to Congress his unilateral decision to combat a smallpox outbreak that virtually coincided with the first shots of the American Revolution two years earlier. With the mortality rate approaching 16%, nearly 90% of all American Revolution War deaths resulted from smallpox. Necessity not only authorizes but seems to require the measure, Washington reflected in a letter to Dr. William Shippen Jr, then-director general of the Hospitals of the Continental Army, on Feb. 6. Washington ordered Shippen to launch the first mass inoculation of any military in historya move that saved the army and undoubtedly helped ensure the survival of the United States. As the nation and the military today face another invisible enemy in COVID-19, President Biden should look to Washingtons precedent to maintain military readiness and national defense. President Biden in late July instructed the Department of Defense to explore how and when to impose mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations for active-duty military. The announcement came as a leaked internal presentation for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention labeled the Delta variant as more transmissible than smallpox. Reports indicate that a decision on mandatory vaccinations for the military may be imminent. Washington, as commander-in-chief, mandated inoculations to preserve the army and its combat power. Having been incapacitated for nearly a month by smallpox as a teenager while visiting Barbados in 1751, Washington understood the risks. His decision preserved the nation. Decisiveness from the current President could likewise protect the country today. Story continues Read More: How George Washington Organized the First Mass Immunization Campaign in American History Smallpox, like COVID-19, was virally transferred by person-to-person contactWashington likely caught it dining out for breakfast. Like today, there was fervent skepticism, denial and even outright rejection of inoculation dating back to its introduction in Boston in 1721 (via an enslaved African). There were even anti-inoculation riots and attacks on a doctor in Virginia in 176869. Unlike todays vaccinations (which contain an inactive strain), 18th-century inoculations inserted the live virus (via pus from an active sufferer) into an incision. The person contracted smallpox, but typically a less severe formleading to a greater likelihood of survival. Still, the patient required quarantining for a roughly four-week infectious period before acquiring lifelong immunity. It was risky and time-consuming but offered better odds than the alternative. It was nearly impossible to prevent the spread of this pathogen in an army camp before germ theory and where even basic hygiene was lackingforget about social distancing. Smallpox struck in Boston in 1775 as Washington took command of the Continental Army nearby. Washington was no anti-vaxxerhe encouraged his wife (who traveled with the army) and stepson to get inoculatedbut he initially banned military inoculations, fearing that they sacrificed combat effectiveness because it meant taking soldiers from the field during the critical early years of the war. Anticipating the British invasion of New York in 1776, Washington warned that inoculation might prove fatal to the army by removing those who may soon be called to action. For Washington, the British military was the immediate threat. Any American officer who dared suffer himself to be inoculated, will be cashiered and turned out of the army and have his name published in the newspapers throughout the continent, as an Enemy and traitor to his country, Washington declared. Washingtons stance was about maintaining the army necessary to defeat the British and gain liberty and independence. While the Continental Army required infected soldiers to quarantine under guard and limited interactions with civilians in an effort to slow the spread of smallpox, the virus still took hold. By the winter of 1777, Washington was forced to regard the virus as a greater threat than British bayonets. The Pentagon has similarly labeled COVID-19 a national security threat. Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Jamal Brown has expressed the same sentiments as Washington. The military must counter the Delta variant because it is vital to protecting our force and the nation we defend, he said in late July. The Military Health System has declared vaccination to be central to military public health and deployment readiness. Will the U.S. military be called into action to face a vaccinated adversary? (The Continental Army had to do this very thing when it faced the British army which had long been exposed to the smallpox virus and had a higher degree of immunity than the Americans.) Or maybe theyll be sent into a Delta-spiking hotspot? Or, as Washington fretted over, what if the military inadvertently spreads the virus to a civilian population (foreign or domestic) while engaging in a mission? Misinformation campaigns have already tried to pin the pandemic on the U.S. Armysuch a mishap would have global consequences. There are major defense, diplomatic and civil-military implications at stake. Biden as commander-in-chief, like Washington, has the authority to order mandatory military vaccination. This should not be confused with mandatory civilian vaccination. It will undoubtedly also conform to established religious, medical and administrative exemptions for those on active duty. Currently, active-duty military members are subjected to upwards of 14 mandatory vaccines, depending on where they serve. This includes in some cases vaccines for anthrax and smallpox (which was officially eradicated by vaccinations in 1980). Those who refuse may face discipline, including a court-martial. Aside from the COVID-19 vaccines politicization before and after the 2020 election, the major hurdle is the rule that prevents the military from requiring a treatment that is not fully approved by the Food and Drug Administration. Reports indicate, however, that approval is likely coming next month. There was no such oversight in Washingtons time, but he justified a more dangerous inoculation based on military necessity. If an army was not immune to smallpox, how could it defend the nation during a pandemic? The inoculations proved extremely effective. The Continental Army gained immunity and won the war. Read more: Vaccine Hesitancy Threatens U.S. National Security Despite increased competition with large foreign powers, international deployments, tensions within Congress, widespread political discord and disagreements with state governments, COVID-19 in 2021 (like smallpox in 1777) is the most immediate threat to the military and the country. Bidens words of how and when suggest that a future mandate is inevitable. Washington reached his decision because he knew keeping the military safe in the midst of great strife, war and uncertainty was pivotal to the survival of the nation. Only about 64% of the active-duty military members are fully vaccinated, but they along with the unvaccinated may be called upon to defend the U.S. or deploy anywhere around the world at a moments notice. The military constantly assesses risks during its planning process, historically and today, and Washington was unwilling to take a chance with the lives of his troops or the safety of his country. The war has changed, the CDC proclaimed in late July. Washington knew it in 1777 too. The order required the generals most mature deliberationbut he gave it. More than 244 years later, it is President Bidens turn to mandate vaccinations for the troops. As of Saturday, there were only six open ICU beds in the Austin, Texas, area, per state data. The state is dealing with a surge of new coronavirus infections driven by the Delta variant. The counties in and around Austin have an average vaccination rate of 48.1%. See more stories on Insider's business page. The Austin, Texas, area had only six ICU beds open as of Saturday, as the state experiences a coronavirus surge driven by the highly transmissible Delta variant. Nearly 2.4 million people live in Texas' "O" trauma district, which includes Austin's Travis County and 10 other surrounding counties. As of Saturday, only 479 of the area's 4,523 hospital beds were available, according to data from the Texas Department of Health Services. The data was released just two days after city health officials raised the threat warning to Stage 5 - the highest level - based on infections and hospitalizations surging to pre-vaccination levels. In a press release, city officials said the seven-day average for new hospital admissions increased 600% between July 5 and August 4. Under Stage 5, Austin residents are advised to wear masks, even if they're fully vaccinated. Unvaccinated residents are being told to stay home and avoid gatherings, travel, and indoor dining. While Austin itself has a higher-than-average vaccination rate than the state at large (63.93% in Travis County compared to a state rate of 53.48%), the other counties in the trauma district have much lower vaccination rates, bringing the area's average down to a rate of just 48.1%, according to public data published Sunday. Mayor Steve Adler of Austin told CNN that unvaccinated people were bearing the brunt of serious COVID-19 infections in this latest surge. "Almost everyone in our ICUs are people who are not vaccinated. We have no one on ventilators in our city that are vaccinated," he said. "This is an epidemic among the unvaccinated." Multiple studies have shown that vaccinations help protect against severe disease even in the face of the Delta variant. Read the original article on Business Insider Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards talks to the media after Republican lawmakers failed in their effort to override any of his vetoes in a two-day legislative gathering that ended on Wednesday, 21 July, 2021, in Baton Rouge, La. (AP) Louisianas Democratic Governor John Bel Edwards started fasting during lunchtime on Monday in honour of the states healthcare workers, as hospitalisations caused by Covid-19 jumped to 2,720. Join me and @FirstLadyOfLA in praying & fasting during lunchtime August 9-11 for our health care workers & all those affected by Covid-19, Mr Edwards tweeted on Sunday. In addition to prayer, I urge all Louisianans to protect their neighbours & themselves by getting their vaccines & wearing masks. In a statement on 6 August, Mr Edwards said he had asked hundreds of ministers and pastors throughout Louisiana to join me during the lunch hour next Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday in praying and fasting for our state, and I am extending this invitation to anyone and everyone who is so inclined, no matter their religious beliefs. I believe very strongly in the power of prayer, and there are thousands of people right now in Louisiana who need to be lifted up in prayer, he added. So I hope you will join your prayers to mine for healing and protection. The governor also announced last week that he was reinstating the statewide mask mandate for everyone over the age of five in indoor public spaces because of the rising case rates and hospitalisations in Louisiana. The mandate expires on 1 September but can be extended if the circumstances havent improved. The state is suffering from the fourth wave of infections and low vaccination rates as the highly transmissible Delta variant of the virus travels across the area. Mr Edwards has chosen not to impose a vaccine mandate for public workers in high-risk sectors, like some other Democratic governors have done. But he has publicly supported schools and businesses that have chosen to impose vaccine mandates. Data from the Louisiana Department of Health show that more than 590,000 cases of Covid-19 have been recorded in the state, which has suffered more than 11,000 deaths since the start of the pandemic. Story continues Around 56 per cent of adults in Louisiana have received at least one dose of the vaccine, according to figures from the CDC. More than 16,000 new cases and 50 new deaths were recorded over the weekend as hospitalisations jumped by 299 to a total of 2,720 patients. The local Health Department says 91 per cent of those hospitalised have not been fully vaccinated. The largest share of the new cases was reported in New Orleans, Baton Rouge, and the Northshore, WWLTV reported. Just in the first nine days of this month, 48,000 new cases were recorded in the state. Since the last update of vaccine figures last week, the department said 65,589 doses of the vaccine had been administered. Christina Stephens, a spokesperson for Mr Edwards, said the figures revealed on Monday included three days of data and that the number of new cases was shockingly high. Simply put, there is just a massive amount of active Covid in Louisiana right now and you should be getting vaccinated and wearing masks indoors. Period. End of story, Ms Stephens said, according to WWLTV. Read More New Orleans jazz festival postponed as Covid hospitalisations hit record high in Louisiana Louisiana nurse shares emotional plea over Covid vaccines Louisiana doctors cancel brain surgery to deal with influx of Covid patients Democratic senators demand Biden administration protect LGBT+ asylum seekers Cuomo aide says he put his hand up her blouse as local party gives him a week to clear his name Conservatives furious as Psaki gets Vogue treatment ahead of Melania Aug. 9Manchester school officials will hear preliminary plans on how the district intends to spend millions in Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief funds. The money comes from a variety of federal COVID-19 relief funds, including the American Rescue Plan (ARP) and the CARES Act, and is meant to support schools as they continue to respond to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. In total, New Hampshire has received more than $233 million in ESSER funding. Last Thursday the U.S. Department of Education announced the approval of the state's ARP ESSER plan and distributed third round funding totaling $116 million to the Granite State. Since March 2020, Manchester School District has been allocated the following in ESSER funds as part of the three federal COVID-19 relief packages: CARES Act (ESSER I): $6,697,800.84 CRRSA Act (ESSER II): $26,018,267.60 ARP (ESSER III): $58,433,333.24 The Manchester School District's allocation of ARP funds must be expended by September 30, 2024. School officials propose spending the most significant portion of funds during the upcoming school year, and reducing amounts allocated for the 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 school years as follows: School Year (SY) 2021-22: $18,119,882 SY 2022-23: $14,637,479 SY 2023-24: $13,825,042 According to preliminary plans prepared for school board members, $3,156,000 would be used for cleaning and layered mitigation supplies and materials, such as PPE, MERV 13 filters, and to cover increased energy costs. About $25 million to $40 million would be spent on upgrades to the ventilation system at district school buildings. Another $6 million to $10 million would be allocated for Green Acres Elementary School construction, and $240,000 on district office construction. The bulk of cost those funds would go to improve ventilation, with the remainder creating additional office and meeting space. Several million dollars are allocated for teaching and learning expenditures: Story continues Teaching personnel ($3,487,500): A total of 44.5 full-time equivalent positions across the district, including interventionalists, ELL, special education, and guidance counselors. Student support personnel ($1,170,000): Staff for academic support centers at middle schools, Saturday intensive intervention program, extended learning opportunities and the proposed Active Student Support Team. Student enrichment and support programming ($440,000): Expansion of extracurricular programming for elementary and middle schools, and community partner supports. Clinical service providers ($375,000): Occupational and speech therapists and psychologists. Family support personnel ($300,000): 5 new Bilingual Family Liaisons to provide needed support to ELL families in navigating the school system and accessing services. Family support programming ($50,000): Parent education seminars and services to support families. District-wide support personnel ($1,223,000): District-level positions to provide systemic support for new and existing student support programs including a data analyst, guidance director, professional learning coordinator, curriculum directors and administrative assistants. Additional student transportation ($250,000): Costs associated with expanded after-school tutoring, extracurricular activities and programming. Staff training and professional development ($5,000,000 for three years): Professional development days for district staff and professional training. Materials and resources ($5,600,000): Acquisition of learning programs, curricula, materials and software. Technology and supports ($3,424,382): Three-year plan for technology, including Cleartouch panels and Chromebook replacement. Many small business owners in Charlotte say they support additional workplace anti-discrimination measures but are not well-versed on the proposed ordinance up for debate at Monday nights City Council meeting. City Council members will hold a public hearing, and potentially vote, on changes to Charlottes nondiscrimination ordinance, commonly called an NDO. A proposed amendment seeks to expand the ordinances definition of who is protected including sexual orientation, gender identity and expression and natural hairstyles. Under a proposed amendment, Charlottes NDO would, for the first time, cover private employers. Already, federal and state employment nondiscrimination laws apply to businesses with 15 or more employees. Under federal law, however, all companies are required to pay women and men equally for jobs where they do the same work. The change to Charlottes law would expand workplace protections for those who wear natural hairstyles at businesses of all sizes, and add new employment nondiscrimination protections for others who work at small businesses. There are about 13,300 small businesses in Charlotte with under 15 employees, according to city attorney Patrick Baker, who recently called the proposed employment protections likely one of the most controversial elements of the NDO. The Observer talked with several business owners last week most were unfamiliar with the proposed NDO. I dont really know what the laws are as they stand or what they would be if its passed to smaller businesses, Pepperbox Doughnuts manager Jacob Johnson said. Mackenzie Spence, manager of Kenna Kunijo, said she doesnt know how the NDO would affect her hair salon, but that she is supportive of the expanded protections. I think something like this is extremely important because it protects everybody, and everybody should be protected, she said. There seems to be a lack of education for small businesses, said Becky Drozdz, HR advisor for Catapult. Catapult provides HR services to its member companies. Story continues When I look at the ordinance, theres a lot of questions for small employers, she said. Council member Ed Driggs said that he is concerned small employers are not well equipped to handle cases like this. Both the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance and LGBTQ+ advocacy groups have voiced support for the updated NDO, but several LGBTQ+ organizations have said they want tougher penalties for organizations or businesses found in violation of the law. A crash course on Charlottes nondiscrimination ordinance: What to know for Monday Charlotte employment nondiscrimination law Under an amended NDO, Charlotte workers would be able to file employment discrimination complaints with the citys Community Relations Department. If the initial complaint meets certain requirements, the city would conduct an investigation and attempt mediation with the business. A public hearing on the complaint and a referral to the city attorneys office would take place if theres disagreement on resolving the complaint. Driggs said that hes worried the businesses would have to hire attorneys and that the protections could be abused by underperforming individuals. However, Charlottes NDO, if passed, has language ensuring that companies can still fire workers with poor performance when there is a legitimate non-discriminatory or non-retaliatory reason to terminate employment. Im just concerned about unintended consequences, Driggs said. Council member Tariq Bokhari, a Republican who drafted an initial proposal to expand Charlottes NDO, says adding nondiscrimination protections to small businesses aligns with conservative principals of individual liberty. We saw that there was a huge gap that existed in the federal legislation, he said. Most small business owners who recently spoke with the Observer say they are supportive of expanding protections. If youre not discriminating, then I dont see this as a problem for anybody, said John Brock, owner of Tabbris, a coworking center for innovative startups. Scott Weaver, co-owner of CLTCH, said hes supportive of the NDO as a gay man whos experienced employment discrimination. CLTCH is an independent boutique in Plaza Midwood that specializes in unique jewelry and gift items. I would hate to see anyone else suffer through that because it was a very traumatic thing to be singled out, he said. MEXICO CITY (Reuters) -Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador and U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris spoke on Monday about migration, the battle against COVID-19, and the need to strengthen Central American economies, the White House said in a statement. In a brief statement on Twitter https://twitter.com/lopezobrador_/status/1424871395457060866, Lopez Obrador said the conversation, which started around 4 p.m. (2100 GMT), had been good and that he would provide more details on Tuesday. The White House said the two leaders discussed ongoing bilateral cooperation to address "irregular migration" to the shared U.S.-Mexican border, and agreed to focus on bolstering Central American economies through investment in agriculture and climate resilience. Harris updated Lopez Obrador on U.S. efforts, including the July 29 release of the U.S. strategy for addressing the root causes of migration in Central America. The U.S. vice president also told Lopez Obrador that Washington was committed to sending additional doses of COVID-19 vaccines to Mexico, on top of the 4 million doses already delivered, the White House said. Speaking before the call, a senior U.S. official said the vaccines could come from multiple manufacturers, including Moderna Inc and AstraZeneca PLC. Earlier, Lopez Obrador said he and Harris would discuss reopening the U.S.-Mexico border, immigration and vaccines against COVID-19, new cases of which have jumped in Mexico. Speaking at a regular morning news conference, the Mexican president said vaccinations along Mexico's border with the United States had led to fewer hospitalizations and deaths in the face of rising infections on both sides. "This is what I'm going to suggest today, that we can demonstrate that we're not putting the population at risk," Lopez Obrador said in the northern city of Ciudad Juarez, across the border from El Paso, Texas. The United States has already lent a few million vaccine doses to Mexico, and would be sharing more with it than with any other country, reflecting the importance it attached to the bilateral relationship, the U.S. official said. The countries' 2,000-mile (3,200-km) border has been closed to non-essential travel since early in the pandemic last year. (Reporting by Daina Beth Solomon and Raul Cortes in Mexico City and Nandita Bose and Andrea Shalal in Washington; Editing by Dave Graham, Peter Cooney and Karishma Singh) ayo888 / Getty Images/iStockphoto If youre thinking about putting your money into stablecoins, you have plenty of company. So far this year, more capital has flowed into these dollar-backed digital currencies than into United States municipal bond funds, the Blockworks website reported. See: Crypto Financial Lingo to Sound Like an Investing Expert Find: Is the Fed Ready for Its Own Digital Currency? As of late last week, the three leading stablecoins Tether, USD Coin and Binance USD had a combined value of more than $100 billion in assets. Thats nearly three times the cash reserves at PayPal, Blockwords noted. Tether, USD and Binance have seen their combined value rise by about $75 billion over the past year, which is slightly above the $73 billion added to municipal bond funds during the same time period. Does this mean you should consider putting your money into stablecoins? Advocates of the digital currency say its a stable investment because it is theoretically backed dollar-for-dollar by U.S. cash. But thats not necessarily the case. See: How to Invest In Cryptocurrency What You Should Know Before Investing Find: Comparing Investments Real Estate vs. Crypto vs. Gold As Blockwords noted, Tether revealed in May that only 2.6% of its reserves are in cash, with the rest made up of a combination of secured loans, corporate bonds, crypto holdings and other assets. According to other reports, 61% of USD reserves are in cash, while Binance has said its stablecoin is backed one-to-one by U.S. dollars. Meanwhile, many financial experts and regulators remain wary about stablecoins. As previously reported on GOBankingRates, Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell told the House Financial Services Committee last month that he supports a stronger regulatory framework for stablecoins. We have a tradition in this country where the publics money is held in what is supposed to be a very safe asset, Powell testified before the committee. We have a pretty strong regulatory framework for bank deposits, for example, or money market funds, he added. That doesnt exist for stablecoins, and if theyre going to be a significant part of the payments universe then we need an appropriate framework, which frankly we dont have. Story continues See: Powell Calls for Stronger Regulatory Framework Around Stablecoins Find: Crypto Regulation Will Help Pay for Infrastructure Bill, SECs Gensler Compares Industry to Wild West Last week, Gary Gensler, head of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, said cryptocurrency markets were rife with fraud, scams and abuse and called on Congress to give the SEC new regulatory powers, The Economist reported over the weekend. The U.K. has banned Binance, while European Union regulators have advocated more transparency in cryptocurrency transactions. One thing to keep in mind if youre considering putting your money into stablecoins is that you wont get the same level of financial transparency that you get with other, more highly regulated asset classes. As The Economist noted, Tethers disclosures of the breakdown of its assets fall well below the standards expected of a bank. Earlier this year, Tether was among the defendants that agreed to an $18.5 million fine imposed by New Yorks Attorney General, who said that in 2017, Tether misled the market about its U.S. dollar backing. The AG also said Tether had not accurately disclosed the transfer of $625 million of its assets to online trading platform Bitfinex. More From GOBankingRates This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: With More Money Pouring Into Stablecoin Than Municipal Bond Funds, Should You Invest? The Daily Beast Photo Illustration by The Daily Beast/Photos GettyTennessee state Rep. David Byrd was recorded apologizing to one of two former students who accused him of molesting them when he was a girls high school basketball coach in the 1980s.I can promise you one thing, I have been so sorry for that, he says in a recording that surfaced along with the allegations in 2018. Ive lived with that and you dont know how hard it has been for me.A third student charged that he had attempted to molest her. A Florida judge sided with a cruise line Sunday over Gov. Ron DeSantis in an effort to keep travelers safe. Ruling against DeSantis, who has banned COVID-19 vaccine passports from Florida, U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams will allow Norwegian Cruise Line to require proof of vaccinations for all guests, saying the cruise line would be irreparably injured without such guarantees. Williams also said that the state failed to provide a valid evidentiary, factual, or legal predicate for banning the vaccine mandate, a ban that jeopardized public health and risked super-spreader events. Norwegian demonstrated that public health will be jeopardized if it is required to suspend its vaccination requirement, she wrote, but lawyers for the state had shown no public benefit from the continued enforcement of the ban. The health and safety of our guests, crew and the communities we visit is our number one priority, today, tomorrow and forever. Its not a slogan or a tagline, we fiercely mean it and our commitment to these principles is demonstrated by the lengths our Company has gone through to provide the safest possible cruise experience from Florida, CEO Frank Del Rio said in a statement Sunday after Williams ruling. The public health environment continues to evolve around the globe and our robust science-backed health and safety protocols, with vaccines at its cornerstone, allow us to provide what we believe is the safest vacation experience for people who long to get back to their everyday lives and explore the world once again. Del Rio previously threatened to move his ships out of Florida if he could not require vaccinations. The Norwegian Gem is scheduled to depart Miami on Sunday, the liners first voyage since the COVID-19 shutdown last year. Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings can require passengers to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination, despite a Florida law barring companies from doing just that, a federal judge in Miami ruled Sunday. The third-largest cruise company in the world sued Florida Surgeon General Scott Rivkees in July, arguing the state law puts passengers and crew at risk and violates federal law and the companys constitutional rights. On Sunday, U.S. District Judge for the Southern District of Florida Kathleen Mary Williams blocked Florida from enforcing the law against Norwegian when the company restarts cruises from Florida this month. The law that took effect in July allows the state to fine businesses $5,000 every time they require that a patron provide documentation of COVID-19 vaccination. Cruise companies already operating from Florida ports are getting around the law by requesting vaccine documents from passengers and hitting unvaccinated passengers with steep fees for multiple tests and on-board restrictions. Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings is parent to cruise brands Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas. The company plans to restart cruises in the U.S. after a 17-month hiatus by welcoming only fully vaccinated passengers aboard its Norwegian Gem ship at PortMiami on Aug. 15. The company repeatedly threatened to pull its ships from Florida if it was not allowed to require proof of vaccination from passengers. The judge said that without an injunction, Norwegian would suffer irreparable harm to its reputation in the case of a COVID-19 outbreak and economic loss. Norwegian praised the judges ruling. We want nothing more than to sail from Miami, the Cruise Capital of the World, and from the other fabulous Florida ports and we welcome todays ruling that allows us to sail with 100% fully vaccinated guests and crew which we believe is the safest and most prudent way to resume cruise operations amid this global pandemic, said Frank Del Rio, president and chief executive officer of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, in a statement. Story continues Sundays decision is the latest in the ongoing court battle between the cruise industry and Gov. Ron DeSantis. DeSantis sued the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in April and successfully blocked the agency from enforcing its cruise safety rules in Florida. All cruise companies operating in Florida are still voluntarily following the CDCs regulations. On Monday, DeSantis press secretary Christina Pushaw said the state will appeal. A prohibition on vaccine passports does not even implicate, let alone violate, anyones speech rights, and it furthers the substantial, local interest of preventing discrimination among customers based on private health information, Pushaw said via email. At a hearing last week, lawyers for Florida argued that the state law is needed to prevent discrimination against unvaccinated people and to protect passengers privacy. In her order Sunday, Williams said Floridas law does not effectively prevent discrimination or protect privacy. The law allows companies to require employees provide vaccination proof and that patrons verify their vaccination status verbally. It also allows companies to make unvaccinated passengers pay extra fees, segregate from vaccinated passengers and show their vaccination status in the form of a wristband or other identifier. Defendant has presented no evidence to demonstrate that his asserted interests are in response to real problems that Florida residents are actually facing, Williams wrote in her order. There is no evidentiary support to show that residents have experienced intrusions on their medical privacy or discrimination because some businesses, including cruise lines, have required COVID-19 vaccination documentation. Williams said Floridas law unlawfully infringes on Norwegians right of free speech by prohibiting it from requiring that passengers show COVID-19 vaccination documentation, but allowing it to demand other kinds of medical documentation in exchange for services. She said the law will unlawfully burden interstate commerce because Norwegian plans to visit Caribbean countries and territories that require all passengers be vaccinated, including the U.S. Virgin Islands. Williams suggested Florida could have made an exemption to the law for cruise companies or interstate commerce, the way it did for healthcare businesses. Even ships that are operating with all crew and most passengers who have been vaccinated are experiencing COVID-19 infections. Of the 63 ocean cruise ships currently operating in U.S. waters or planning to soon, 27 have reported COVID-19 cases on board in the last seven days, according to the CDC. Howard University, alma mater of Vice President Kamala Harris, has seen high-profile donations and enrollment demand. Its smaller counterparts aren't so lucky. (Nathaniel Grann / For the Washington Post via Getty Images) Quick: Name a historically Black college or university. Most people would list Howard, Morehouse, Spelman or Hampton. Theyre not wrong but they are part of the problem faced by the other 103 HBCUs. The top four receive the most media attention and donations, particularly after the spotlight of Black Lives Matter over the past year. But many others need attention and funding after years of financial struggle. As in all of higher education, their costs have steadily risen, but unlike many private colleges they cant raise tuition steeply without excluding many students they aim to serve. And although some federal funding increases have flowed in recent years, the damage was already done from a long period of cuts. Federal dollars for HBCUs fell 42% between 2003 and 2015. I realized the gravity of the situation when a friend of mine was told by school officials and her parents to clear out her dorm before the winter break of 2019 and start looking for a new college, because the HBCU she attended, Bennett College in North Carolina, was at risk of losing accreditation and closing. That shouldnt be a part of anyones college experience. Many small, private, historically Black colleges have struggled financially, which has sometimes put accreditation in doubt. They rely on ongoing donations, because their endowments are not wealthy enough to sustain operations. Last year, the combined endowment of all HBCUs was less than $4 billion, compared with Harvard Universitys $42 billion. Even many public HBCUs are at risk because they have been chronically shortchanged in state funding. The nations 107 historically Black colleges and universities, both public and private, have a rich legacy of educating African Americans at a time when no one else would, dating back to 1837. They have given generations of Black men and women a space to flourish and educate themselves to better serve their communities. The mission remains crucial today, and they need all the help they can get. Story continues Many of these institutions have accumulated crushing debts. In April the U.S. Department of Education forgave $1.6 billion owed by 45 HBCUs. This is the sort of one-time boost that many institutions need in order to get back on their feet. The federal government should continue to seek such paths to support these schools, especially because they were deprived for so long. We now know that some of the historically Black schools have also suffered under illegally skewed state funding. Four HBCUs in Maryland recently won a lawsuit against the state, which owes them $577 million that was inappropriately diverted for decades. In 2001, a similar case in Mississippi ended with a settlement of $500 million after dragging out for 26 years. Researchers looking closely at a brief span, from 2010-12, found that historically Black land-grant universities in 17 states were denied $56 million in state funding that they were owed. Another tally of arrears totals $1.1 billion so far, owed to 50 colleges. These funding deficits were not small or isolated. They cut deeply, and the schools will struggle to recover. States should pay what they owe from years past and ensure longer-term structural change in funding to help the schools survive. Finally, private donations must be part of the solution. The colleges and universities with the most stable finances operate largely on revenue from vast endowments. Recent high-profile gifts, like $500 million from MacKenzie Scott and $120 million from Reed Hastings and Patty Quillin, show that there are donors ready to support these institutions. Future dollars will make the biggest difference if spread among smaller, overlooked schools. HBCUs do important work, and they will continue to do it as long as they can. Its up to lawmakers and donors to give them the chance. Gabrielle Chenault has been an intern at the Los Angeles Times and will be entering the graduate journalism program at USC in the fall. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. ISLAMABAD (Reuters) -Pakistan on Monday said the international community needed to look into the "meltdown" of Afghan security forces in the face of Taliban offensives across Afghanistan, instead of blaming Pakistan for the fast-deteriorating situation. Taliban fighters have swiftly gained territory across Afghanistan since May, including six provincial capitals in the last three days, as international forces near a complete withdrawal from the country after 20 years of fighting. "The capacity-building, the training, the equipment ... where is it?" Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi asked at a news conference, referring to resources spent by other countries, particularly the United States, on bolstering Afghan national forces. "Issues of governance and the meltdown of Afghan national defence forces need to be looked into," he said. Pakistan cannot be held responsible for the failure of others, he said. Kabul and several western governments say Pakistan's support for the Taliban allowed it to weather 20 years of war after being pushed from power in 2001 by a U.S.-led invasion of Afghanistan. The group today controls more territory that at any point since 2001. Watch: Pakistan hurries to finish border fence with Afghanistan Pakistan denies supporting the Taliban. Qureshi said Islamabad was not taking sides in Afghanistan. "The lack of will to fight, the capitulation that we are seeing in Afghanistan ... can we be held responsible for that? No we cannot," Qureshi said, adding that Pakistan supported a political solution to bring peace to Afghanistan. He said Pakistan had been instrumental in bringing the Taliban to the negotiating table with the United States and facilitated the resultant agreement between the two in Doha last year. Story continues Pakistan, Qureshi said, had also helped convene peace talks between the Taliban and the Afghan government in September last year, which have since stalled. Qureshi said Islamabad was concerned at the violence and the lack of progress in the talks, saying that Pakistan had most to lose from an unstable Afghanistan as a direct neighbour. Questioning the pullout of U.S. forces, Qureshi said Pakistan thought the withdrawal would be tied to the progress in the peace talks. Other regional countries, including Afghanistan, have also blamed what they termed a hasty and unconditional withdrawal of foreign troops for the success of the Taliban. Qureshi said there would be a meeting in Doha on Wednesday of the "Troika", a platform to discuss Afghanistan led by the United States, China, Russia. The meeting is three weeks before the Aug. 31 date that Washington set for the official withdrawal of its military forces in Afghanistan. (Reporting by Gibran Peshimam; Editing by Angus MacSwan and Grant McCool) Jail bars and a fence. Illustrated | iStock Jails and prisons were always at obvious risk of becoming hotspots of COVID-19: large groups, close quarters, limited medical care, inadequate hygiene supplies, disproportionate rates of comorbidities it's all there. By April of this year, at least one in three inmates of state and federal prisons were known to have been infected (the true number is undoubtedly higher because not every case is tested), and the reported death rate among inmates is one third higher than the national average. That elevated risk is why the first pandemic omnibus bill, the CARES Act of March 2020, included a provision to allow select federal prisoners to be moved into home confinement as a decrowding measure. The result is a real-life experiment with compelling positive results. The release program has stringent qualifications. It's only for low-level, nonviolent offenders with good behavior records in prison, a viable re-entry plan, and a good score on a recidivism risk assessment. (Prison officials could also use their discretion to preclude release.) Of about 155,000 federal inmates, only around 29,600 were moved to home confinement during the whole pandemic, and only around 7,500 are actively in home confinement now. As Reason reports more than a year into this de facto experiment, "preliminary data are quite promising: The overwhelming majority of those released on home detention have not reoffended. Of the 28,881 prisoners allowed on home detention last year, only 151 individuals, less than 1 percent, violated the terms of their confinement. Only one person has committed a new crime." That's quite a success. It's a strong case for expanded future use of home confinement, which saves money, doesn't separate families, and gives participants education and job opportunities they can't get in prison, which helps prevent recidivism. With numbers like these, the chief argument against home confinement that it endangers the community looks pretty weak. Story continues In the near term, this data should also justify letting the several thousand still in CARES Act-initiated home confinement stay put when the pandemic ends. (As it is, Department of Justice guidance from January says they should go back to prison.) Legislation to that effect would be ideal, but, as the Reason writers note, President Biden could also commute their sentences to home confinement, letting them finish their term there without CARES Act authorization. You may also like Why Tom Brady's 'gentle' roast of Trump at Biden's White House was actually 'deeply vicious' Olympics historian: Tokyo may have gone 'near the top of best organized' Games if not for pandemic How sociology shows 'policy makers have been looking at vaccine refusal all wrong' Reuters Videos Staff at a nature reserve described arriving at the site on Thursday (August 12) in two speedboats minutes after the crash to find eight survivors who had swum up from a depth of eight or nine meters (24-27 feet).They said two of the survivors were badly hurt and the water temperature was no more than 5-6 degrees Celsius (41-43 Fahrenheit) so they would not have survived long."We were thinking if there were another five minutes, people would probably start to drown," said survived passenger Viktor Strelkin.The passengers were able to escape the sinking helicopter through luggage doors that opened at the rear, the regional governor said on state television.The eight other people on board were missing. Three Puerto Rican men were charged with a hate crime after allegedly committing assault with a paintball gun. Jordany Rafael Laboy Garcia, Christian Yamaurie Rivera Otero, and Anthony Steven Lobos Ruiz were allegedly driving in Toa Baja on Feb. 24, 2020, when they saw the victim, a biological male who identifies as a woman, walking on the side of the road. TRANSGENDER WOMAN WEIGHTLIFTER FAILS TO COMPLETE LIFTS AND WON'T MOVE FORWARD They recognized her from a social media post identifying her as a man who tried to enter the women's bathroom at a nearby restaurant, according to the indictment. The three men began to harass her verbally, then obtained a paintball gun to shoot at her, according to a Department of Justice press release. They allegedly accosted her again and began shooting paintballs at her and recorded their actions on video using their phone. The men deleted at least one of the videos of the assault, the indictment stated. The three face up to 10 years in prison if convicted for the hate crime and five years in prison for the conspiracy charge. They could also face a fine of up to $250,000 for each charge. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER The San Juan Field Office of the FBI is investigating the case. Washington Examiner Videos Tags: News, Puerto Rico, hate crime, Transgender Original Author: Matthew Miller Original Location: Puerto Rican men charged with hate crime after allegedly shooting transgender woman with paintball gun Rand Paul (Getty Images) Republican Kentucky Senator Rand Paul has drawn fire with a video version of an op-ed in which he calls on sympathetic Americans to resist anti-Covid-19 measures even saying that no-one should follow the CDCs anti-science mask mandates. The video is circulating as Covid-19 cases and hospitalisations rise dramatically in many parts of the US, and especially in under-vaccinated states whose Republican governors have not imposed or have even banned mask mandates and other policies designed to stop the viruss spread. In the video, which is essentially a spoken-word performance of a recent Fox News op-ed, Mr Paul tells his viewers that Its time for us to resist. They cant arrest all of us. They cant keep all of your kids home from school. They cant keep every government building closed although Ive got a long list of ones they might keep closed, or might oughta (sic) keep closed. We dont have to accept the mandates, lockdowns, and harmful policies of the petty tyrants and feckless bureaucrats. We can simply say no, not again. Given the worsening Covid-19 situation, the video has met with online condemnation. One user called him a sociopath, while another accused him of mass murder. Why the f**k is Rand Paul telling parents to ignore the CDC, wrote Democrat Jake Lobin, after childrens Covid hospitalisations just jumped 118% in Kentucky? This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. Mr Paul, a notorious Capitol Hill obstructionist who in 2016 ran for the Republican presidential nomination on a quixotic, libertarian-tilted platform, targets his message of resistance towards Democrats including Nancy Pelosi (you will not arrest or stop me or anyone on my staff from doing our jobs) and Joe Biden (we will not accept your agencies mandates or your reported moves toward a lockdown). Mr Pauls professed anger at Ms Pelosi is hard to square with reality given her mask orders apply to the House of Representatives, not the Senate, where he serves. During his monologue, Mr Paul also twice threatens to deploy one of his signature tactics: delaying legislation on Capitol Hill with extraneous amendments that are guaranteed not to pass. Story continues In this case, he tells Mr Biden: If you want to shutdown federal agencies again some of which arent even back to work fully I will stop every bill coming through the Senate with an amendment to cut their funding if they dont come to work. There is no sign Mr Biden intends to do this. The administration isnt the only entity in Mr Pauls sights. If a school system attempts to keep the children from full-time, in-person school, he says, I will hold up every bill with two amendments. One to defund them, and another to allow parents the choice of where the money goes for their childs education. True to form, Mr Paul also targets Dr Anthony Fauci, whom he has relentlessly attacked with false information and baseless accusations at multiple Senate hearings. Im not a career politician. Ive practiced medicine for 33 years. I graduated from Duke Medical School, worked in emergency rooms, studied immunology and virology, and ultimately chose to become a surgeon, he said. I have been telling everyone for a year now that Dr. Anthony Fauci and other public health officials were NOT following science, and Ive been proven right time and time again. This is untrue. Mr Paul, an ophthalmologist who has no expertise in epidemiological research, has repeatedly propagated falsehoods and unsubstantiated theories about Covid-19 and its origins. At one recent hearing, Dr Fauci offered his most forceful rejection yet of the senators behaviour. Senator Paul, he said, you do not know what youre talking about, quite frankly, and I want to say that officially. You do not know what youre talking about. Mr Pauls stance on the pandemic has not been dented, as the video indicates. We are at a moment of truth and a crossroads, he says. Will we allow these people to use fear and propaganda to do further harm to our society, economy, and children? Or will we stand together and say, absolutely not? Not this time. I choose freedom. Mr Pauls call to resistance makes a strange contrast with a radio ad released by his fellow Kentucky Senator, Mitch McConnell, in which the Republican leader reflected on his childhood experience with polio and called on his states residents to get vaccinated. Every American should take advantage of this miracle and get vaccinated, he says in the ad. Its the only way were going to defeat Covid. Read More Nails on chalkboard: In Vogue interview, Jen Psaki rails at being called nice US announces more aid as Yemen fighting, peace efforts stall Biden pushes sanctions against Belarus' Lukashenko regime Senate Dems unveil $3.5T budget for social, climate efforts Pro-Trump conspiracy theorist Mike Lindell pulls his MyPillow ads from Fox News EU says Ortega crushed prospect of fair Nicaraguan elections Southern African countries on Monday inaugurated a regional military mission to help Mozambique take back control of its gas-rich northern province from jihadists that have been rampaging across towns and villages for nearly four years. Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi and Botswanan President Mokgweetsi Masisi launched the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Mission in Mozambique (SAMIM) at an event in Pemba, the capital of Cabo Delgado province. "We reaffirm our joint commitment to fight against violent extremism together with the Rwandan forces," said Nyusi. He mentioned "news in recent days of the success of Rwanda's mission and our forces," referring to the recapture of Awasse and Mocimboa da Praia towns from the insurgents, just weeks after the East African troops arrived. Mozambican forces, backed by Rwandan troops, on Sunday said they had driven out militants occupying Mocimboa da Praia, a port from where the first Islamist attacks were staged in October 2017. After being overrun in August 2020, the town became the de-facto headquarters of the Islamic State-linked extremists, who are locally referred to as Al-Shabab. "The control of Mocimboa da Praia town and the gradual return of movement between Palma and Mocimboa da Praia is the product of the bravery and concerted effort of the forces with the aim of quickly returning stability to the region," said Nyusi. In March the militants struck Palma, forcing French energy giant Total to suspend work on a nearby $20-billion gas project. Rwanda started deploying a 1,000-man force on July 9 to shore up the Mozambican military. Forces from Mozambique's fellow members of the 16-nation SADC bloc started deploying on July 26, led by Botswana. The European Union on July 12 formally established a military mission for Mozambique to help train its armed forces. str-sn/ri CAIRO (AP) Russia resumed flights to Egyptian Red Sea resorts on Monday, ending a ban that had lasted almost six years following the bombing of a Russian airliner that killed all 224 people onboard. The local branch of the Islamic State group said it downed the plane over Sinai in October 2015, shortly after the aircraft took off from the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh. At the time, Russian officials insisted that security procedures at Egyptian airports were insufficient. Early on Monday morning, EgyptAir flight MS724 took off from Moscow with 300 tourists. Hours later, the Airbus A300-330 landed in Hurghada, a popular Red Sea destination, Egypts national carrier said in a statement. The Russian plane was welcomed by a ceremonial water salute" on touchdown and Russian tourists, most of them wearing facemasks, were greeted with flowers and balloons upon disembarking. The statement said EgyptAir would operate seven flights from the Russian capital to Hurghada and Sham el-Sheikh, on the tip of the Sinai Peninsula. The first EgyptAir flight from Moscow to Sharm el-Sheikh was scheduled for Tuesday, it said. Egypts envoy to Russia, Ihab Nasr, told a local TV station on Sunday that there would be 20 direct flights between Moscow and the two Red Sea resorts every week, and that Egyptian and Russian officials were discussing additional flights. The Russian state aviation agency, Rosaviatsiya, has cleared eight Russian airlines to operate flights to Hurghada and Sharm el-Sheikh from 43 cities across Russia. However, the list does not include St. Petersburg, the destination of the doomed Russian airliner downed over Sinai. For now, Rossiya, a subsidiary of the Russias state-owned flagship carrier Aeroflot, appears to be the only Russian airline with scheduled flights to the two Egyptian Red Sea resorts from Moscows Sheremetyevo airport. Its flight FV5361 landed in Hurghada early on Monday afternoon with more than 500 Russian tourists on board. Around two hours later, Rossiya's flight FV5633 landed in Sharm el-Sheikh, carrying over 500 tourists. Story continues Other Russian airlines cleared to operate flights from Moscow to Hurghada and Sharm El Sheikh such as Aeroflots low-cost subsidiary Pobeda and S7 Airlines, Russias largest privately owned carrier have no flights scheduled for the coming days, according to their websites. The development comes a month after Russian President Vladimir Putin canceled his order suspending the flights after the 2015 disaster. Flights between Moscow and Cairo resumed in April 2018 after Egyptian officials beefed up security at Cairo's international airport, but talks about restoring direct air travel to Red Sea resorts had dragged on. In 2016, Egypts President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi finally said the downing of the Russian airliner was a terrorist attack." Russias ambassador to Egypt, Georgy Borisenko, said the decision to resume flights was not an easy one for Moscow. However, we ascertained that in recent years Egypts airports and resorts have dramatically increased security measures. Therefore, we expect that Russian tourists, who remember the traditional Egyptian hospitality well and miss the Red Sea very much, will have a safe and comfortable stay, Borisenko was quoted by the state RIA Novosti news agency as saying. Britain, another major source of visitors to Egypt which had also suspended flights to Sharm el-Sheikh in the wake of the bombing, lifted its restrictions in October 2019. The 2015 attack was a serious blow to Egypts vital tourism industry, which was also affected by the unrest following its 2011 Arab Spring uprising. Egyptian authorities have since spent millions of dollars upgrading security at the country's airports, hoping to get Moscow to change its mind. The resumption of flights will be key for Egypts tourism sector, which was dealt another blow by the coronavirus pandemic over the past year. Authorities have kept looser restrictions in Red Sea towns, trying to attract foreign visitors. But they have mandated vaccinations for workers in the tourism sector in Red Sea resorts, though a vaccination campaign has been slow elsewhere in Egypt. All foreign visitors, however, have to show a negative PCR test and wear facemasks. Prior to the ban, Russians were the top visitors to Egypt, numbering about 3 million tourists in 2014. ___ Associated Press writer Daria Litvinova in Moscow contributed to this report. Michigan native Paul Whelan was subjected to severe solitary confinement in a Russian prison without the ability to shower for a month, according to a new report from his family. "Paul said that a fellow inmate described his solitary confinement as more severe than normal, David Whelan, the American detainees twin brother, wrote in an email to reporters and activists. The prison did not allow Paul to shower or exercise during the entire month. Whelan, an ex-Marine who holds a U.K. passport courtesy of his British parents, was released from solitary confinement late last week following a visit from British Embassy officials that prompted the prison authorities to allow him to bathe for the first time in weeks. And the prison infractions that led to his solitary confinement were just as arbitrary, his family said, as the charges that led to his arrest in the first place. RUSSIA SENDS FORMER MARINE TO PRISON ESTABLISHED AS PART OF THE GULAG UNDER STALIN Paul was asked to go to the prison administration building, which prisoners can't normally go to, David Whelan wrote, while relaying the one infraction that his brother described to their parents in a phone call this weekend. When he got there, he was turned away. Paul was then asked to return to the administration building, where he was given an infraction for having responded to the order to go to the administration building the first time. Apparently, Paul was placed in solitary confinement for a month due to an accumulation of pettiness. Whelan, an ex-Marine, was seized in December 2018 and charged with espionage, a case of hostage diplomacy by Russian security services, according to Whelan and his advocates, who surmised that he is a bargaining chip for the release of well-connected Russian criminals serving lengthy sentences in the United States. President Joe Bidens summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin fell on the 900th day of his detention, stirring hope for his release among supporters that day, and the weeks following have passed without any sign of a breakthrough related to his case. Story continues CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER We are glad he is able to speak with our parents again, his brother wrote. Paul has still been unable to call the U.S. Embassy or his lawyer. We continue to hope that someone, somewhere, is making an effort to get Paul released. Washington Examiner Videos Tags: News, Foreign Policy, National Security, Russia, Hostages, Detainees, Vladimir Putin Original Author: Joel Gehrke Original Location: Russian guards refuse to allow American Paul Whelan to shower for a month Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer outlined plans for Democrats to pass legislation to give legal status to some immigrants illegally residing in the United States and to fund border security improvements. Schumer included the measures Monday in Senate Democrats' fiscal year 2022 budget proposal, which, if passed, would create a legislative process that would allow Democrats to pass legislation with only a simple majority in the Senate, meaning that Republicans won't be able to block it via the filibuster. The plan calls for providing lawful permanent status to an unspecified number of illegal immigrants and "smart and effective" border security measures. The budget proposal also envisions $37 billion toward swapping out all federal vehicles for electric versions, including tens of thousands of trucks and SUVs used by federal law enforcement on the border. REPUBLICANS TO FILE ARTICLES OF IMPEACHMENT AGAINST BIDEN BORDER CHIEF MAYORKAS The budget does envision new spending on unspecified border management programs. Democrats oppose physical barriers at the southern border, where more migrants are illegally crossing in recent months than any time in the past 21 years. "We are carefully coordinating our work on the budget with our House colleagues," Schumer said in a statement. House Democrats, who control the lower chamber, must agree or reconcile differences with Senate Democrats to move forward. The budget requires a majority of the 100 senators, potentially making Vice President Kamala Harris the tiebreaking vote. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER Schumer's proposal released Monday does not further break down the details of the proposed projects. Washington Examiner Videos Tags: News, Budget, Chuck Schumer, Senate, House of Representatives, Immigration, Border Security Original Author: Anna Giaritelli Original Location: Schumer outlines $107 billion plan for legal status for immigrants as part of massive Democratic spending bill WASHINGTON (AP) After weeks of fits, starts and delays, the Senate is on track to give final approval to the $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure plan, with a growing coalition of Democrats and Republicans prepared to lift the first phase of President Joe Bidens rebuilding agenda to passage. Final Senate votes are expected around 11 a.m. EDT Tuesday, and the bill would then go to the House. All told, some 70 senators appear poised to carry the bipartisan package to passage, a potentially robust tally of lawmakers eager to tap the billions in new spending for their states and to show voters back home they can deliver. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said it's "the first time the Senate has come together around such a package in decades. After that, the Senate will immediately launch votes on Biden's next package the $3.5 trillion plan that is a more strictly Democratic undertaking beginning a debate that will extend into fall. For now, on the the often elusive political center is holding steady on the bipartisan plan, a rare partnership with Biden's White House. On the left, the Democrats have withstood the complaints of liberals who say the proposal falls short of whats needed to provide a down payment on one of the president's top priorities. From the right, the Republicans are largely ignoring the criticism from their most conservative and far-flung voices, including a barrage of name-calling from former President Donald Trump as he tries to derail the package. Together, a sizable number of business, farm and labor groups back the package, which proposes nearly $550 billion in new spending on what are typically mainstays of federal spending roads, bridges, broadband internet, water pipes and other public works systems that cities and states often cannot afford on their own. This has been a different sort of process, said Sen. Rob Portman of Ohio, the lead Republican negotiator of the group of 10 senators who drafted the package. Story continues Portman, a former White House budget director for George W. Bush, said the investments being made have been talked about for years, yet never seem to get done. He said, Well be getting it right for the American people. The top Democratic negotiator, Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, said she was trying to follow the example of fellow Arizonan John McCain to reach bipartisan agreements that try to bring the country together. Still, not all senators are on board, Despite the momentum, action ground to a halt over the weekend when Sen. Bill Hagerty, a Tennessee Republican allied with Trump, refused to speed up the process. Other Republican senators objected to the size, scope and financing of the package, particularly concerned after the Congressional Budget Office said it would add $256 billion to deficits over the decade. Two Republicans, Sens. Jerry Moran of Kansas and Todd Young of Indiana, had been part of initial negotiations shaping the package but ultimately announced they could not support it. Rather than pressure lawmakers, Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky has stayed behind the scenes for much of the bipartisan work. He has cast his own votes repeatedly to allow the bill to progress, calling the bill a compromise. Trump called Hagerty, who had been his ambassador to Japan, on Sunday and the senator argued for taking more time for debate and amendments, in part because he wants to slow the march toward Bidens second phase, the $3.5 trillion bill that Republicans fully oppose. The outline for the bigger $3.5 trillion package is on deck next in the Senate a more liberal undertaking of child care, elder care and other programs that expected to draw only Democratic support. Senators are expected Tuesday to launch a lengthy session to consider amendments to the blueprint, the start of a months-long debate on the package. Unlike Bidens bigger $3.5 trillion package, which would be paid for by higher tax rates for corporations and the wealthy, the bipartisan package is to be funded by repurposing other money, and with other spending cuts and revenue streams. The bills backers argue that the budget offices analysis was unable to take into account certain revenue streams including from future economic growth. Senators have spent the past week processing nearly two dozen amendments to the 2,700-page package, but so far none has substantially changed its framework. One remaining issue, over tax compliance for cryptocurrency brokers, appeared close to being resolved after senators announced they had worked with the Treasury Department to clarify the intent. But an effort to quickly adopt the cryptocurrency compromise was derailed by senators who wanted their own amendments, including one to add $50 billion for shipbuilding and other defense infrastructure. It's unclear if any further amendments will be adopted. The House is expected to consider both Biden infrastructure packages when it returns from recess in September. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has said the two bills will be considered together, but on Monday a bipartisan group of centrist lawmakers urged her to bring their smaller plan forward quickly, raising concerns about the bigger bill, in a sign of the complicated politics ahead. This once-in-a-century investment deserves its own consideration, wrote Reps. Josh Gottheimer, D-N.J., Jared Golden, D-Maine, and others in a letter obtained by The Associated Press. We cannot afford unnecessary delays. By Ijeoma Ezekwere ONITSHA, Nigeria (Reuters) - Southeastern Nigerian city centres were deserted on Monday as many people stayed at home to show solidarity with a detained separatist leader and to express broader grievances about how the country is run, residents said. The stay-at-home protest was called by the banned group Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), whose leader Nnamdi Kanu was brought back to Nigeria in June after years on the run and is in custody pending a trial on 11 charges including treason. Residents of southeastern centres including the trading hub Onitsha and the cities of Enugu, Awka and Owerri said usually busy markets were quiet, roads clear of traffic and even some students who were due to sit exams had not turned up. "Onitsha is totally shut down. No vehicles are moving about," resident Caroline Madu said. "The entire state is in total shutdown in solidarity with Nnamdi Kanu. They should release him because he has done nothing wrong," she said. IPOB campaigns for southeastern Nigeria, homeland of the Igbo ethnic group, to split from Nigeria. The region attempted to secede in 1967 under the name Republic of Biafra, triggering a three-year civil war in which more than a million people died, mostly of starvation. Despite an official "no victor no vanquished" policy adopted after Biafra was defeated, many Igbo feel that they have persistently been the victims of discrimination by the federal government and wider society. IPOB says it is non-violent, but the authorities accuse members of attacking police stations and other targets. The government strongly objects to IPOB, accuse its members of criminal activities, and does not acknowledge any of the local grievances. According to Amnesty International, state security forces have killed at least 115 people in the southeast this year and arbitrarily arrested or tortured scores of others, in response to separatist activities. The authorities have not commented on the findings. Story continues The crackdown has exacerbated discontent in the southeast, where residents see it as disproportionate in comparison with what they perceive as a failure to act against herders from the northern Fulani ethnic group who frequently clash with farmers. President Muhammadu Buhari is also unpopular over his perceived failure to address rampant criminality and to improve the economy. "Just see how Buhari has turned Nigeria upside down. Salaries are not paid, people are being slaughtered like fowls by Fulani herdsmen and bandits all across the country," said Anayo Eze, a civil servant who was at home in protest. "It is not a matter of just Nnamdi Kanu and IPOB. It is a matter of a failed government and country," he said. (Reporting by Ijeoma Ezekwere, writing by Estelle Shirbon, editing by Angus MacSwan) Giovanni Pernice in Man & Witch (Paper Canoe Company) Strictly Come Dancing star Giovanni Pernice is fulfilling a childhood dream by making his first movie alongside a stellar cast of Hollywood names. The popular professional dancer, who recently revealed he is dating Love Islands Maura Higgins, is one of the stars of new retro fantasy film Man & Witch, shot this summer in Scotland and Los Angeles. The movie features Lord of the Ringss Sean Astin, Back to the Futures Christopher Lloyd, Daniel Portman of Game of Thrones as well as Eddie Izzard, Jennifer Saunders and Pernices former Strictly pal Bill Bailey. Acting has always been a dream of mine since I was a kid," Pernice tells Yahoo. "Obviously dancing is what I do for a living and I really love doing it, but I'm a massive fan of movies and theatres, so working on this huge production has been incredible. Do you know what, I love acting and I would love to do it more but Strictly has my heart and I can't wait to come back for 2021, my seventh year! But I definitely have the acting bug now, so watch this space. Watch: Who are the 2021 Strictly Come Dancing celebrities? The project sees the return to the screen of 80s icon Tami Stronach, who played the Childlike Empress in 80s fantasy classic The Neverending Story. Sicilian born Pernice, a firm Strictly favourite for the last six years with three runner up spots, admitted he was petrified to kick off his career working with so many big names. Giovanni admitted: I was petrified." I think for a first experience in this industry, I couldnt have asked for a better start. All of the people have been so lovely to me from cast to crew they helped me all the way through. Read more: All the Strictly 2021 celebrities confirmed so far I was nervous at the beginning and then I relaxed and just tried to do my best basically. Strictly Come Dancing's Giovanni Pernice. (BBC/Guy Levy) This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. So much hard work goes into every element of it, so for me, it was getting to see how they make the magic happen. Since he joined the dance series in 2015, Giovanni, has partnered with the likes of Georgia May Foote, Ranvir Singh, Michelle Visage, Debbie McGee, Faye Tozer and Laura Whitmore. Story continues Giovanni Pernice dancing with Michelle Visage on Strictly Come Dancing (BBC) But as much as he has loved his acting debut, hell definitely be back for his seventh season of Strictly later this year. Man & Witch stars and was co-produced by 80s child actress Tami Stronach, best known for her role as the Childlike Empress in kids classic The Neverending Story. She and fellow producer and actor Greg Steinbruner created the film, about a goat-herder on an adventure to find love with the help of a witch and animal puppets created by Muppet makers The Jim Henson Creature Shop, as an homage to 80s style fantasy family hits. Tami Stronach in The Neverending Story (kpa/United Archives via Getty Images) Directed by Michael Hines, it was shot on UK locations like Scotland's Duncarron Medieval Fort, and the cast also includes Still Games Greg Hemphill, Father Teds Pauline McLynn, Versailles hard man Stuart Bowman, comedians Reginald D Hunter and Rachel Jackson, and former Lost villain Michael Emerson. And even though he may not have the same acting experience as his co-stars, Giovanni was delighted to use his dancing skills on the film. He revealed: My character is called the Dancing Master. Basically he is the guy that knows everything about dancing, but there's a specific dance called the dance of a thousand steps that he isnt familiar with, so he has to go and search to find it. Giovanni Pernice seen backstage at the 'Strictly Come Dancing' Live! dress rehearsal 2018 (Dave J Hogan/Dave J Hogan/Getty Images) He's quite intimidated by the King, he's a cheeky and fun character so it helps him along (a bit like me really). There's a few specific dance moves that the Dancing Master shows the Princess and they were tightly choreographed, so I would say yes my dancing skills were put to good use! Read more: What you need to know about Strictly 2021 His co-star Tami Stronach, acts in and produces the film and said she was thrilled to return to the screen for the retro-fantasy story of magic and witchcraft, Its her return to the big screen almost 40 years since The Neverending Story, after spending her career working in dance and theatre, and she was thrilled to gather such a great team for the passion project. Tami Stronach attends the premiere of children's show 'Spiel mit der Zeit', 2017 (Christian Marquardt/Getty Images) Tami developed the film with husband, co-star, fellow producer and screenwriter Greg Steinbruner, and said it was the right time to return to the screen her biggest film role since playing the Childlike Empress in the 80s romp which made her name. Theres this huge appetite for those classic films, but also a desire to get back to what made those films so timeless. A sense of wonder, and magic, and fun. A fantasy world that feels real. That we can lose ourselves in and return to over and over as a family. Of course I didnt know how I would feel getting in front of the camera in a big way after all this time. It feels like coming home. Watch: Bruno Tonioli says travel rules impacting Strictly return Suspected jihadists massacred 51 civilians in northern Mali and killed 12 troops in an ambush in neighbouring Burkina Faso, the authorities said Monday, highlighting the security crisis gripping the two fragile states. "Terrorists" on Sunday invaded the villages of Karou, Ouatagouna and Daoutegeft near Mali's border with Niger, a military officer told AFP, using a term officials use to designate jihadists. "(They) massacred everyone," the source said, speaking on condition of anonymity. A document by the local prefecture, seen by AFP, said 51 people had been killed in the coordinated attacks, homes had been looted and cattle stolen. A local official, who also asked not to be identified for security reasons, said "20 civilians were massacred in Karou. Fourteen civilians were killed in Ouatagouna, and other civilians were killed in the hamlet of Daoutegeft". The assailants arrived on motorbike, taking the villagers by surprise, he said. An official at a fourth village said his locality had also come under attack. An army unit has been sent to provide help, a military officer said, but a source in a Malian NGO said communications with the remote area were poor after jihadists had attacked telecoms sites. A statement from MINUSMA, the UN peacekeeping mission in Mali, condemned the "barbaric attacks" and said the courts could prosecute such attacks on civilians as crimes against humanity. - Mali crisis - Mali, a landlocked and impoverished state in the heart of the West Africa's Sahel region, has been battling a jihadist insurgency since 2012. The crisis began with unrest in the north of the country that spread to Mali's ethnically volatile centre and then to neighbouring Niger and Burkina Faso. Armed groups linked to Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group are steering the campaign today. Thousands of civilians and troops have died and hundreds of thousands of people have fled their homes. Story continues Mali has suffered two coups since August last year, and on July 20 military leader Colonel Assimi Goita survived an attempted assassination at a mosque in Bamako. Alioune Tine, an independent experts on human rights in the Sahel who reports to the United Nations, last week warned that a "critical threshold" had been breached in the country's security situation. At the end of an 11-day visit, he highlighted "the failure of the institutions of state" as well as "relentless attacks on civilian populations" by jihadists. The armed forces themselves had committed violence against civilians, he said. - Burkina attack - In Burkina Faso, meanwhile, 12 troops were killed and eight were wounded Sunday in an ambush near the border with Mali, the government said. "Members of the ground forces and the rapid intervention force GARSI were ambushed" in the northwest Boucle du Mouhoun region, Communications Minister Ousseni Tamboura said Monday. The attack occurred near the village of Dounkoun in Toeni district. President Roch Marc Christian Kabore said in a tweet that "we continue to wage without concession the war the obscurantist and barbaric forces have imposed on our country." A security source told AFP that the ambush had happened around 3:00 pm (1500 GMT), adding vehicles had been destroyed or captured. The attack was "revenge for the death of two jihadist leaders who were active in the same Boucle du Mouhoun region, who were neutralised (Saturday) by the armed forces," the source added. He named the two leaders as Sidibe Ousmane, also known "Mouslim" and spiritual leader Bande Amadou. A special army unit killed them following exchanges of fire between Diamasso and Bouni, in Kossi province, the government said Sunday in a statement. sd-lal/mrb/blb/jj/ri LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) Nigerian security forces searched Monday for a Swiss man and his Nigerian colleague after the pair were abducted by gunmen in the country's southwest. The Swiss national was kidnapped along with a Nigerian citizen on Saturday, Ogun state police spokesman Abimbola Oyeyemi said. Two of the gunmen were shot dead by police while the others escaped with the hostages. The Swiss foreign ministry said Sunday night it is aware of a kidnapping based on media reports. A foreign ministry spokesman said the Swiss embassy in Nigeria is in touch with Nigerian authorities to learn more about the kidnapping. Nigeria has seen an increase in abductions for ransom by gunmen, with nearly 1,000 people kidnapped in the last six months. Most of them are children taken in mass abductions from schools. Many foreigners have been abducted in Nigeria over the years, mostly for ransom in the country's volatile, oil-rich Niger Delta region. Last October, U.S. Special Forces successfully rescued an American held hostage in northern Nigeria after killing some of the gunmen holding him. MULTAN, Pakistan (AP) A Hindu temple that was badly damaged last week by an angry crowd in central Pakistan was handed over to the Hindu community following repairs to the structure, a government official said Monday. The development comes five days after a group of Muslims attacked the temple in Bhong, a town in eastern Punjab province, damaging statues and burning down the temples main door. They were angry that a court granted bail to an 8-year-old Hindu boy who allegedly desecrated a local religious school. District administrator Khurram Shahzad said local Hindus will soon resume worship at the temple. The Hindu boy had been arrested after allegedly urinating on a carpet in a school library housing Islamic religious texts. The mob at the time alleged the boy committed blasphemy, an act punishable by death in Pakistan. Authorities later arrested dozens of people suspected of taking part in the attack on the Hindu temple, saying they will have to pay for the temple's repair. Muslims and Hindus generally live peacefully in predominantly Muslim Pakistan, but there have been attacks on Hindu temples in recent years. Most of Pakistans minority Hindus migrated to India in 1947 when India was divided by Britains government. The long-feared era of disastrous climate change has arrived. For the first time, the planet's top scientists said in a monumental report released on Monday they have definitively linked greenhouse gas emissions to the type of disasters driven by a warmer climate that have touched every corner of the globe this year: extreme rainfall in Germany and China, brutal droughts in the western U.S., a record cyclone in the Philippines and compound events like the wildfires and heat waves from the Pacific Northwest to Siberia to Greece and Turkey. This is the world as it exists today, with an atmosphere 1.1 degrees Celsius hotter than it was in the pre-industrial era thanks largely to burning fossil fuels such as coal, oil and natural gas. Even grimmer: There is no scenario in the new analysis by the United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change in which the world avoids breaching the threshold of 1.5 degrees Celsius that the U.S., EU and several other countries have set as a target. Even the weaker 2-degree target that major polluters China and India have set as guideposts will be eclipsed unless greenhouse gas emissions peak by mid-century. Those numbers have real-world consequences for billions of people, with cascading impacts on agriculture, human migrations and even wars, numerous studies in recent decades have warned. An extreme heat wave that once would have occurred only twice a century would instead hit about every six years at the 1.5-degree threshold, the IPCC says. With 2 degrees of warming, you can expect them every four years. "Human-induced climate change is already affecting many weather and climate extremes in every region across the globe," the IPCC authors concluded in the summary to the report that brought 234 authors across 66 countries together to analyze more than 14,000 studies. "Evidence of observed changes in extremes such as heatwaves, heavy precipitation, droughts, and tropical cyclones, and, in particular, their attribution to human influence, has strengthened since" the last report released in 2013. Story continues The latest climate report, which forms the first of three parts of the sixth assessment issued by the scientific body since 1990, comes as world leaders grapple with policies to wring carbon dioxide and methane emissions from their economies and as the Senate moves forward on an infrastructure plan with $550 billion in new spending that takes only modest steps toward addressing climate change. Nations' goals for reducing fossil fuels have grown far more ambitious in recent years particularly in the European Union since the adoption of the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement, and more recently in the United States and China. But governments now face the need to cut their climate-altering pollution even as they face the type of weather-related catastrophes that once seemed off in the distant future. The IPCC report underscores the overwhelming urgency of this moment, and the upcoming UN climate summit in Glasgow needs to be a turning point, U.S. climate envoy John Kerry said in a statement Monday. The world must come together before the ability to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius is out of reach. As the IPCC makes plain, the impacts of the climate crisis, from extreme heat to wildfires to intense rainfall and flooding, will only continue to intensify unless we choose another course for ourselves and generations to come. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer pledged that the $3.5 trillion budget reconciliation bill Democrats are pursuing will do more to combat climate change" than any previous Senate legislation. The future of our planet looks bleak until we do something, right now, he said on the floor. Rep. Joe Neguse (D-Colo.) said in a statement his state is experiencing a range of catastrophic climate change impacts, including record-setting megafires, the largest in our states history, unprecedented flash flooding, intense drought and poor air quality. The IPCC report released today is an alarm bell, he said, adding that the report highlights the importance of investing in initiatives such as a Civilian Climate Corps that he and other Democrats have called for supporting in a reconciliation package. The actions we take in the next decade will determine what type of world we leave for our future, and we must work to ensure it is not one ravaged by natural disasters and deteriorating air quality. And the message from those scientists about those disasters is stark: Get used to them. The research shows nations must start playing defense to withstand the weather disasters that will only grow worse unless emissions from fossil fuels are eliminated. I think people are more and more starting to get scared, said Jim Kossin, senior scientist with climate risk firm The Climate Service who was among the IPCC authors for the chapter on extremes. I think that'll help to change people's attitudes. And hopefully that'll affect the way they vote. Whats become virtually certain to scientists is that heat waves are hotter, longer-lasting and more frequent. Oceans are overheating, locking in further warming. Glaciers and ice shelves will continue to melt for decades regardless of new action by governments pushing tides higher to flood cities and propel storm surges further inland. Extreme, rare events are happening in such quick succession that scientists barely have enough time to recalibrate their models. Those calamities are buckling societal institutions and physical infrastructure. And as scientists ability to project those events improves, its making them even more nervous. They're really the first kind of signs of this new climate condition, Alexander Ruane, a research physical scientist at the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies and a report author, said in an interview. And I wish I could say that there is a new normal that is a decade away, but of course, it will be continuing to change until some kind of climate policy disrupts the emissions. While critics have for decades complained that the climate warnings lacked details about how to prepare for catastrophic change, the new report highlights the increased precision, particularly in scientists understanding of the behavior of clouds, that allows them to narrow considerably the range of possible futures, said Piers Forster, a climate physics professor at the University of Leeds. That means gambling on future warming being lower than expected can be ruled out." But the good news, Forster said, is that researchers have much stronger confidence that rapidly lowering greenhouse gas emissions would mean temperature rise can still be limited to 1.5C. The scientists are also slightly more optimistic about whether the emissions that have been accumulating in the atmosphere since the Industrial Revolution have already triggered a runaway chain of events that would release even more carbon or methane, such as thawing permafrost or giant fires. That offers hope that countries can still avert such a scenario, although Forster said there were still dynamics that werent fully understood. There are still risks, he said. Breaking the bad news In the run-up to the IPCC report release, the scientists who combed through the research and the politicians who approved the crucial recommendations for policymakers clashed over how best to present the urgent need for action, according to two people familiar with the discussions, who sought anonymity to describe private discussions. To scientists, it was clear: The world will surpass 1.5 degrees Celsius under the most likely pathways it studied, although the most aggressive climate-fighting scenario eventually slotted the increase at 1.4 degrees if carbon-storing forests were dramatically increased and technology that can draw carbon from the air was developed. But politicians argued for a more optimistic take: How sharply must emissions be cut before maxing out the global carbon budget, a term that conveys how much headroom for emissions the planet has before crossing 1.5 degrees Celsius. Political leaders, in essence, wanted to inspire hope that concerted action can avert the looming catastrophes, the people familiar with deliberations said. Additions to the report not found in previous assessments were included in response to political demands as climate change-driven extreme weather events battered towns, torched crops and upended livelihoods. That included new research in the analyses using cutting-edge scientific methods to compare the intensity of specific weather events with and without human-caused emissions, as well as modeling the predictions on regional climate effects. The additions reflect both the advancement of the science and the political urgency of the moment, authors said. Societally, who cares about a very deep explanation of a process that produces this other phenomenon? said Claudia Tebaldi, an Earth scientist at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and an IPCC author for the regional effects chapter. [We] look at what the quantities that those people see connected to the impact. What is important for human health in a heat wave? What is the minimum temperature, the maximum temperature? Is it three days, is it five days?" Advanced computing improvements have enabled those types of precision forecasts, said Paul Durack, a research scientist at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California and an IPCC author on the science methods chapter. Scientists can now run powerful simulations accounting for numerous variables that are getting ever-more complex, such as modeling what happens with greenhouse gas emissions from land-use change like deforestation or the thawing of methane-holding Arctic permafrost. Some of those advances clarified that the world had already warmed 0.1 degree Celsius more than previously thought, the report said. Scientists have also made substantial progress in offering far more detailed projections, examining climate impacts on a geographical grid down to blocks of four kilometers, compared to 100 kilometer grid blocks previously, said William Gutowski, an atmospheric scientist at Iowa State University who helped write the regional effects chapter. That allowed the IPCC report to break down climate impacts and trends into regions for the first time, enabling, for example, the U.S. to be parceled into Western, Central and Eastern portions. Francois Gemenne, who reviewed sections of Monday's IPCC report and authored a section for a follow-up report due next year, said greater confidence on climate science had enabled researchers to move from projections to forecasting." That means making more specific statements about the regularity of certain extreme events in a given place. The problem is that if we want policy decisions to be made, we need actual forecasting rather than just projections, because projections are too vague for policymakers to actually take them into account, he said. This summer has had no shortage of storylines across the world. The report notes recent hot extremes would have been extremely unlikely without human influence. Monsoon and cyclone precipitation will increase, likely due to human activity. Extreme sea level rise and rainfall events will increase flooding. Rarer extreme events will become more frequent. To put it in context: The IPCC said that a once-in-a-decade drought would instead occur every five years under the 1.5-degree scenario, and every four years under the 2-degree rise. Even now, with global average temperatures up more than 1 degree Celsius from the 1850-1900 average, the chance of a once-per-50-years drought has become likely every decade, while the once-a-decade drought occurs about every six years. It's worse than a lot of the rather dire statements that people like me have made in the past, said Michael Wehner, a senior scientist at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and a report author who worked on the extremes chapter. In past years, scientists were reluctant to link any single event with climate change they would say events of that sort were in line with the impacts that models had predicted. That wooliness created a communications problem for scientists, journalists and policymakers as they grappled with how to explain to the public what the future held. But the IPCC report said even that reality has changed with the advent of so-called attribution science. The emerging field is propelled by improved computing power that runs model ensembles with human-caused emissions against a world without those emissions to tease out the human fingerprint in those events. That science has shown human activity has made disasters ranging from Hurricane Harveys rainfall in Texas in 2017 or the Pacific Northwest heat wave in June more intense. When climate change first came onto the agenda, people thought of it as something that was far in the future maybe that it was going to affect their grandkids. But I think that that kind of debate has been shifting, partly because of these event attribution studies and the extremes that we're observing, said Nathan Gillett, a research scientist at Environment and Climate Change Canada who led the chapter on science methods. For Belgian climatologist Gemenne, that shift from conceptual to concrete has also been a traumatic homecoming. In July, the flooded River Ourthe smashed through Liege, the city where he grew up and now runs a research center at the local university. The floods killed more than 200 across Belgium and in Germany, where Chancellor Angela Merkel described the damage as terrifying. As a researcher who has worked on events like this all around the world, it's really difficult to see it happen in your place, said Gemenne. Next month, his university team will start a research project unpicking the response to the floods. That will be a very strange situation, in a way to study yourself, he said. You realize that the frontline is now home. Dean Obeidallah asked if Indiana Senator Mike Braun wanted to go back to slavery and white men only voting too?! Indiana Senator Mike Braun was given a brief history lesson on Twitter Sunday after the Republican lawmaker declared in a tweet, The Founders never intended the federal government to grow to this size. From the floor of the Senate, Braun talked about being an entrepreneur and said, I dont think the founders ever intended us to grow a government like this, that for all the good intentions of policy we want to put in place, to where we do it on the back of borrowing money. Indiana Senator Mike Braun poses questions during a Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies hearing in June on Capitol Hill. (Photo by Sarah Silbiger-Pool/Getty Images) He tweeted his speech Sunday afternoon, hours after his initial decrying of the federal governments size. Radio host Dean Obeidallah noted on Twitter, The Founders only intended on allowing white men who owned property vote. The Founders enshrined slavery in the original Constitution with the Fugitive slave clause and the three-fifths compromise. Does GOP Sen Braun want to go back to slavery and white men only voting too?! This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. Another user schooled Braun, saying, They designed for 13 colonies, none of which extended much more than a few hundred miles from the Atlantic. They thought women were property and only bothered to count 3/5 of whole black bodies. Leaching was still a thing, too. Surprise: the world has moved on from 250 years ago. Another detractor wrote, Given the number of times their framework has already been amended and ratified, who even cares what they intended 250 years ago? Theyre not prophets. Theyre not even our landlords, he continued. This is our home. Lets build America for today and future generationsnot for our ghosts. A lot of things they never accounted for, maintained another Twitter user. Internet. Cyber Security. Abolition of Slavery. Womens Suffrage. Maybe we should use our big boy brains and start recognizing that they gave us a solid framework to guide us as we work towards an equitable and free society for all. Story continues A February 1986 New York Times Magazine article appropriately titled, What did the Founding Fathers Intend? written by Irving Kaufman, a former chief judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, opined, The Founding Fathers focused not on particularities but on principles, such as the need in a democracy for people to engage in free and robust discourse. One Twitter user summed up the most common response to Brauns comments, writing, The founders never intended for a lot of things, including ending slavery or women having rights, maybe stop using the founders as an excuse and start paying attention to current reality. Have you subscribed to theGrios Dear Culture podcast? Download our newest episodes now! TheGrio is now on Apple TV, Amazon Fire and Roku. Download theGrio.com today! The post Twitter reminds GOP senator of U.S. slavery after complaining about founding fathers appeared first on TheGrio. LONDON (AP) British police clutching batons formed a wall Monday to hold off demonstrators trying to enter the BBCs former headquarters in west London. No arrests were made. Video posted on social media showed officers scuffling with protesters, who tried to charge through the doors. The crowd, thought to be anti-vaccination protesters, later moved on to central London. Groups opposed to the Conservative governments mass vaccination program and restrictions imposed during the pandemic to control the spread of COVID-19 have criticized the BBC for failing to adequately cover their views. But the BBC hasnt owned the site targeted by Mondays protest since 2013, when it sold the property and relocated to central London. A commercial subsidiary of the BBC still operates three studios on the site, making shows for a variety of broadcasters, including the BBC, Sky and ITV. Charlene White, a presenter on the ITV program Loose Women, said the protest occurred while the show was on the air. Huge thanks to the swift response of Londons @metpoliceuk ... not an easy situation for them to deal with either, White tweeted. Not sure what protesters were hoping to achieve, but all they wouldve found was me, Jane, Nadia and Penny on @loosewomen talking about the menopause. The demonstration attracted the attention of authoritarian Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, who gave a marathon press conference Monday in the Belarus capital of Minsk and made note of it. The United States will on Monday impose fresh sanctions on the regime of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, who is accused of a brutal crackdown on opponents, a White House official told AFP. President Joe Biden will sign an executive order targeting Lukashenko over an ongoing "assault against the democratic aspirations and human rights of the Belarusian people, transnational repression... and corruption." In power since 1994, Lukashenko has been cracking down on opponents since unprecedented protests erupted after last year's elections, deemed unfair by many observers. The sanctions to be imposed by the US Treasury on Monday will mark the anniversary of the elections, which the US official described as "fraudulent." At the now-completed Tokyo Olympics, Belarusian sprinter Krystsina Tsimanouskaya sought protection to avoid being forced onto a plane home, saying she feared for her life if she returned to Belarus after she criticized her coaches. Tsimanouskaya was among the many Belarusian sports figures who in August 2020 publicly criticized violence against protesters at demonstrations that gripped the ex-Soviet country after the presidential vote. In May, Lukashenko's government intercepted a Ryanair plane and arrested an opposition activist and his girlfriend on board. - Olympic threats - "Since then, the regime has only further expanded its repression, including by threatening the safety of an Olympic athlete outside its borders," the US official said. "With today's actions, President Biden is abiding by his pledge to hold the Belarussian regime accountable for its abuses." The latest sanctions target key institutions and supporters of Lukashenko including the Belarusian National Olympic Committee, business leaders and companies such a private Belarusian bank. Also on the list is Belaruskali OAO, one of Belarus's largest state-owned enterprises and one of the world's largest producers of potash. It is alleged to be a source of illegal wealth for the regime. Story continues The US accused the National Olympic Committee of facilitating money laundering, sanctions evasion and circumventing visa bans. Western nations have already imposed a slew of sanctions on Lukashenko and his regime, but they appear to have had limited effect as he maintains backing from key ally and creditor Russia. Tsimanouskaya, 24, arrived in Poland on Wednesday after being granted a humanitarian visa, saying she was "happy to be in safety." According to local rights group Viasna, there are currently 603 political prisoners in Belarus. The US will call for an international investigation into the Ryanair flight diversion, the release of all political prisoners, and free and fair elections. aue/bgs/jm A man is accused of stealing a Windstream bucket truck and injuring two people in a crash, according to the Knox County sheriffs office. While working at a home in the Green Road area, a Windstream technician reported his bucket truck as stolen just after 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, the sheriffs office said in a Facebook post. The responding deputy met the stolen vehicle in his lane of travel while rounding a curve and had to stop his cruiser to avoid being hit, the sheriffs office said. The deputy caught up with the truck, allegedly driven by 44-year-old Randy Rice of Girdler, according to the sheriff. Rice turned onto U.S. 25E toward Corbin. On U.S. 25E, Rice ran a red light at Lynn Camp High School and another at Master Street, police said. Rice allegedly hit a black Jeep that had the right of way as it passed through the Master Street intersection. The crash disabled the bucket truck, and Rice came to a stop after traveling through a yard and a parking lot of a local business. He was removed from the truck and fought his arrest until taken into custody, according to the sheriff. Police said the Jeeps female driver and male passenger were both injured from the crash. The woman was taken to Baptist Health Hospital in Corbin for treatment, while the male was flown to a Tennessee hospital for treatment. He has since been released. Rice was taken to the Knox County Detention Center and has been charged with wanton endangerment, reckless driving, assault, theft, fleeing police, driving on a DUI suspended license and other charges. Stock image of a nurse preparing the Moderna Covid-19 vaccine (PA) (PA Wire) Republican Senator Ron Johnson of Wisconsin has suggested that natural immunity might be more effective against Covid-19 than a vaccine. Speaking at a news conference on Monday, Mr Johnson, who was infected with Covid-19, said he had been hearing from people in business and in the military that they did not want to be mandated to take a vaccine. The other thing that Im not happy with the health agencies is that they completely ignore the benefit of natural immunity from previous infections, Mr Johnson told The Independent. Theyre simply not acknowledging it even though more and more datas coming in that if anything, natural infection is, if anything, quite more effective than the vaccine. There is almost no evidence suggesting this. Last week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention vaccination-protection.html"> released a study of previously infected people in Kentucky that found that unvaccinated people were twice as likely to get reinfected with Covid-19 than those who were vaccinated. Mr Johnson has previously questioned why the federal government was pushing to vaccinate as many people as possible with a shot that wasnt fully approved . The comments led Dr Anthony Fauci, Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, to push back in April. Theres a pretty good reason. We have 567,000 people whove died so far in this country from this disease. That is a really, really good reason to get people vaccinated with a vaccine that youve shown is highly efficacious and quite safe, Fauci said. Mr Johnsons comments come as the Pentagon has announced it will require members of the US armed forces to have a Covid vaccine. Read More New York Times reporter hits back after conservatives mock comments on sophisticated, vaccinated Obama party Joe Biden to release secret 9/11 files on Saudi Arabia after victims families uninvite him from memorial End the international disgrace: Senate Democrats unveil $3.5tn budget framework to revolutionise welfare I dont wait until World War II to talk about it, he said. Ive already prepped my students from the beginning with a variety of activities. But once we get to that portion, I feel confident that the students are going to at least come away with knowing more than if they were in another classroom. Hell be teaching U.S. History, World History and the African-American History elective at AHS this coming school year. This will be his second year at Albemarle and 21st in education. I think its important that our students really understand that when we say about the Holocaust that we cannot let this happen again, its not a bumper sticker saying, he said. He said he wants students to think about what it means to be indifferent to another individual. It doesnt have to be on a grand scale, he said. It can just be something as indifferent as ignoring your classmate or teasing your classmates. While that may not be a genocide, it will lead you to experience that you can put that person that youve been indifferent to, you can put them on the margin, and that thats what Im trying to get at. To have students really look at themselves and really hone in on asking that question: Am I doing something today thats going to make a person feel less on the margins? People in Japan are taking a moment to remember the victims of one of history's most catastrophic war events on Monday. On this day 76 years ago, a US military plane dropped an atomic bomb on the southwestern city of Nagasaki, just three days after the world's first atomic attack leveled Hiroshima. People gathered at a ceremony to pray for a world without war and nuclear weapons. The city fell silent at 11:02 a.m., the time the bomb exploded. The heat rays, radiation and blast wave devastated the city, killing more than 70,000 people by the end of 1945. Many survivors suffer from cancer and other diseases related to their exposure to radiation. The number of attendees at this year's ceremony was reduced to around 500 due to coronavirus measures. That was about one-tenth of the size before the pandemic. They watched as the names of the victims were symbolically placed on the memorial. The register now contains 189,163 names. It includes the names of 3,202 people that have been added since last year. Oka Nobuko spoke about her experience on behalf of the hibakusha, or survivors of the atomic bombing. She was a 16-year-old student nurse at the time. Although she was injured herself, she was mobilized to take care of others who were badly wounded and dying. Oka said, "We, the hibakusha, pledge that as long as we live, we will hand down our experiences and continue to call for the abolition of nuclear weapons and appeal for peace." In his peace declaration, Nagasaki Mayor Taue Tomihisa referred to a UN treaty that bans nuclear weapons. The treaty came into force in January. But nuclear powers, as well as Japan and other countries protected by the US nuclear umbrella, have not signed it. Taue said, "As the country that is most aware of the tragic consequences of nuclear weapons, Japan should join the first meeting of state parties to the UN treaty as an observer, in order to look into ways to develop the treaty. And I demand that Japan sign the treaty and ratify it as soon as possible." Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide said Japan will promote efforts by the international community to abolish nuclear weapons, step by step. Suga said, "Today, we find ourselves in a severe global security environment and witness disparities between where nations stand on nuclear disarmament. Under such conditions, through mutual engagement and dialogue, countries must dispel the sense of distrust and make efforts to build a common foundation." Suga said Japan aims to achieve meaningful results at an upcoming review conference of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. The average age of the survivors is now over 83. As they grow older, they are struggling to pass on their experiences, especially as the pandemic deprives them of the chance to speak to people face-to-face and at public events. - NHK Japan's restaurant industry experienced a series of transformative events in 1971. The biggest by far was the opening of the first McDonald's restaurant in Japan at the Mitsukoshi department store in Tokyo's Ginza district on July 20. The restaurant was built in 39 hours of frenzied work that began with the removal of display windows immediately after the store's closing at 6 p.m. on Sunday, July 18, and continued through Monday, Mitsukoshi's regular holiday. "Daily sales reach 1 million yen ($2,800 at the time) and the outlet is filled with customers day in, day out," boasted Den Fujita, founder of McDonald's Japan (now Japan McDonald's Holdings), to media at the time. Big words, but the real figure is said to be less than 300,000 yen. Yes, there were crowds in front of the restaurant, but most came simply to gawk. The throngs had no idea how to place an order, or even how to eat hamburgers, which they had never seen. But Fujita's little lie created quite a buzz for the burger joint. The restaurant eventually became the talk of the town and was soon bustling with diners. Ray Kroc, de facto founder of the U.S. McDonald's chain, attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony of the Ginza restaurant, but he was uneasy. The American side was opposed to opening an outlet in the upscale shopping district and repeatedly told Fujita not to. Kroc said that choosing a downtown location was "nonsense," as McDonald's restaurants in the U.S. were in the suburbs where customers mostly arrived in cars. "You're right, Ray," said the accommodating Fujita. "We'll open our first restaurant on a suburban road near the coast of Chigasaki [in Kanagawa Prefecture]." But Fujita was hardly keen on debuting in out-of-the-way Chigasaki. Years later, he explained why: "Foreign cultures and customs don't become popular unless they take root in the center of a country. In Japan, it's Ginza." It was his belief and he was not to be dissuaded, even if it involved a little trickery. Fujita got his start in sundries business in 1950 when he was a University of Tokyo student. He expanded it from jewelry to high-end imported apparel and was a pioneer of the foreign brand business in Japan. Having forged ties with Mitsukoshi as the sales agent for French fashion house Christian Dior, Fujita realized that the Ginza store's power to influence came from its standing as the center of Japanese fashion. He logically assumed that the best place to debut a foreign brand -- albeit one selling cheap hamburgers rather than luxury clothing -- would be in Ginza. A low pressure system that resulted from tropical storm Lupit has brought heavy rain and strong winds to northern Japan. The Japan Meteorological Agency said rainfall in the one-hour period through 5 a.m. on Tuesday reached 33 millimeters in Hokuto City, Hokkaido Prefecture, and 22 millimeters in Shibata City, Niigata Prefecture. The agency said about 100 millimeters of rain fell in the three-hour period through 5 a.m. on Tuesday in and around Mutsu City and Kazamaura Village in Aomori Prefecture. Weather officials have issued a mudslide alert to parts of Hokkaido, Aomori, Iwate, and Gifu Prefectures, where torrential rainfall increased the risk of disaster. Strong winds have been blowing over wide areas in eastern and northern Japan. A gust of 107 kilometers per hour was recorded in Niigata City at around 3:20 a.m. on Tuesday. The low pressure system is forecast to pass through the Tohoku region during early afternoon on Tuesday, and approach Hokkaido. Localized downpours are expected in northern and eastern Japan. In the 24 hours through Wednesday morning, up to 200 millimeters of rainfall is expected in Hokkaido, and the regions of Hokuriku and Tohoku. Winds of 90 kilometers per hour are forecast for Hokkaido, and 83 kilometers per hour for the Tohoku and Hokuriku regions. The maximum wind speed could reach 126 kilometers per hour. Weather officials are urging people in the affected areas to watch out for mudslides, floods in low-lying areas, overflowing rivers, gusts and high waves. - NHK We have used your information to see if you have a subscription with us, but did not find one. Please use the button below to verify an existing account or to purchase a new subscription. While calling the report a code red for humanity, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres kept a sliver of hope that world leaders could still somehow prevent 1.5 degrees of warming, which he said is perilously close. Alok Sharma, the president of the upcoming climate negotiations in Scotland, urged leaders to do more so they can credibly say that we have kept 1.5 degrees alive. Anything we can do to limit, to slow down, is going to pay off, Tebaldi said. And if we cannot get to 1.5, its probably going to be painful, but its better not to give up. In the reports worst-case scenario, the world could be around 3.3 degrees Celsius (5.9 degrees Fahrenheit) hotter than now by the end of the century. But that scenario looks increasingly unlikely, said report co-author and climate scientist Zeke Hausfather, climate change director of the Breakthrough Institute. We are a lot less likely to get lucky and end up with less warming than we thought, Hausfather said. At the same time, the odds of ending up in a much worse place than we expected if we do reduce our emissions are notably lower. United States Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin III is seeking White House approval to make COVID-19 vaccines mandatory for active-duty military no later than mid-September. The Auburn University alum made it clear in a Monday memorandum to Department of Defense employees that he supports vaccination and immunization. Get the shot. Stay healthy. Stay ready, he closed the memorandum. He said he is recommending to President Joe Biden that the mandate be put in place by mid-September or immediately when the vaccines get coming FDA licensure. He mentioned in his memorandum that public reports indicate the Pfizer vaccine could have full FDA licensure in early September. He encouraged all Department of Defense military and civilian personnel to get their immunization taken care of now and not wait for the mandate. All FDA-authorized COVID-19 vaccines are safe and highly effective, he said in his memorandum. They will protect you and your family. They will protect your unit, your ship and your co-workers. And they will ensure we remain the most lethal and ready force in the world. Washington, PA (15301) Today Mostly cloudy this evening. Scattered thunderstorms developing after midnight. Low 68F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Mostly cloudy this evening. Scattered thunderstorms developing after midnight. Low 68F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%. this is cute. i need some wholesome Halloween content in my life! Reply Thread Link Wholesome Halloween content is my fave. Give me more Hocus Pocus and Halloweentown-like movies. Reply Parent Thread Link i fucking love the muppets Reply Thread Link this is the franchises they should be using to make all of these stupid ride movies Muppets: Jungle Cruise would have been amazing! Reply Thread Link I fucking love the muppets. The Muppets Christmas Carol is on every Christmas for me. Reply Thread Link honestly, the only adaptation worth watching. Reply Parent Thread Link oh my god i cant wait i loev the muppets!! i miss their big movie parodies so bad Reply Thread Link Ooh this will be fun! Love the muppets :) Haunted Mansion is a fun ride Reply Thread Link lol Kermie as Miss Piggy!! Reply Thread Link I hope people have fun with it. I don't get the enthusiasm for the Muppets, it seems a very late 70s/80s thing to me. Just like Peanuts. Reply Thread Link lol, I love both. But when it comes to Peanuts I only like the original specials. Reply Parent Thread Link Cuuuute I hope they have a nod to the classic growing paintings! Miss piggy on tightrope over a crocodile would be perfect Reply Thread Link I can't fucking wait for this. I mean, Muppets and Halloween, two of my favourite things combined. The Muppets never disappoint. Reply Thread Link the muppets are my fave. i just adore them. ive been having some mild baby fever lately and i cant wait to share miss piggy with my own kids lol Reply Thread Link kermie as miss piggy has completely and utterly killed me. i will never be the same!!!!!!!! oh my GODDDDDDD Reply Thread Link LMFAO with your icon too, I'm dying. I can hear it in Jill's voice. Reply Parent Thread Link It just seems like theyve not had much luck with The Muppets IP since the 2011 movie. I thought that the ABC sitcom had potential but got cancelled so early. Hopefully they are able to revive the franchise soon. Reply Thread Link I want to watch a Muppets adaptation of everything. Give me Muppet Pride and Prejudice any day Reply Thread Link Im ready for this! Reply Thread Link I. Can. Not. Wait. I fucking love the muppets. The miss piggy Instagram account brings my life so much joy. Reply Thread Link Omg thank you for mentioning her account - I need to check it out! Reply Parent Thread Link wow kermit and ms. piggy in drag, perfect. Reply Thread Link The problem is with to make the muppets work, you need to have the muppets play against someone/something serious. If you don't have them playing against something serious the humor has to be witty and with a cheeky nod at almost being adult. Tl;Dr: I don't think this is going to work but I like to be proven wrong. Reply Thread Link Give me more Gonzorella! This HM movie sounds cute Give me more Gonzorella!This HM movie sounds cute Reply Thread Link when i saw the kermit and miss piggy pic on twitter i cackled. its perfect. Reply Thread Link My kids are super into the new Muppet Babies now, and my son thinks it's called "My Big Babies." Also I fucking love The Muppets. Edited at 2021-08-09 10:54 pm (UTC) Reply Thread Link I love The Muppets but things haven't been the same since Brian Henson stopped being involved. Christmas Carol is utterly divine and I love the best bits of the Jim Henson era but it went downhill after Treasure Island. It's too knowing and cynical nowadays. Also I miss the OG Muppet Babies so much. DVD RELEASE WHEN Reply Thread Link Saudi Aramco plans to have 550,000 barrels per day (bpd) more in oil production capacity by 2025 when the expansion projects on two major oilfields are complete, Saudi Arabias state-owned oil giant said on Sunday. Aramco, which reported yesterday a jump in Q2 net profit amid rallying oil prices like all international oil majors, also updated the market on its projects to boost production capacity. The Saudis are aiming for 13 million bpd of production capacity, up from 12 million bpd now. In its earnings report on Sunday, Aramco said that the programs to boost production at the Marjan and Berri oilfields were in the final stages of detailed engineering, and construction activities continued to progress. The Marjan and Berri projects are expected to add production capacity of 300,000 bpd and 250,000 bpd, respectively, by 2025, the Saudi oil giant noted. In the second quarter of 2021, Aramco completed and successfully tied in the Ain Dar and Fazran programs to boost capacity, by targeting secondary reservoirs with a combined production capacity of 175,000 bpd. Under the Saudi plans to raise production capacity at the Marjan and Berri oilfields, the 400,000-bpd Marjan field is set to boost its capacity by 300,000 bpd, and the Berri field, currently with a capacity of 300,000 bpd, will see its production capacity rise by 250,000 bpd. In July 2019, Saudi Aramco awarded 34 contracts worth a total of US$18 billion to boost the oil production capacity of the two fields. After the oil price and demand collapse last year, to which Saudi Arabia itself contributed by breaking up the OPEC+ pact for a month, Aramco idled offshore rigs and postponed the start of the expansion of several projects. In April this year, reports emerged that Aramco had resumed tendering and development work on major offshore oil expansion projects that would give Saudi Arabia another 1.15 million bpd of production capacity by 2024. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: China is requiring its top power companies and local authorities to update the government monthly on the progress they are making with building and installing renewable energy capacity as Beijing looks to meet its clean energy targets. China, which has pledged to reach net-zero emissions by 2060, a decade later than most other countries with net-zero targets, wants to have as much as 1,200 gigawatts (GW) of solar and wind capacity installed by 2030, Chinese President Xi Jinping said in December 2020. As of end-2020, Chinas wind power generation capacity was 281.5 GW and its solar capacity was 253.4 GW, according to official data cited by Reuters. China also looks to boost the share of non-fossil fuel energy sources in its primary consumption to 25 percent by 2030, up from a target of a 15-percent share for 2020. So, the National Energy Administration of China now issued a new requirement on Thursday, in which it wants power giants and local governments to report monthly how much new wind and solar capacity is being approved and built, Bloomberg reports. China was once again the worlds largest market in renewable investment in the first half of 2021, investing $45.5 billion in the six months to June 30, according to the Renewable Energy Investment Tracker of research company BloombergNEF (BNEF) published this week. Chinese investment, however, was down by 20 percent compared to the same period in 2020. Amid all the renewables push in China and globally, Beijing is not giving up on coal for power generation. Chinathe worlds biggest carbon emittercommissioned more coal-fired capacity last year than the rest of the world retired, a report led by Global Energy Monitor (GEM) found showed earlier this year. Chinas coal boom in 2020 more than offset the retirements in coal capacity in the rest of the world, leading to the first increase in global coal capacity development since 2015, the report found. By Charles Kennedy For Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: After falling to a 2021 low in June, crude oil imports to China began to recover last month as refineries exited maintenance season. Average daily imports stood at 10.07 million bpd, or, according to Reuters, 41.24 million barrels for the month in total. Yet this was still lower than the rate of imports a year earlier: in July 2020, China bought 51.29 million tons of crude. Yet the July number was a distinct improvement on June, when imports averaged 9.77 million bpd, or a total 40.14 million tons. Over the first half of the year, Chinese oil imports fell by 3 percent on the year, and the outlooks are mixed. Analystsincluding Rystad Energy, Energy Aspects, and Independent Commodity Intelligence Services (ICIS)estimate that the recent clampdown on the import and tax practices of independent refiners, as well as the significantly higher oil prices this year, could result in flat or only slightly higher crude oil imports in China in 2021. Oil imports could grow by up to 2 percent in 2021 compared to 2020, which would be the lowest growth rate in two decades and much lower than the 9.7-percent average import growth rate since 2015, according to Reuters. On the other hand, we could see a decline, too, as pressure on independents intensifies and parts of the country lock down because of the resurgence of Covid-19. Also, according to satellite data cited by energy analytics firm OilX earlier this year, China seems to have plenty of oil in storage. According to the latest reports, China is canceling flights, 46 cities have warned their citizens not to travel, and local authorities have imposed curbs on public transport and taxis, all of which will inevitably hit fuel demand. "While the number of cases (in China) is low, it comes just as the summer travel season peaks," commodity analysts from ANZ said in a note, as quoted by Reuters. "This has overshadowed signs of strong demand elsewhere." By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Security forces from Rwanda and Mozambique have taken the Mozambican port city of Mocimboa da Praia from insurgents, whose attacks in the area forced Frances giant TotalEnergies to suspend a $20-billion liquefied natural gas (LNG) project earlier this year. The port city of Mocimboa da Praia, a major stronghold of the insurgency for more than two years has been captured by Rwandan and Mozambican security forces. The city also holds the District Headquarters and Airport, the Ministry of Defense of Rwanda tweeted on Sunday. Its necessary to wait and see the frequency of new attacks and where they will occur, Calton Cadeado, a researcher at Joaquim Chissano University in Maputo, told Bloomberg. If these are far from the area of resource exploitation, then we can say that the conquest is consolidated and LNG projects can resume with relative safety, Cadeado added. The area, which insurgents affiliated with Islamic State had held for over a year, is close to several major resource developments, including TotalEnergies LNG project. With insurgents attacking areas in the Cabo Delgado province in Mozambique over the past year, TotalEnergies had to withdraw in April all Mozambique LNG project personnel from the Afungi site. The supermajor also declared force majeure on the project. In March, the militants had raided the town of Palma in the Cabo Delgado province in attacks that left dozens of people killed. Following the renewed attacks in April, TotalEnergies said at the end of March that it had postponed the restart of the construction activities at the LNG project site. None of the project staff were among the victims, TotalEnergies said on March 27 this year. The TotalEnergies-led Mozambique LNG Project, for which the $20-billion Final Investment Decision (FDI) was taken back in 2019, is currently on track to deliver first LNG in 2024, TotalEnergies says. By Tsvetana Paraskova from Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: The federal government of Iraq and the semi-autonomous region of Kurdistan pledged on Sunday to cooperate in resolving their differences in energy issues, hoping to turn a new page on energy-related matters. Iraqi Minister of Oil Ihsan Abdul Jabbar Ismaael met with Kamal Atroushi, Minister of Natural Resources of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), in Baghdad on Sunday to discuss a fresh start to the energy relations, Kurdistan 24 news outlet reports. The Iraqi oil minister welcomed cooperation with the KRG ministry of natural resources and expressed his ministrys readiness to remove all the technical and financial barriers, Kurdistan 24 quoted a statement from the Iraqi Oil Ministry as saying. The ministers agreed to put national interest above other considerations and said transparency was important in the energy sector across Iraq. The KRG minister hopes that the relations with the federal government in Baghdad will improve and joint projects could be developed in the future, according to Kurdistan 24. The KRG said at the end of last month that it would end salary cuts for Kurdistan government employees after the Iraqi federal government released the share of US$136 million (200 billion Iraqi dinars) budget allocation to the semi-autonomous region. Due to the crisis last year, the Kurdish government, which is even more dependent on crude revenues than the notoriously oil-reliant Iraq, failed to pay out public sector salaries in a timely and adequate fashion, while it employs roughly half of the entire workforce in the region. Last year, Kurdistans oil shipped via pipeline was sold at an average of US$28.10 per barrel, with the gross value of crude oil exported via pipeline at US$4.44 billion, according to Kurdistans 2020 oil audit report. The regions total exported and consumed oil for the year stood at 165,942,861 barrels, which was roughly 5 million barrels lower than in 2019. By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Creighton Prep enters the new school year with a new president who is a Jesuit priest, former history teacher and son of a fighter pilot. At 35 years old, the Rev. Matthew Spotts is the second-youngest president in school history, a spokeswoman said. But since 1950, five other presidents also started the job in their 30s. Spotts, in an interview, described his job as chief mission officer and chief storyteller for the all-boys Catholic school in Omaha. There are extraordinary things that go on in this school, he said. And part of my job as president is to tell that story and invite people to be a part of the story. Spotts, who started July 1, said his most important priority this year will be listening to the Prep faculty, staff, students and community. Listening and learning and getting a sense of who we are especially after the most challenging year, maybe in our schools history, certainly in the living memory of anybody here is going to be crucially important for knowing where we are and where we go next. Search committee member Ryan Zabrowski said Spotts passion for secondary education impressed him. UNL spokeswoman Deb Fiddelke said the statement was put out by the co-leaders of the Journey for Anti-Racism and Racial Equity, who she described as well-respected members of the university community speaking in their own voices. Green did not sign the statement. However, Fiddelke said Green spoke out very clearly in opposition to the resolution. He joined with NU President Ted Carter and the other three campus chancellors in a separate statement of opposition to the CRT resolution on July 21. Green also tweeted his views: Our classrooms are meant to be places of learning, discovery, exploration and debate. Racism is an ugly truth in America and we cannot and should not shy away from openly discussing it. Orr, however, said Green is responsible for the Journey groups statement despite not having signed it. She said he created the group and is its leader. Their website is identified as being part of the Office of the Chancellor. The regents are slated to consider Pillens resolution at their Friday meeting. Supporters and opponents of the resolution have been battling over the issue since he announced his plans to introduce it. VICTORIA, Minn. (AP) Crucial pieces of a single-engine plane piloted by a Nebraska surgeon apparently fell off before it crashed west of Minneapolis, killing him and two relatives, investigators say. The Mooney M20M crashed and burned late Saturday afternoon near a home about a block from the downtown area of Victoria, a community of about 7,300 people, about 25 miles west of Minneapolis. The flames scorched the house, but nobody on the ground was injured. Relatives and employers identified those who died as Dr. James Edney, 72, of Omaha, who was piloting the plane; his stepson, Jacob Mertes, 42; and Jacobs wife, Dr. Sara Mertes, 37, both of Libby, Montana. National Transportation Safety Board investigator Mike Folkerts said Sunday that the plane, which had taken off from Alexandria, in western Minnesota, was approaching Flying Cloud Airport in suburban Eden Prairie when it crashed. The pilot contacted the control tower, then made several heading changes and altitude deviations from a normal, stable flight path while on final, Folkerts said. The last transmission was about 10 miles from the airport. NEW YORK (AP) The leader of Time's Up, the #MeToo-era organization founded by Hollywood women to fight sexual harassment, resigned under fire Monday for advising Gov. Andrew Cuomo's administration behind the scenes in its effort to discredit one of Cuomo's accusers. Time's Up said in a tweet that it agreed with Roberta Kaplan that stepping down as chair of the group's board of directors was the right and appropriate thing to do. A report issued last week by New Yorks attorney general concluded that Cuomo sexually harassed 11 women. The allegations have thrown the Democrat's career into extreme peril, threatening him with the possibility of both impeachment and criminal charges. Kaplan, a women's rights advocate who has a law practice of her own, counseled the administration last winter when Cuomo was hit with the first of the harassment allegations, leveled by a former economic development adviser, Lindsey Boylan. Both Kaplan and Alphonso David, leader of the Human Rights Campaign, were consulted over a letter the Cuomo administration had drafted attacking Boylan's credibility. Kaplan and David agreed to review the letter. Under the ballot language provided by Nebraska Appleseed, state law would be amended so that the minimum wage would bump up by $1.50 each year, starting in 2023. It would rise from $9 an hour to: $10.50 an hour on Jan. 1, 2023. $12 an hour on Jan. 1, 2024. $13.50 an hour on Jan. 1, 2025. $15 an hour on Jan. 1, 2026. After that, the minimum wage would be adjusted each year to account for cost-of-living increases. That indexing is key to making this a lasting change, Smith said. Prices will continue to go up, he said, and paying for basic needs will continue to be expensive so it only makes sense to ensure incremental wage changes reflect that in order to get Nebraskans closer to a living wage. If not for that provision, we would probably be back here in 2027, saying we need to maybe go to $20 an hour, Smith said. And, every five or 10 years after that, wed have to come back and do the same. Race Tracks Of The West Side by Angus Macfarlane In the Lake Merced parking lot at the south end of Sunset Boulevard is a statue of a man on a horse. The man represents Juan Bautista de Anza, the Spaniard who founded San Francisco in 1776. The horse is just a horse, of course, but the location of the horse's statue is historically significant for two reasons. On November 2, 1769, five years before Anza's colonists arrived in San Francisco, a small scouting party led by Sergeant Jose Ortega left the Portola expedition and traveled on the hard, wet sands of Ocean Beach, crossing into what would become San Francisco. This marked the arrival of the horse in San Francisco. One hundred years later, less than a furlong from today's statue of a horse and rider, the first of the west side's horse racing venues opened for business. This is the history of those race tracks. The Ocean Course, 1865-1873 Built 14 years after the city's first race courses opened in the Mission District, the Ocean Course---sometimes called the Ocean View Course---occupied 100 acres of land leased from the Greene Family, and was the first of four (or possibly six) west side horse racing venues. It stood across the Ocean House Road (today's Eucalyptus Drive) from the popular Ocean House, a recreational destination since the early 1850s for overwhelmed city dwellers seeking the relaxation and enjoyment of the country and sea. Bounded approximately between today's Eucalyptus, Sloat, Everglade and 24th Avenue, the Ocean Course operated from May 23, 1865 to November 15, 1873. Its opening and closing races were two of the most exciting and best attended sporting events in California at the time. What we visualize when we think of horse racing---galloping steeds with lightweight jockeys barely in contact with their stirrups---was the exception in the 19th century. Until the turn of the 20th century organized horse racing was primarily harness racing. Jockeys were called "drivers," since that was what they did, sitting in high-wheeled sulkies, with trotting or pacing horses leading them. Also, races were conducted differently then. They were tests of endurance rather than speed. Both harness and thoroughbred races were run in multiple heats of one to four miles rather than single races. On May 23, 1865, 8,000 excited race fans, an unprecedented number to witness a sporting event in California, converged on the Lake Merced site for the inaugural race between two great Kentucky-raised thoroughbreds: Lodi and Norfolk. Norfolk was clearly the sentimental favorite. The horses were to run three two-mile heats. The first heat was a tie. A half hour intermission allowed the horses to recover before Norfolk won the second heat by four lengths. Following the recovery period, the third heat began with a false start, but it ended with Norfolk winning by more than five lengths. The last race at the Ocean Course was the much heralded "Great Race," featuring Thaddeus Stevens, a California-born thoroughbred, against a field of "Eastern" horses. Throughout the late 1860s and into the 1870s, California tried to establish itself as a credible horse-raising state, equal to Kentucky, New York and other Eastern states. Sadly, California's best were not good enough. Year after year, California's horses (in this case, trotters) and hopes were humiliated and dashed. Not even Governor Leland Stanford, one of the wealthiest men in the state, who raised the best horses in the state, was immune to this disgrace meted out by Eastern horses. In 1872, while California trotters were continuing to endure their years of futility, "Old Thad" was, at first, quietly winning thoroughbred races. Then he was noticeably winning more races. Finally he was winning in spectacular fashion. His achievements were noted; challenges were made and accepted; victories continued and Californian horse lovers began to believe that Old Thad would be their deliverance. A date: November 13, 1873. A place: Ocean View Course. A field of horses and a $20,000 purse were announced for what was immediately termed "The Great Race." Thaddeus Stevens was to run against two of the best Eastern horses. The San Francisco Chronicle predicted that the race "will be the greatest ever run on the Pacific Coast and it bids fair to prove the greatest ever run in this country." For one dollar, an estimated 10,000 people found accommodations inside the track. For two dollars, 10,000 more were admitted to the grandstand. An equal number were settling down outside the track at no charge. Estimates of as many as 40,000 people in and around the track were reported. This was an unprecedented, historic number of people to witness a single event of any sort in California. They were all there to watch Thaddeus Stevens prove that California's horses were the best. At three o'clock, an hour late because of a small fire, four horses approached the starting line: Thad, Joe Daniels from Michigan, True Blue from Kentucky, and Mamie Hall, another California horse, though not a contender. Joe Daniels won the first heat in 7:45, three lengths ahead of True Blue, who was the same distance in front of Old Thad. Mamie Hall had thrown her rider and was disqualified. The second heat began after a 45-minute rest period and was won by True Blue in 8:08, five lengths ahead of Joe Daniels. Old Thad was again third. Because of the delay, daylight was running out, and the horses were given just a 15-minute rest before the third heat. Joe and True Blue had each won a heat. If either were to win the third heat, the race would be over. Thad had to win. For more than three grueling miles, oblivious that they had already run eight miles, Old Thad battled neck and neck with True Blue. In the final mile True Blue had sprung a tendon and was out of the race. Joe Daniels shot into second, but Thaddeus won by ten lengths in 7:57. During the 30-minute recovery period, darkness began to settle. Lamps were lit along the homestretch and on the carriages in the infield. A fog was pushing in from the ocean when the two remaining horses, Joe and Thad, were brought out for the final heat. At 5:20PM the starting bell was struck and they were off. Turning onto the backstretch, Thad was ahead by two lengths as the horses disappeared into the shadows and fog. When they rematerialized on the home stretch, Thad was ten lengths ahead. The California horse led his Michigan rival the entire race, sometimes by as much as thirty lengths, crossing the finish line in 8:20, ten lengths in front. After sixteen miles of racing, California's favorite son proved that California horses were indeed among the nation's best. The New York Times, in an unabashed understatement, wrote "the enthusiasm of the crowd was overwhelming." The hometown papers wrote: "It was undoubtedly the most extravagantly joyous crowd that ever thronged a race track on the Pacific coast." When Thad passed under the wire and the race had been won "men threw up their hats, stamped upon the ground, shook hands, slapped one another upon the back and rushed wildly hither and thither while ladies waved their handkerchiefs and smiled happily." THAD VICTORIOUS headlined the Chronicle. THAD THE VICTOR seconded the Alta. The New York Times made it unanimous with THAD STEVENS THE WINNER. Despite these well-attended races, Fortune had not been kind to the Ocean Course. It suffered from three liabilities: location, location, and location. The truth was the track was in a remote and difficult to reach location from the city proper, and changes of ownership and management couldn't overcome that fatal handicap. Over its eight-year life, the Ocean Course hosted less than 100 racing days. No races were held between November 1868 and March 1871. Read another retelling of the Great Race in this article. Next: Golden Gate Driving Park Contribute your own stories about western neighborhoods places! Education International (EI) and the Teachers and Educational Workers Union (TEWU) have launched an initiative that will support the government to fight and mitigate the impact of COVID-19 in the school environment. The EI-TEWU COVID-19 initiative is set up to provide a continues update on the impact of COVID-19 on education support personnel through an independent and objective research and also support the effort of government to contain the spread of the virus, especially in the secondary schools. The EI-TEWU COVID-19 initiative, through the support of Education International and its regional block, Education International Africa Region-(EIRAF), has acquired about 10,500 customised hand sanitizer and 125,000 pieces of disposal face masks to be distributed across the country. We TEWU understand that our support to our members is not only confined to negotiations of salaries and conditions of service but the overall welfare of our members including their safety and health, the General Secretary of TEWU, Mr Mark Dankyira Korankye, said at the launch of the event in Accra. Launch He said the launch of the initiative was timely and responsive, given the increasing number of outbreaks of the virus in secondary schools, especially in the wake of the spread of the Delta variant. He noted that prior to receiving funds from EI to kick start the initiative, the leadership sent a circular to its members during the early days of the outbreak, encouraging them to adhere to the safety protocols outlined by the government. I am satisfied to say that it was a sense of relief to us as a country that government has acquired some vaccines for the populace. However, the vaccination roll out targeted some categories of workers in the country. I want to use this platform to share in the global agenda of EI towards ensuring that the vaccines acquired are equitably distributed and accessible to all, the TEWU General Secretary said Thank Education International and its regional block, Education International Africa Region-EIRAF, for their unflinching support towards TEWU and we hope this continuous as we serve the interest of our members, he added Global Mr Korankye said globally, it was evident that COVID-19 had greatly affected the world of work and that the International Labour Organisation (ILO) report on the impact of the COVID-19 in the world of work revealed that about 255 million representing 8.8 per cent of people working as full time -equivalent jobs ( FTE) lost their jobs in 2020. He said the impact of the COVID-19 had not only affected the economic frontiers of countries but also the social space, including education. Resolve The Finance Officer of EI, Africa Regional Office, Mr Yusif Abudulai, thanked TEWU for its resolve to protect its members for taking steps to protect its members from the COVID-19 pandemic. EI will continue to work with partners to undertake initiatives like this in order to help curtail the spread of the virus. For his part, the Chairman of TEWU, Mr Ambrose Yao Kwadzodza, charged the government to consider making TEWU members part of the frontline workers in the fight against COVID-19 since they were always on the ground working on the various campuses. Source: graphiconline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) has been on strike in protest against government's inabiity to address their conditions of service. The University teachers have asked the government to resolve their salarty issues as well as other bad conditions that they find themselves in which have either not been taken seriously or have been neglected by the government. The Association is demanding a little over $2,000 as an entry-level salary for lecturers. As the teachers are on strike, it appears they are being insensitive particularly regarding the repercussions of their action on their students. But according to the President of UTAG, Professor Charles Marfo, the teachers are not insensitive but rather they seek to have what is due them. Speaking in an interview with host Kwami Sefa Kayi on Peace FM's ''Kokrokoo'' programme Monday morning, Prof. Marfo explained that before they embarked on their strike action, they had already given the government three (3) months notice to rectify their problem, but the government turned a blind eye to them. He noted that the government paid no attention to their demands, hence forcing them to take this action. He also expounded that their main issue for going on strike has to do with their pension, disclosing since 2014, they have only been receiving allowances, instead of their premium remunerations; adding the, "allowances do not take any significant effect on their pension''. This, to him, is to say that their strike is aimed at protecting their future when they go on retirement. ''. . our salary keeps reducing . . . it has a bearing on our pension. We're talking about our pension, not to cook and share eggs for us to eat," he said. He hoped the government will resolve the impasse as they go to the negotiation table. Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Member of Parliament for Sene East district of the Bono East region, Hon Dominic Napare, has donated motorbikes to 3 police stations in the Sene East District to facilitate efforts to combat crime. Violent crimes have surged in these communities in recent times, a situation which in the views of opinion leaders requires resourcing of the security agencies to overcome the menace. The Member of Parliament (MP), said the motorbikes would enable the police officers to mount surveillance in their areas and also enhance general policing. Communities which benefitted from the benevolence of the member of parliament included Bassa , Kajaji and Kojokrom all in the Sene east district. Honourable Dominic Napare expressed worry over recent upsurge in crime in the areas and appealed to the residents to provide the police with reliable information that would lead to the arrest of criminals. I admonish anyone who involves himself or herself in criminal activities to end it today. Today I am appealing to you but if you fail to allow peace to prevail in this enclave, the police would do everything possible to bring all miscreants to book, he charged. He expressed the hope that the motorbikes would be used to combat crime for the residents to be able to go about their normal duties without any fear. Station officer in charge of the Kajaji Police Station, Inspector Nasirudeen Naseem, who received the motorbikes, expressed appreciation to the MP, which according to him will help motivate security personnel in the area. He said the major challenge facing the police in the area is mobility but the donation of the bikes would help the police personnel undertake surveillance and other policing activities. For his part, Nana Kofi Amponi, Akyeamehene of Nkomi Traditional Council, who spoke on behalf of the Council thanked the MP for the gesture and added that the bikes would be used effectively to fight crime and related activities in the district. Source: Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Minister for Energy, Hon. Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh has officially confirmed his attendance at the Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) 2021 in Houston, Texas, the USA from 16th to 19th August 2021. OTC ranks among the largest 100 tradeshows held annually in the United States and is among the 10 largest meetings in terms of attendance. Ghana has significant investment opportunities arising out of its oil and gas sector and these opportunities position the country to be a leading player on the African energy market, with significant implications for her industrialisation, jobs, technology and skills transfer and ultimately her economic agenda. The areas that will be highlighted during the conference include; Acreages for exploration: Ghana has four (4) sedimentary basins namely: Voltaian Basin, Central Basin, Eastern Basin, Western Basin. All of the countrys current production comes from the Western Basin. This presents an opportunity for investors to invest in the other (3) basins. GNPC has conducted seismic surveys over the Voltaian basin, and these will provide potential investors with adequate data to make favourable investment decisions concerning Ghana. Plans are also underway to acquire data on the other two under-explored basins to ensure data availability for similar reasons. Farm in opportunities: Farm-ins present an opportunity for prospective investors to operate in Ghana through an existing Petroleum Agreement without having to go through the application process. There are opportunities in the following Petroleum Agreements: West Cape Three Points Block-2, Central Tano Block, East Keta Block, Deepwater Cape Three Points West Offshore Block, Expanded Shallow Water Block Offshore and Offshore South West Tano Block. Gas Market: The natural gas sector is relatively new in Ghana, however, the sector has experienced some significant infrastructure development e.g the Western Corridor Gas Infrastructure Development Project. The Gas Processing Plant (GPP) at Atuabo has an installed capacity of 150 mmscfd. However, given the potential for increased associated gas production from the offshore fields, plans are underway to upgrade the GPPs Capacity to 300 mmscfd as part of the Phase 2 of the WCGIDP. There is also the opportunity for private sector entities to partner Ghana Gas to construct pipelines that will transport natural gas to various demand centres across the country. Petroleum Hub: Ghana aspires to become a hub for refined petroleum products in the West African sub-region and beyond by the year 2030. Government will provide land and basic infrastructure such as roads, water, electricity etc. but will require private sector participation to provide the facilities within the hub. Investments are therefore required in the following areas: Crude oil refining (3 refineries to be established. Each with a capacity of 300,000 bpsd) Storage of petroleum products (tank farm to be constructed for storage of crude and refined products) Bulk distribution infrastructure throughout the country (2 or more Jetties with multiple berths to be constructed) Establishment of a petrochemical industry (five petrochemical plants to be constructed) Ghanas delegation includes senior officials from the Ministry and various sector agencies as well as the oil giants, Tullow and Kosmos. Among others, the Ghanaian delegation shall be joined by Ghanas Ambassador to the US, H.E. Hajia Alima Mahama. Meetings with high-ranking personalities from companies in the oil and gas sector in Texas are also on the agenda. The OTC also provides for an exhibition by various countries and institutions and Ghana is not left out, with key exhibitors including the Ministry, GNPC, Petroleum Commission, and the Ghana Gas Company Ltd, among others, all with a view to attracting investments into the country in the sector. One of the events among several to take place during the conference is the West Africa Oil & Gas Forum. West Africas offshore deep and ultra-deep space has continued to attract oil explorers and producers in increasing their operations, especially in Southern and Western Africa, where major projects have either stated or have been unveiled, awaiting resource appraisal and development. The growth of West Africas offshore exploration and production activities have been mainly driven by efforts of governments in their region, to provide key incentives and supporting policies to unlock the investment opportunity, as well as a growing number of international oil and gas companies interested in exploring alternative fields to replacing the maturing offshore producing sites in countries such as Nigeria and Ghana. Nigeria is the leading gas producer in West Africa and has 99% of the region's total proved resources. The West Africa Oil & Gas Forum will address some of the issues emanating from the oil and gas industry in the sub-region. Dr. Prempeh will deliver the keynote speech. Ghanas participation in the OTC will afford international financiers and potential investors the opportunity to engage the countrys energy sector leaders on the energy investment opportunities available, together with the supporting infrastructure such as legal and fiscal regimes, telecommunications and Technology. Source: Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video An ongoing recruitment scam, which began in January this year, has seen a number of desperate job seekers falling victim to it. The Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations puts the number of victims in their hundreds. Since January, scores of disappointed youth have been trooping to the ministry to lodge complaints; they are in their hundreds, and they keep coming almost every day to make reports, the Assistant Public Relations Officer of the ministry, Mr Osei-Opoku Gyamfi, disclosed to the Daily Graphic last Friday. He said although the ministry had issued a disclaimer to that effect, it kept receiving victims who went to the place to enquire about their job placements. Payments/investigations He said victims of the scam claimed they paid between GH800 and GH1,500 to the suspected scammers through mobile money. Mr Gyamfi said the ministry was collaborating with the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service and other security agencies to investigate the scam. "We have involved the CID, the National Investigations Bureau (NIB) and the Ministry of Communications to look into the issue and bring the perpetrators to book," he said. He said efforts were, therefore, being made to locate the people at the centre of the suspected scam. Disclaimer On August 5, 2021, Mr Gyamfi said, the ministry's attention was drawn to a misleading news item circulating on some social media platforms and online media outlets by the suspected fraudsters in their attempt to swindle more job seekers. The publication, under the heading: Administrative officers upcoming interview, instructed job seekers to purchase an inspection voucher PIN at the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations at the Ministries enclave, Accra, from August 6, 2021 to attend an administrative interview and orientation. As a result of the development, he said, the ministry had to issue three disclaimers on separate occasions when the issue came to its attention. The ministry, in one such disclaimer, said it "categorically disassociates itself from the false and misleading news item, as the information is fraudulent and malicious". It explained that the ministry was not a recruiting body and urged the public to disregard any job offer information purported to be from the ministry. Victims account One of the victims of the scam with whom the Daily Graphic spoke said the scammers, using false publications, indicated that applicants would be offered civil service jobs, but such recruitments were done online by the Office of the Head of the Civil Service.He said the publication came with a contact, which most of the victims used to link up with the scammers, and they (victims) were directed to pay their money into a mobile money account. Background In May 2004, a similar scam hit the same ministry, with close to 400 young people being affected. The victims, who were made to register to work in hotels in the US for a year, paid US$1,000 each, in addition to a GH50 non-refundable interview fee, to an official at the labour office where the exercise was carried out. However, after almost a year, none of the applicants went on the programme and their moneys were not refunded. Following reports by some of the victims, national security got involved, and the woman at the centre of the scam, identified as Lizelle Bortha was arrested. Source: graphiconline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Deputy General Secretary of the ruling New Patriotic Party(NPP), Nana Obiri Boahen, has disclosed that he prefers God to take his life than to see the largest opposition National Democratic Congress win power come 2024. According to him, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has within all their years in government not been able to contribute substantially to the development of the country. Speaking on Okay FM's 'Ade Akye Abia' programme, the astute lawyer and historian explained that the development of the country takes a downhill turn when ever the NDC is in power and thus cannot risk the NDC taking over the country after the sterling performance of the Akufo-Addo led government. "I will prefer God to take my life than see the National Democratic Congress come to power again." "A new phase of the NPP government will take over the affairs of the country even when Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo's term expires as President of the country, and that is breaking the eight," he added. Cautioning the New Patriotic Party about their break the eight mantra, he noted that they need to work assiduously for it as it may not come cheap. "But having realize the immense contribution and the development drive of the Aufo-Addo led government, I am very optimistic that Ghanaians will vote for the NPP in 2024." Watch video below Source: Isaac Kwame Owusu/Peacefmonline/[email protected] Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Looking at their utterances and actions, Ashanti Regional Secretary of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), Sam Pyne, has predicted that #Fixthecountry movement will turn into a political party. "I can assure you that after this round, they will form a political party; mark it!!! If you claim both the NDC and the NPP are not options which political party is?" he queried. The much-talked-about demonstration of the social media hashtag group came off on Wednesday, August 4, 2021. The aim was to draw the government's attention to various challenges in the country including the lack of jobs. The protesters held placards with words such as; 'Ghana is the most religious yet most corrupt', If Ghana was your personal property, would you run it like this?, 'No to Nepotism, Family and Friends Government', 'Fix Dumsor' among others. Sam Pyne who was contributing to a panel discussion on Peace FM's morning show 'Kokrokoo' urged protesters not to use hatred, envy" to address their issues. According to him, in as much as they have the right to protest and to speak freely, "they should be sincere and honest. They shouldn't be hypocrites!" Meanwhile, Sam Pyne has accused the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) of being behind the numerous placards used by the demonstrators. "I have evidence that the NDC wrote the placards," he told other panel members on the show. Listen to him in the video below #Fixthecountry campaign is a hashtag which started on social media on Wednesday, May 04, 2021, with a call on Government for urgent social and economic reforms in the country.Conveners of the Movement decided to embark on a protest on May 9 but were restrained by an order from the High Court presided over by Mrs Justice Ruby Aryeetey.However, a Supreme Court Panel, presided over by Justice Yaw Appau, later set aside the High Court order allowing the group to embark on their demonstration on August 4. Source: Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video A member of the legal team of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Gordon Edudzi Tameklo has told a former Deputy General Secretary of the NDC Koku Anyidoho who has been suspended from the party that he must show gratitude to former President John Dramani Mahama for helping ensure his liberty from the cells of the Bureau of National Investigation (BNI), now known as the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB). Edudzis comment comes after Mr Anyidoho has made insinuatios in opposition to Mr Mahama although he doesnt mention the name of the NDCs presidential candidate for the 2020 polls in those comments. For instance, his recent tweet on Saturday August 7 said Jerry John Rawlings built the NDC: John Evans Atta-Mills re-built the NDC! Some pretender; who came from the Peoples Heritage Party (PHP), in 1996, as an opportunist to join the NDC thinks he/she can destroy the NDC? Torfiakwa. Another tweet said This is the front page of the White Paper on the Report of the CRC set-up in the name of the Republic of Ghana Flag of Ghana. Who took over from President Atta-Mills & sabotaged the Better Ghana Agenda of President Atta-Mills and NDC? The anti-party people shall be greatly exposed. Reacting to Mr Anyidohos tweets in a Facebook post, Gordon Edudzi Tameklo said From abroad straight to the BNI to visit then arrested Koku Anyidoho and the behind the scenes moves to get him released. Thankfully I personally involved in some of them. John Mahama has the cleanest heart. Gratitude is life itself. On March 28, 2018, Mr Mahama visited Koku Anyidoho who was in the custody of BNI on a charge of treason felony. Mr Anyidoho was arrested Tuesday following a statement he made on Accra-based Happy FM that President Akufo-Addo was likely to suffer the fate of his father who was overthrown as President by a military coup in 1972. Somebody should tell Nana Akufo-Addo that history has a very interesting way of repeating itself, he said. The former presidential spokesperson for the Late President Atta Mills said On the January 13, 1972 a certain Col. Ignatius Kutu Acheampong led a movement that removed the Progress Party from power. Busia was the Prime Minister and Akufo-Addos father was a ceremonial president. Somebody should tell Nana Akufo-Addo that history has a very interesting way of repeating itself. Therell be a civil revolt. Therell be a peoples movement. During President John Mahamas tenure didnt we receive similar threats from the likes of Let My Vote Count and OccupyGhana, Therell be a civilian coup detat; therell be a social revolution and the movement is starting on Wednesday. He [Akufo-Addo] will be fed up at the Presidency.

Jerry John Rawlings built the NDC: John Evans Atta-Mills re-built the NDC! Some pretender; who came from the Peoples Heritage Party (PHP), in 1996, as an opportunist to join the NDC thinks he/she can destroy the NDC? Torfiakwa

Samuel Koku Anyidoho (@KokuAnyidoho) August 7, 2021
Source: 3news.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Former President and 2020 NDC Presidential candidate John Dramani Mahama has expressed his appreciation to the people of Volta Region for the support he received during the 2020 elections. According to Mr. Mahama, the region known as the world bank of the opposition NDC did not disappoint him in spite of losing the election once again to President Akufo-Addo. Addressing residents of Agavedzi in the Ketu South Constituency after presentation of relief items including building materials to victims of recent tidal waves devastation on behalf of the NDC minority caucus and on his own behalf, Mr. Mahama assured the region of a comeback to wrestling power from the governing NPP Speaking to Kasapa News after touring the devastated areas, the former President once again bemoaned the abandoning of projects started by his administration by President Akufo-Addo. According to him if the Nana Addo administration had continued with a sea defence project, residents would not have had their homes washed away. Mr. Mahama wants the government to halt the commencement of new projects until old ones are completed as promised by the NDC in its 2020 manifesto. Source: kasapafmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Vice President Alhaji Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has subtly replied the #FixTheCountry campaigners by stating that many things have been fixed in the country. And we are fixing more, he insisted. The Vice President made these remarks over the weekend when he addressed leadership and members of the Tertiary Students Confederacy (TESCON), the student wing of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), at the University of Cape Coast in the Central Region. He noted that the first term of the Akufo-Addo-led government saw to competent work done, leading to the victory in the elections of December 7, 2020. We have begun our second term which is a build-up on what we did in the first term, he noted. As our 2020 manifesto indicated, this term will see to the consolidation of the many laudable initiatives we undertook in the first term, many of which have led to solutions that have never been seen since independence. On that score, he insinuated that many of the ills the government inherited are being fixed by the policies and programmes of the current administration. We have implemented some bold policy initiatives and fixed quite a number of things that needed fixing. In fact, we have fixed many things in the country and we are fixing more. He cited policies and programmes such as the Free SHS, banking sector clean-up, restoration of teacher and nurse trainees allowances, ambulances for each constituency, digitalization agenda, One District One Factory, jobs and end to dumsor as being fixed, if not fixed, by the government. Ladies and gentlemen, as indicated earlier, many of these challenges we have fixed had not been addressed since independence, he stated. Yes, there are a lot more to fix but we are proud of what we have been able to achieve in the first term and we will build on them. This comes days after a youthful group of patriotic Ghanaians took to the streets to demand improvement in living conditions of Ghanaians. Dubbed #FixTheCountry, the street protest, which began at the Obra Spot near the Kwame Nkrumah Circle Interchange and ended at the Black Star Square on Wednesday, August 4, saw hundreds collectively demanding a new constitution. Similar protests at the regional level are planned to be held in the next few days. Source: 3news.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video A former Inspector General of Police (IGP) John Kudalor has said that Police officers in Ghana should be empowered to enable them arrest ministers of state and other government officials if they are engaged in wrong doing just as what pertains in developed countries. He has therefore called for the establishment of a Ministry of Police that should be headed by a non-political technocrat to steer affairs of the Police in Ghana. Speaking on the appointment of COP Dr George Akuffo Dampare as the new IGP and whether or not he will be given the space by politicians to operate, COP Kudalor told Onua FM that Dr Dampare has principles and also is always determined to stick to those principle. When he is convinced that we need to do something he will want to follow through to the end. Though he is a team player he is not easily convinced, you cannot manipulate him. He is very strict. He added If we get Police Ministry with a technocrat as head, not a politician, who will listen to us, it will help. It will help us also do our work well. If you belong to party A or B the IGP should be able to make an order just as they do abroad where Ministers can even be arrested, we will need to develop that courage to be able to arrest Ministers in Ghana. The politicians should leave the work of Police officer to the men and women in uniform so that the competent men will work, the interference disturbs. Source: 3news.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The plot to expel veteran politician, Enock Teye Mensah, popularly called ET Mensah, from the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) is ticking by the day. He has already been reported to the partys leadership for disciplinary action to be taken against him because of what a petitioner has claimed is anti-party behaviour. The approach to get ET Mensah, who is now a member of the Council of State, appears to be similar to the treatment meted out to first, Bernard Allotey Jacobs, their former Central Regional Chairman, and later, Samuel Koku Anyidoho, their former Deputy General Secretary, who both dared to publicly point out some of the faults in the NDC. The NDC has been on collision course with all members who do not agree with some of the decisions and the direction the opposition party is taking to recapture power after they were booted out of office in the December 2016 general election. ETs Sin ET Mensahs sin is that he had dared to correct the misinformation and propaganda that the NDC was spreading concerning the $200 million Saglemi Housing scandal for which five people including two ministers who served under the Mahama-led NDC administration have been arraigned before the court for willfully causing financial loss to the state among other charges. It was during his time as the Minister of Water Resources, Works and Housing (MWRWH) in the administration of the late Prof. John Evans Atta Mills that the Saglemi housing project was initiated, and when the NDC tried to give a narrow scope of the project and also created the impression that it was Mr. Mahamas initiative, ET Mensah sought to set the records straight. Propaganda Machine Following the filing of charges against Alhaji Collins Dauda and the four others by the Attorney General over the Saglemi scandal, NDC Communications officer Sammy Gyamfi claimed that ET Mensah as the then minister, agreed that the project will be constructed in four phases and that the $200 million was supposed to be used for just a phase per the scope of the contract. He even claimed that $200 million approved by Parliament for the project excluded the cost of a serviced plot of land with roads, water, electricity, drains, sewage systems, and other ancillary facilities for the smooth takeoff of the project, and that because the government did not have any funds to fall on to discharge these responsibilities, the decision was taken by the ministry to use part of the approved amount of the project for the necessary ancillary works. Sammy Gyamfis statement indicated specifically that Since government did not have any funds to fall on to discharge these responsibilities, the decision was taken by the ministry to use part of the approved amount of the project (US$200 million) for all the necessary ancillary works to pave way for the construction of the housing units and to make the project site a commercially viable and habitable community, adding that This is what informed the decision by the ministry to do the project in phases, as the Minister, Honourable. E. T. Mensah had already intimated to Parliament. Clearly, the 5,000 houses could not be built at a go. Incensed ET The NDC propaganda incensed ET Mensah, who fired back and exposed the party by saying that most of the issues raised in the NDC statement were bare-faced lies. The plan was 5,000 houses, first phase. It is a lie. It wasnt going to be built in four phases. I was not involved in any phasing system. We knew that we wanted to build, that is 5,000 houses to be built for workers, and it was approved; executive approval was given and Parliament approved it, so if anything at all, If I wanted to change something, I had to go through the same process again, he said on Good Evening Ghana hosted by Paul Adom-Otchere last week, and added How can people lie like this? Barrage of Insults Immediately ET Mensah exposed the NDC, some of the partys youth started a barrage of attacks on the person of the veteran politician on social media, calling him all sorts of names and asking the partys leadership to expel him. In the ensuing heat, one of the partys youth, Benjamin Essuman, filed a petition against ET Mensah who was once the NDC MP for Ningo Prampram where the Saglemi Housing project is located, saying he (ET) extremely misconducted himself as a leading member of the party and therefore must suffer the consequences thereof. I write as the NDC Branch Secretary of New City Lodge B, Taifa, in the Dome Kwabenya Constituency, and hereby invoke my rights under Article 49(1) of the partys constitution which states: Any member who has reasonable grounds to believe that another member or other members of the Party are in breach of the provisions of Clause 8 of Article 48, may lodge a petition in writing to an appropriate Executive Committee for redress. Mr. Chairman, I bring to your attention that on 3rd August 2021, a former National Youth Organiser of the party who was the Minister of Youth and Sports, and who is (sic) a former Minister of Employment, former Minister of Works and Housing, and also former NDC Member of Parliament (MP) for Ningo Prampram between 1993 and 2017, Hon. Enoch Teye Mensah extremely misconducted himself as a leading member of the party and therefore must suffer the consequences thereof. He claimed in the petition that ET Mensah breached Article 48(1) and (8) of the NDC Constitution, especially with Article 48(8), and that his supposed anti-party conduct or activities embarrassed the party and brought the party into hatred, ridicule, or contempt. Crucifying ET He said ET Mensah made presentations that did not only contradict the official position of the party, but he did injure the reputation of the NDC party and its leading members. In the petition, the claimant said ET Mensah should be punished because he (ET) said on Metro TV that Sammy Gyamfi as a party officer had lied in the statement he issued. Mr. Chairman, I am alarmed and feel humiliated by the conduct of Mr. Enoch Teye Mensah, which has scandalised the peaceful and progressive state of the NDC. In my reading of Article 47 of the Partys constitution which deals with the code of Conduct for Party members, I find the conduct of Hon. Enoch Teye Mensah to be in direct conflict with 47(a), 47(b), and 47(e), adding Mr. Chairman, by going on national television to oppose the contents of a statement issued by a national officer and much so describing the National Communication Officer and others as spreading lies Hon. Enoch Teye Mensah did not ensure the unity and cohesion of the Party. Koku Fire Following the petition, Koku Anyidoho whom the party claims he has been expelled reacted, saying what is more anti-party conduct that sharp teeth babies insulting elders at the behest of a cult character? What is anti-party conduct than destroying the image of the party by lying that you won elections when you have no collated results? They will fall on their own evil swords soon. He also said in another social media post that the obnoxious constitution of the NDC which has been subjected to arbitrary and capricious abuse over the years shall be tested vis (sic) the supreme constitution of 1992, in a court of competent jurisdiction. Source: Daily Guide Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Sixteen Regional Youth Organisers of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) have descended heavily on the loud mouth NDC presenter, Kevin Ekow Taylor for attacking their National Youth Organiser, Lawyer George Opare Addo over some cars he allegedly rejected. The youth organisers have also been explaining the circumstances leading to the rejection of some 16 vehicles donated to them by the 2020 flagbearer, ahead of the 2020 elections. Kevin Taylor as gathered on one of his shows alleged that Mr Opare Addo was a chief instigator of a mass rejection of vehicles that were offered by the defeated flagbearer of the NDC, John Dramani Mahama, to the youth wing ahead of the 2020 election. The NDC youth organisers who arent happy with the allegations against their boss, in a statement rubbished the claims by Kelvin Taylor saying Without mincing words, this claim is an unblemished untruth cooked in a dilapidated kitchen of mischief and served on the cracked plate of falsehood. According to them, they cannot be discarded or lured into any agenda that turns against the ideals of the NDC and the flagbearer as suggested by Kevin Taylor. They noted that they are independent and can see through the deceit of Kevin Taylor to cause disaffection among them and the NDC. They explained that the decision to reject the vehicle was a collective decision taken by the 16 Regional Youth Organisers without the involvement of Mr Opare Addo popularly called Pablo as the said vehicles were fuel guzzlers which may not serve their purpose. It is an affront to our intelligence for any person to suggest that it was Pablo [George Opare Addo] who instigated us to reject the vehicles. All 16 Regional Youth Organisers are independent-minded individuals with different orientations when it comes to making decisions. No decision has been taken by the Caucus without subjecting it to checkmate decisions. DGN Online has gathered that these vehicles that were to be gifted to the 16 Regional Youth Organisers, the Caucus stated that it was by the effort of the National Youth Organiser, George Opare Addo that they got wind about it, adding that two of the vehicles were shown to them for demonstration purposes so they could believe it was theirs for the taking. The Youth wing claimed that the make of the car and the cost of operation could be a burden on them and decided to turn down the offer on the blind side of Pablo. In a statement, they then suggested having a letter issued to the National Chairman and the flagbearer to explain their decision and also hope for a change of the vehicles to fit their budget. The statement concluded that at the time, Mr George Opare Addo had made available five pickup vehicles for some Regional Youth Organisers and promised to get the remainder in due time so they could conduct their business for the political season. Source: Daily Guide Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) currently on strike have welcomed the National Labour Commisson's legal action against them, stressing the Association will not budge on their position. Following the teacher's strike, there have been several pleas for them to return to the classrooms with people calling on the government to address their grievances but it appears the amicable solution everybody seeks is now going to turn into a legal tussle between UTAG and the government. UTAG President, Professor Charles Marfo, in an interview on Peace FM's morning show ''Kokrokoo'', has indicated that the Labour Commission resort to court may have worsened the situation as it has now opened up for them to also toll the legal line. On Friday, 6th August, the National Labour Commission secured an injunction in an Accra High Court compelling the lecturers to return to work while negotiations continued. In response, the National Secretary, Dr K.K Abavare indicated that UTAG has received resolutions from all 13 member public institutions mandating them to continue the strike action. Following the stalling of negotiations with the government on our Conditions of Service (CoS), which culminated in our declaration of a nationwide withdrawal of teaching and related activities among member public universities, all local branch executives were tasked by the National Executive Committee (NEC) to convene an emergency meeting to solicit the views of members on the way forward. On behalf of the NEC, National would like to forward to you resolutions received from the thirteen (13) member public universities, portions of the statement released by the national body of the Association on August 8, 2021 read. Touching on the injunction, the UTAG President told host Kwami Sefa Kayi that the Association and the stakeholders were almost reaching a consensus until the Commission brought in the injunction against their industrial action which has become a whole new ballgame. He revealed that the Association has instructed its lawyers to counter the injunction. ''We were almost reaching a consensus until the government's court issue arose. Now, a whole new ballgame has started because we're also asking our lawyers to go to court . . . We were getting there. We were pushing; now this argument I'm making is lost," he stated. Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The newly appointed Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyebeng, has reiterated his resolve to suppress corruption to the barest minimum. Interacting with the media on his first day in office, Mr Agyebeng said he is committed to ensuring the constitutional provision that established the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) is strictly adhered to. Kissi Agyebeng swore the Oath of Office and the Oath of Secrecy on Thursday, August 5 as administered by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo at the Jubilee House. After going through vetting by the Appointments Committee, Parliament unanimously approved his nomination. He becomes the second person to occupy the office after Martin Amidu resigned in November, 2020 amidst some controversies. After being taken round the Office by the Deputy Special Prosecutor, Cynthia Naa Torshie Lamptey, the Special Prosecutor said:We are kick-starting right away. As I promised Ghanaians during my vetting, we are going to deliver our mandate as per the Act and LI and ensure corruption is suppressed and reppressed to the barest minimum. Prior to his appointment, Kissi Agyebeng has been a lecturer at the University of Ghana Law faculty for 15 years, teaching and researching Criminal Law, International Humanitarian Law, International Law, Corporate Law, and Legal Research and Writing. Source: 3news.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Head of Psychology at University of Ghana, Professor Joseph Osafo, has cautioned government against its implacable approach in resolving the impasse between the two bodies. The University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) has embarked on strike to register their displeasure with government over their conditions of service. They seek government to heed their demands and also take pragmatic steps to improve their conditions before they return to work. However, there have been many calls on them to go to the negotiation table with the government which the UTAG executives are already doing to find amicable solutions to their challenges. But the government is trying to bulldoze them with legal threats into calling off their strike action. This was revealed by UTAG President, Professor Charles Marfo, during an interview with host Kwami Sefa Kayi on Peace FM's ''Kokrokoo'' on Monday, August 9, 2021. He disclosed that some government powers, in a meeting with them, forcefully told them to return to work or else they will use the court to compel them to do so. Reacting to the government's threats, Prof. Joseph Osafo, a member of UTAG and Head of Psychology at University of Ghana, has warned that the use of force won't help in persuading them but rather aggravate the situation. He advised the government to lower their tone in dealing with them if they want to reach a consensus, stressing, ''the government's muscular response doesn't help . . . Currently, the members in various thirteen (13) institutions have all agreed to face off the government''. ''The kind of psychological environment and state we're in right now, there is a certain state now from last year till today, at all front of governance; it's not just politics but everywhere. The COVID pandemic has aroused sensations, so the slightest thing sparks anger . . . That's why I'm saying the government must be careful about its muscular response'," he added. Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Director of the Community Youth Cultural Center at the National Commission on Culture (NCC) Dr Akosuah Abdallah has called for collaboration to develop video games that can be used as a tool to promote Ghanas culture. Dr Abdallah believes that Ghanaians playing virtual games developed based on the cultures of the west does not help boost the Ghanaian culture. She added that volumes of virtual games about the historical events of our ancestors for the global gaming community including stories about Queen Yaa Asantewaa, The Great Savanna Warriors, Okomfo Anokye, Togbui Sri I and Togbui Tsali, Regent Dde Akaibi, and Nii Tackie Tawiah I must be created. She was speaking at the launch of the Made In Ghana-UK Festival 2021 on Thursday, August 5. The theme of the event is Promoting Ghanaian culture, Beyond the Return. Dr Abdallah made the submission as she addressed the event on behalf of her boss, the Executive Director of National Commission on Culture Janet Nyame. Ghana through its Year of Return initiative in 2019 made strides in positioning Ghana as a key travel destination for African Americans and the African Diaspora. The events planned throughout the year served as a launchpad for a consistent boost in tourism for Ghana in the near and distant years. Subsequently, the Beyond the Return Diaspora Initiative to succeed the Year of Return was launched by the government not only to promote tourism and homecoming of Africans and Ghanaians in the diasporas but to foster economic relations and investments from the diaspora in Africa and Ghana. The Made In Ghana-UK festival is one of these activities. Dr Abdallah amongst other things indicated that Ghana is endowed with various forms of arts and artistic expressions such as customs, traditions, festivals performing arts and rituals and these art forms thrive very well and account for a significant proportion of employment and revenue generation both in the formal and informal sectors. In this festival and beyond, the only instructive word that whirls in me is collaboration. We must seek to collaborate with the diaspora to harness the various aspects of our culture that can be repackaged and repositioned for a mutually beneficial relationship. She noted technology keeps influencing the evolution of cultures across the world. Most Ghanaian youths play virtual games that are inspired by the cultures of other countries. Withcher, Assassins Creed, GTA and Mario Brothers. Can we not collaborate to create various volumes of virtual games about the historical events of our ancestors for the global gaming community? Stories about Queen Yaa Asantewaa, The Great Savanna Warriors, Okomfo Anokye, Togbui Sri I and Togbui Tsali, Regent Dde Akaibi, and Nii Tackie Tawiah I. Would that not serve as an interactive medium through which young people in the diaspora and in Africa can appreciate the history and heritage of the nation and continent? The Made In Ghana-UK Festival 2022 will be held in London in March 2022. The NCC as an institution is mandated to promote and ensure the growth and development of our Culture and make them more relevant to human-centered development. The mission of the outfit is to maintain the unique cultural identity and values for the promotion of an integrated national culture, as well as contribute to the overall economic development of the nation. Source: kasapafmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video New WEHI-TV animations show the molecular details of enzymesand cellular structures involved in cell respiration.This image shows mitochondrial cristae, the site of theelectron transport chain. Credit: WEHI-TV, Australia The fundamental process of cellular respirationhow cells make energyhas been brought to life in a new series of biomedical animations created by wehi.tv, in partnership with HHMI Biointeractive, an initiative of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. The animations reveal key molecular steps of cell respiration, generated with accurate scientific data and research. The animations were created by Emmy- and BAFTA-winning animator Dr. Drew Berry, to educate and inform secondary school and university students, as well as to inspire an appreciation of biology in our community. The respiration animations will launch as part of National Science Week and the SCINEMA International Science Film Festival 2021. Available under Creative Commons license, the animations provide free, high-quality resources for biology education in Australia and around the world. Visualizing cell respiration Cellular respiration is a fundamental biological process that occurs through a series of enzyme reactions, during which the sugar molecule 'glucose' is broken down to release energy, which powers all cellular processes. Respiration occurs in every living cell, and it is taught in the secondary school science and university-level biology curricula, said Dr. Berry, who leads the wehi.tv team. "Respiration is a central process for every form of life on Earth, but can be a challenging concept for students to understand," he said. "It involves dynamic molecular reactions and movement, which can be difficult to grasp from words or textbook diagrams. "Through a collaboration with the HHMI Biointeractive, we have created a collection of animations that reveal the intracacies of cell respiration. Students can watch in action as glucose is gradually broken down by enzymes, releasing energy and carbon." The wehi.tv respiration animations were built with the latest scientific discovery and research, using models from X-ray crystallography, 3-D cryo-electron microscopy, live cell microscopy and molecular dynamics simulation. "At every stage, we've been guided by what science has discovered. The enzymes involved in respiration have an inherent beauty and are mind-boggling to watch," he said. Informing the community The development of the new animations received philanthropic support from the Telematics Trust, which enabled unique molecular sound design and original music to make the animations come to life, engaging students and the public alike. "The grant from the Telematics Course Development Fund enabled me to collaborate with award-winning Australian film composer Franc Tetaz to create a musical score to evoke wonder and inspire students," Dr. Berry said. "We have all experienced the impact of sound in Hollywood movies, and they serve the same role in my animations. We learn and explore the world with multiple senses, and having sound makes the animations engrossing for an audience and helps create context for these molecular landscapes." "The funding also enabled us to involve Melbourne secondary school students in the animation, including wonderful narration provided by a female year 10 student, helping to make it relatable for Australian students and to encourage female students to consider careers in STEM," he said. Ms Ricci Swart AM, Chair of the Telematics Trust, said the new animations are an innovative educational resource for many people, both in Australia and around the world. "We are thrilled to see the outcomes of this ground-breaking project. Dr. Berry's use of animation technology will solve the problem of explaining complex and critical biological processes," she said. "Being freely available online, including for educational purposes, means the animations are accessible to people across our community." The vision of Telematics Trust is for technology to transform lives through education and training for the cultural, social and economic benefit of Victorians. Explore further Animation library to increase science literacy in Victoria More information: SCINEMA International Science Film Festival: SCINEMA International Science Film Festival: scinema.org.au/ Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain The COVID-19 pandemic is the most severe global health crisis of the 21st century. While media reports and policy directives tend to focus on the health and economic aspects of the pandemic, new research suggests that the pandemic is also destabilizing the fundamental relationship between citizens and the state. "The pandemic has disrupted our normal way of living, generating frustrations, unprecedented social exclusion, and a range of other concerns," said Henrikas Bartusevicius, a researcher with the Peace Research Institute Oslo and coauthor on a paper published in the journal Psychological Science. "Our investigations show that the psychological toll of living through a pandemic also stoked antigovernment and antisystemic attitudes that led to political violence in a number of countries." Bartusevicius and his colleagues asked 6,000 adults from the United States, Denmark, Italy, and Hungary if and how the COVID-19 pandemic had negatively affected their health, finances, relationships, and rights. The interviewees were asked to report if they felt dissatisfaction with their societies and governments and whether they were motivated to engage in or had already engaged in protests or political violence. The results from this survey uncovered striking associations between the psychological burden of COVID-19 and highly disruptive sentiments and behaviors, including the use of violence for a political cause. In contrast, the research revealed no consistent correlations between the COVID-19 burden and the motivation to engage in peaceful forms of activism. "We were also surprised to find that COVID-19 burden does not need additional triggers to motivate political violence," said Bartusevicius. "It is seemingly enough on its own." COVID-19 burden is the overall psychological toll of living through a pandemic. It's the sum total of individual stresses a person experiences during a pandemic and the responses that governments take against it, such as lockdown measures, mask mandates, and physical-distancing directives. The researchers found that in the United States specifically, those experiencing a higher COVID-19 burden were also more likely to report engagement in violence during the Black Lives Matter protests and counterprotests. The pandemic and associated lockdowns may have contributed to the frustrations that were unleashed in these events, the researchers said. "This is the first time in the modern era that highly individualized Western democracies have faced a major pandemic," said coauthor Michael Bang Peterson, a researcher at Aarhus University in Denmark. Before the pandemic, there was little knowledge about how societies would respond to or cope with such a crisis. "Our research presents one of the first pieces of evidence on the disruptive potential of pandemics and associated lockdowns," he said. The researchers did find differences across nations, with Danish respondents reporting the lowest COVID-19 burden and Hungarian respondents reporting the highest. However, there were no notable differences in the effects of COVID-19 burden across the four countries. For example, although the average Dane felt less burdened by the pandemic than respondents in other countries, Danes who felt more burdened showed anti-systemic attitudes and motivations for political violence similar to those reported elsewhere. The researchers proposed several potential explanations for why pandemics can lead to civil unrest. The pandemic and lockdowns have unequally afflicted particular social groups, likely producing perceptions of injustice and anger that, in turn, can be directed against governments. Also, the burden of COVID-19 may contribute to social exclusion and marginalization as normal social life disappears, which could fuel antisystemic attitudes and motivations for political violence. The researchers concluded that in the aftermath of pandemics, recovery programs should do more than address public health concerns and the economy; they should also endeavor to repair the relationship between citizens and the political system. More information: Bartusevicius, H., Bor, A., Jorgensen, F., & Petersen, M. B. (2021). The psychological burden of the COVID-19 pandemic is associated with anti-systemic attitudes and political violence. Psychological Science. Advance online publication. Journal information: Psychological Science Bartusevicius, H., Bor, A., Jorgensen, F., & Petersen, M. B. (2021). The psychological burden of the COVID-19 pandemic is associated with anti-systemic attitudes and political violence.. Advance online publication. doi.org/10.1177/09567976211031847 Credit: CC0 Public Domain A trio of researchers working at the School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, has chemically synthesized a mirror-image of Pfu DNA polymerase. In their paper published in the journal Nature Biotechnology, Chuyao Fan, Qiang Deng and Ting Zhu describe how they synthesized the mirror image enzyme and used it to create a mirror-image gene. In biological chemistry, molecules have what is known as "handedness"they can be right or left-handed. This means they can have identical shapes with identical atoms but are not copies of one another; and they cannot be superimposed over one another, similar to human right and left hands. Such molecules are referred to as D for right-handed, and L for left-handed. Nucleic molecules are notably all right-handed and proteins are all left-handed. Since such properties were discovered by Louis Pasteur back in the mid1800s, biologists have been trying to see if it is possible to synthesize left-handed nucleic molecules and/or right-handed proteins. In this new effort, the researchers have found a way to do so under certain conditions. The work began with synthesizing short lengths of mirrored L-RNA and L-DNA. Doing so helped the researchers to learn more about such processes. They next created mirror-image D-protein DNA polymerases, which they used to replicate short lengths of L-DNA. Doing so provided them with a proof of concept. Next, the team synthesized a mirror-image enzyme known as Pfu DNA polymerase. Due to its large size, the researchers had to create it in two chunks, which they then hooked together. Finally, the researchers used the enzyme they had created to create a mirror-image gene that was 1,500 bases in lengthone that encodes ribosomal RNA, which allowed the researchers to transcribe it once it contained information. The researchers note that such strands of mirrored DNA could be used for long-term information storage because there are no known enzymes that degrade it. Strands they created were still readable a year later. To prove the viability of their approach, the researchers used it to store text from Pasteur's original paper describing molecular handedness. Explore further From mirror-image biology to enhanced therapeutic proteins More information: Chuyao Fan et al, Bioorthogonal information storage in l-DNA with a high-fidelity mirror-image Pfu DNA polymerase, Nature Biotechnology (2021). Journal information: Nature Biotechnology Chuyao Fan et al, Bioorthogonal information storage in l-DNA with a high-fidelity mirror-image Pfu DNA polymerase,(2021). DOI: 10.1038/s41587-021-00969-6 2021 Science X Network President Xi Jinping has vowed China will reach peak emissions before 2030 and become carbon neutral by 2060. After the UN issued its starkest report yet on the consequences of global warming, pressure is on Chinathe world's biggest polluterto deliver on its own climate goals. President Xi Jinping has vowed his country will reach peak emissions before 2030 and become carbon neutral by 2060. But so far, there is no action plan for achieving these goals. Progress on a climate change law to rein in polluting sectors such as steel, iron and cement has stalled due to industry pressure, while new coal plants are proliferating. Here's a rundown of what China says it is doing to combat climate change. Curbing coal? Xi has vowed to "phase down" coal use from 2026. Despite the big promise, China is building coal plants in more than 60 sites across the country, while idling plants have reopened. Last year, the country added 38.4 gigawatts of coal-power capacitymore than three times the amount built elsewhere in the world, according to data from Global Energy Monitor (GEM), a US-based organisation which catalogues fossil fuel projects worldwide. "This new coal binge is undermining both short- and long-term climate goals," said Christine Shearer, GEM's coal programme director. China's top economic planner told provinces last week to slow down efforts to curb emissions and make sure they do not hurt economic growth. Shuttered coal mines have reopened as demand for electricity surges. "These mixed signals have confused both investors and local governments," Martin Wang, an analyst at Guotai Junan Securities, said. "No one is sure when to pull out their money from coal." The return to coal appears to run against the incentives offered by the launch of the world's biggest carbon trading market last month to prod China's power companies to curb emissions. The price for a ton of carbon has hovered around the 50 yuan ($7.7) mark, too low to prompt a switch to cleaner fuels. Investing in renewables For China to meet its emissions targets, 90 percent of power should come from nuclear and renewables by 2050, according to researchers at Tsinghua University in Beijing. Currently it is just 15 percent. China has more than a third of the world's installed wind and solar capacity and electricity generated using renewables is now cheaper than that made with coal. "But utility companies are still reluctant to increase the amount of green electricity they purchase because of intense pressure from the coal lobby," said Han Chen, China energy policy researcher at the National Resources Defense Council, a US-based climate advocacy group. "That is why renewables only contribute to 15 percent of China's energy mix despite all the investments flowing into the industry." Beijing has pledged to invest in smart grids and energy storage over the next five years, to allow wind and solar energy generated in remote western regions to power factories on the east coast. Investment in nuclear plants has also gone up. Over the next 15 years, Beijing wants to install at least 200 gigawatts of nuclear capacity. That is more than the installed capacity in the US and France - the world's two biggest users of nuclear power. Electric vehicles A quarter of China's greenhouse gas emissions come from transport and the government has poured in billions to promote cleaner alternatives. One in 20 cars sold in China today is an electric or hybrid vehicle and most big cities have thousands of public charging stations. Public buses in most cities run on electricity, while electrified roads for smart vehicles are being rolled out. But Beijing started withdrawing support for electric car manufacturers in 2020 after several high-profile subsidy fraud cases rattled the industry. Reforestation Beijing has planted more than 40 billion trees over the past three decades, creating large carbon sinks that can absorb greenhouse gases. More than 22 percent of the county is now covered by forests, up from just 12 percent in 1978. But experts say these planted forests are monocultures that can be easily destroyed by pests and droughts. Overall, critics warn China has a long way to go to reach its own targets. "China is in a cycle of carbon-intensive growth... reversing progress made in the early 2010s," Li Shuo, Climate policy adviser at Greenpeace China, said. "The key is to cut the country's addiction to fossil fuel. Doing so is still being perceived by some as suicidal." Explore further China restarts coal mines to meet surging power demand 2021 AFP UN chief Antonio Guterres called the IPCC's assessmentthe most detailed review of climate science ever conducted"code red for humanity" A bombshell climate science report "must sound a death knell" for coal, oil and gas, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Monday, warning that fossil fuels were destroying the planet. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change concluded that the 1.5C temperature goal of the Paris Agreement would likely be breached around 2030a decade earlier than it itself projected just three years ago. Guterres called the IPCC's assessmentthe most detailed review of climate science ever conducted"code red for humanity". "This report must sound a death knell for coal and fossil fuels, before they destroy our planet," he said in a statement. "Countries should also end all new fossil fuel exploration and production, and shift fossil fuel subsidies into renewable energy." In its first major scientific assessment since 2014, the IPCC said that Earth's average surface temperature is projected to hit 1.5 or 1.6 degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels at around 2030, no matter what trajectory greenhouse gas emissions take in the meantime. By mid-century, the 1.5C threshold will have been breached across the board, by a tenth of a degree along the most ambitious pathway, and by nearly a full degree at the opposite extreme. 'The alarm bells are deafening' In his most frontal assault yet on the fossil fuel industry that powers the global economy, Guterres said "immediate action" was needed to decarbonise the energy sector. "The alarm bells are deafening, and the evidence is irrefutable: greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuel burning and deforestation are choking our planet and putting billions of people at immediate risk," said Guterres. The Portuguese diplomat said keeping the 1.5C temperature goal in play meant that no new coal plants could be built and that all energy derived from burning coal must come from renewable sources by 2040. Atmospheric levels of planet-warming CO2 are currently at their highest in at least the last two million years, with methane and nitrous oxide levels at their highest since 800,000 years ago. Despite a record drop in carbon pollution last year driven by pandemic restrictions, the IPCC found "no detectable decrease" in the rate of greenhouse gas accumulation. Guterres called on world leaders to ensure the COP26 climate summit in November leads to ramped up emissions cuts and finance to countries already dealing with the fallout from global heating. "If we combine forces now, we can avert climate catastrophe," he said. "But, as today's report makes clear, there is no time for delay and no room for excuses." Explore further 5 things to know about the new UN report on climate change 2021 AFP Credit: CC0 Public Domain An epochal new report from the world's top climate scientists warns that the planet will warm by 1.5 degrees Celsius in the next two decades without drastic moves to eliminate greenhouse gas pollution. The finding from the United Nations-backed group throws a key goal of the Paris Agreement into danger as signs of climate change become apparent across every part of the world. The latest scientific assessment from the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change for the first time speaks with certainty about the total responsibility of human activity for rising temperatures. The scientists forecast no end to warming trends until emissions cease. "It is unequivocal that human influence has warmed the atmosphere, ocean and land," wrote the authors of the IPCC's sixth global science assessment since 1990 and the first released in more than eight years. The crucial warming threshold of 2 decgrees Celsius will be "exceeded during the 21st century," the IPCC authors concluded, without deep emissions cuts "in the coming decades." The assessment released on Monday is the work of more than 200 scientists digesting thousands of studies, and an accompanying summary was approved by delegates from 195 countries. More than any other forecast or record, this report's determinations establish a powerful global consensusless than three months before the UN's COP26 international climate talks. Among the headline findings: The past decade was most likely hotter than any period in the last 125,000 years, when sea levels were as much as 10 meters higher. Combustion and deforestation have also raised carbon dioxide in the atmosphere higher than they've been in 2 million years, according to the report, and agriculture and fossil fuels have contributed to methane and nitrous oxide concentration higher than any point in at least 800,000 years. The full, 3,949-page assessment was released in conjunction with the 42-page "summary for policymakers." While the latter went through a diplomatic approval process in addition to a scientific one, the former comes directly from scientists. Chapter one of the underlying report includes strong language admonishing Paris signatories, calling their pledges so far under the agreement "insufficient to reduce greenhouse gas emission enough" to keep global warming well below 2 degrees Celsius. The document is "a code red for humanity," said Antonio Guterres, secretary-general of the United Nations, in prepared remarks tied to the release. "This report must sound a death knell for coal and fossil fuels before they destroy our planet." Even as the IPCC authors have done away with some of the cautious uncertainty that marked past assessments, the last few months have seen a series of rapid-fire climate disasters that underline the new language. Summertime in the Northern Hemisphere has been marred by severe flooding across Europe and China, as well as alarming drought and the early onset of large wildfires in the Western U.S. and Canada. One of the coldest places on the planet, Siberia, has experienced severe heat and forest fires. Just this past weekend brought disturbing footage of people fleeing sprawling wildfires in Greece. Nearly all of this can be attributed to human influence. The IPCC found that the combined effects of human activity have already increased the global average temperature by about 1.1 degrees Celsius above the late 19th-century average. The contribution to global warming of natural factors, such as the sun and volcanoes, is estimated to be close to zero. In fact, humans have dumped enough greenhouse gas into the atmosphere to heat the planet by 1.5 degrees Celsius, according to the report, but fine-particle pollution from fossil fuels provides a cooling effect that masks some of the impact. In its fifth assessment, published in 2013, IPCC's volunteer scientists introduced the idea of a "carbon budget," setting an upper bound on the amount of carbon dioxide that can be added to the atmosphere before it will breach certain temperature thresholds. "Now we have much more confidence in those numbers," said Joeri Rogelj, a lecturer in climate change and the environment at Imperial College London and one of the report's authors. Humanity will have about a 50% chance of staying below the 1.5 degrees Celsius threshold called for by the Paris Agreement if carbon dioxide emissions from 2020 onwards remain below 500 billion tons. At the current rate of emissions, that carbon budget would be used up in about 13 years. If the rate doesn't come down, the planet will warm more than 1.5 degrees Celsius. "Our opportunity to avoid even more catastrophic impacts has an expiration date," said Helen Mountford, vice president of climate and economics at the World Resources Institute. "The report implies that this decade is truly our last chance to take the actions necessary to limit temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius. If we collectively fail to rapidly curb greenhouse gas emissions in the 2020s, that goal will slip out of reach." The new publication lands in the middle of the ramp-up to COP26, to be held in Glasgow in November. A global deal to pursue faster emission cuts would depend on poor countries securing $100 billion a year in climate finance from rich countries, something envisioned in previous climate agreements but not yet achieved. National governments would also need to agree to rules governing the trading of emissions permits, to ensure those moving faster toward cuts are rewarded for doing so. Unlike the IPCC's somewhat anomalous 2018 special report, Global Warming of 1.5 degrees Celsius, the publication released Monday doesn't explicitly state that net-zero emissions must be achieved by 2050 to meet the goals set out in the Paris Agreement. That's because this group's mandate was to assess new scientific knowledge, not prescribe policy actions. Upcoming IPCC assessments expected next year in February and March will address climate impacts, adaptation and mitigation. The authors of the new IPCC publication add that, after accounting for global emissions since the 2018 special release, its estimate of the world's remaining carbon budget is "of similar magnitude" to the one in its prior publication, implying that the finding stands. This latest assessment's most ambitious scenario shows emissions falling to net zero around 2050, which is as close as it comes to restating the top-line conclusion of the special report. All five of the new report's temperature scenarios show the 1.5 degrees Celsius marker passed by 2040, before cooling down below that mark in only one of five scenarios. Achieving that cooling will depend on large-scale removal of carbon dioxide from the air. An independent analysis conducted by the group Climate Action Tracker suggests that current global policies may track either the IPCC's medium or high scenarios, which lead to 2.7 degrees Celsius and 3.6 degrees Celsius of warming by 2100. New scientific tools enter the mainstream The climate science profession has seen entire specialties emerge and mature in the years since the IPCC's previous mega-report on science. None of these is more resonant than the ability to analyze extreme weather events in real-time to determine the role of climate change. Twenty years ago, researchers couldn't link a specific weather event directly to human-made climate change, meaning that the scientific likelihood of a specific storm or heat wave being tied to warmer temperatures wasn't knowable. Today, many of these weather attribution studies can be produced within days or weeks of an event. The deadly heat wave that gripped the western coast of North America in June had detectable evidence of human responsibility. World Weather Attribution, an international research group, needed just days after the heat broke to conclude that the extraordinary temperatures would be "virtually impossible" without climate change. This ability of scientists to parse the probability that any one disaster is driven by warming temperatures highlights one of the IPCC's core findings: The entire globe is warming, although not uniformly. Regions will still experience natural swings in temperature, particularly in coming years, as it takes time for heating to have a significant effect on the Earth's processes. Another research breakthrough in the field of climate sensitivity now allows scientists to make even more confident projections about future warming. Drawing from research on ancient climates, as well as advanced satellite technology that monitors clouds and emissions, IPCC authors were able to narrow their temperature projections for the rest of the century, giving humanity a clearer picture of what lies in store if we don't act quickly to curtail emissions. The Earth's response to a theoretical doubling of preindustrial carbon dioxide levels is now thought to be between 2.5 degrees Celsius to 4 degrees Celsius a much smaller range than 1.5 degrees Celsius to 4.5 degrees Celsius in previous IPCC reports. "The top end is being reduced, which means that some of these really bad outcomes, where we roll sixes on the climate sensitivity dice, seems a little less plausible than they did," said Zeke Hausfather, director of climate and energy at the Breakthrough Institute, who wasn't an author of the summary. This development helped the IPCC authors cope with another headache: Some Earth-system models updated for this assessment began showing surprisingly high projections for future warming. But the breakthrough allowing greater confidence in the Earth's potential response to carbon dioxide gave scientists welcome evidence to balance the modeling approach with other research. The improvements in projections came, in part, from a stronger grasp of so-called "climate feedbacks" such as the way melting ice and greenhouse gases escaping from thawing permafrost compound on each other in previously unpredictable ways. Scientists are now more confident that lowering emissions will mean less chance of activating feedbacks. That also means that the actions humanity takes in the near term to limit emissions will be a determining factor in whether we see these dramatically accelerating effects in the longer term. The IPCC's new findings rule out the possibility that unrestricted emissions will have only a mild effect on global temperatures, a hope few if any observers were still clinging to. But the updated science, particularly the narrowed range for climate sensitivity, provides powerful evidence of the world's best pathway to safety: swiftly ending the release of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. What comes next? There is an endgame, if nations choose to try and reach it. The data continue to show a straightforward relationship between carbon dioxide and temperature. That means that when atmospheric carbon concentrations stop rising, the temperature will, too, soon thereafter. Scientists have broken ground by projecting what happens when our emissions cease. As the world reduces its use of fossil fuels, for instance, the cooling effect of aerosols will start to decline. Scientists are confident that one way to counter that decline would be to pursue "strong, rapid and sustained reductions" in methane emissions. Beyond carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide, there are four other greenhouse gases that also provide opportunities to slow warming. Even at 1.1 degrees Celsius, climate change is taking lives and destroying property and forcing retreat, migration and conflict. The effects of human activity are continuing to melt glaciers and sea ice. Heating oceans means raising themat a rate more than 2.5 times faster in this century than the last, according to the IPCC. Some of that harm is now baked in for centuries to come. "This last year has proven that climate change is no longer a distant threat," said Katharine Hayhoe, chief scientist at the Nature Conservancy, who wasn't involved in the summary. "We can no longer assume that citizens of more affluent and secure countries like Canada, Germany, Japan and the United States will be able to ride out the worst excesses of a rapidly destabilizing climate, even as those in more vulnerable latitudes suffer." In a press conference Monday morning, IPCC leadership emphasized that the disparate effects of climate change are being felt in every region of the world. The new report also comes with an interactive tool that enables users to apply its underlying datasets to the world map. That could, for example, help India reckon with the impact warming could have on economically crucial rainfall patterns under different emissions scenarios. "When we put everything together, for almost all of the 44 regions in the world, coastal climate impact drivers were increasing," said Roshanka Ranasinghe, professor of climate change impacts and coastal risk at the University of Twente and one of the authors of the assessment. The IPCC is inherently conservative. It emphasizes information in which scientists have the most evidence and agreement. At the same time, the new scientific consensus doesn't rule out continued investigation of its lower-confidence findings. The authors indicate that some potentially sweeping changes are not as well understood, such as unlikely but still possible heat extremes or ice-sheet collapse. Another "low-likelihood high-impact outcome" flagged by IPCC authors is a sudden, dramatic change in ocean circulation. A study released last week in the journal Nature Climate Change documented changes in the powerful churn of Atlantic water as potential indicators of "an almost complete loss of stability." The IPCC itself foresees further weakening of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation in the decades ahead, with disagreement over the possibility of collapse before 2100. Such an event would weaken monsoons in Africa and Asia, strengthen them in the Southern Hemisphere and dry out Europe. There are always more questions to ask, and the perpetual churn of research means even the most comprehensive assessment can never be truly complete. "That's just what science is, right?" said Tamsin Edwards, an IPCC author and a reader in climate change at King's College London. "It's constantly evolving and refining and adding new studies, and improving our knowledge. The intensity of the effort that goes into assessing the literaturethe 14,000 papers for this reportmakes it an authoritative, comprehensive, coherent synthesis in a way that a single paper can never be." Explore further IPCC says limiting any global warming is what matters most 2021 Bloomberg L.P. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Credit: Shutterstock The much-awaited new report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is due later today. Ahead of the release, debate has erupted about the computer models at the very heart of global climate projections. Climate models are one of many tools scientists use to understand how the climate changed in the past and what it will do in future. A recent article in the eminent US magazine Science questioned how the IPCC will deal with some climate models which "run hot." Some models, it said, have projected global warming rates "that most scientists, including the model makers themselves, believe are implausibly fast." Some commentators, including in Australia, interpreted the article as proof climate modeling had failed. So should we be using climate models? We are climate scientists from Australia's Centre of Excellence for Climate Extremes, and we believe the answer is a firm yes. Our research uses and improves climate models so we can help Australia cope with extreme events, now and in future. We know when climate models are running hot or cold. And identifying an error in some climate models doesn't mean the science has failedin fact, it means our understanding of the climate system has advanced. So lets look at what you should know about climate models ahead of the IPCC findings. What are climate models? Climate models comprise millions of lines of computer code representing the physics and chemistry of the processes that make up our climate system. The models run on powerful supercomputers and have simulated and predicted global warming with remarkable accuracy. They unequivocally show that warming of the planet since the Industrial Revolution is due to human-caused emissions of greenhouse gases. This confirms our understanding of the greenhouse effect, known since the 1850s. Models also show the intensity of many recent extreme weather events around the world would be essentially impossible without this human influence. Rapid warming in Australia under a very high greenhouse gas emission future (red) compared with climate change stabilisation in a low emission future (blue). Author provided. Scientists do not use climate models in isolation, or without considering their limitations. For a few years now, scientists have known some new-generation climate models probably overestimate global warming, and others underestimate it. This realization is based on our understanding of Earth's climate sensitivityhow much the climate will warm when carbon dioxide (CO) levels in the atmosphere double. Before industrial times, CO levels in the atmosphere were 280 parts per million. So a doubling of CO will occur at 560 parts per million. (For context, we're currently at around 415 parts per million). The latest scientific evidence, using observed warming, paleoclimate data and our physical understanding of the climate system, suggests global average temperatures will very likely increase by between 2.2 and 4.9 if CO levels double. The large majority of climate models run within this climate sensitivity range. But some don'tinstead suggesting a temperature rise as low as 1.8 or high as 5.6. It's thought the biases in some models stem from the representations of clouds and their interactions with aerosol particles. Researchers are beginning to understand these biases, building our understanding of the climate system and how to further improve models in future. With all this in mind, scientists use climate models cautiously, giving more weight to projections from climate models that are consistent with other scientific evidence. The following graph shows how most models are within the expected climate sensitivity rangeand having some running a bit hot or cold doesn't change the overall picture of future warming. And when we compare model results with the warming we've already observed over Australia, there's no indication the models are over-cooking things. What does the future look like? Future climate projections are produced by giving models different possibilities for greenhouse gas concentrations in our atmosphere. Credit: Nerilie Abram, based on Riahi et al. 2017, CC BY-ND The latest IPCC models use a set of possibilities called "Shared Socioeconomic Pathways" (SSPs). These pathways match expected population growth, and where and how people will live, with plausible levels of atmospheric greenhouse gases that would result from these socioeconomic choices. The pathways range from low-emission scenarios that also require considerable atmospheric CO removalgiving the world a reasonable chance of meeting the Paris Agreement targetsto high-emission scenarios where temperature goals are far exceeded. Ahead of the IPCC report, some say the high-emission scenarios are too pessimistic. But likewise, it could be argued the lack of climate action over the past decade, and absence of technology to remove large volumes of CO from the atmosphere, means low-emission scenarios are too optimistic. If countries meet their existing emissions reduction commitments under the Paris Agreement, we can expect to land somewhere in the middle of the scenarios. But the future depends on our choices, and we shouldn't dismiss any pathway as implausible. There is considerable value in knowing both the future risks to avoid, and what's possible under ambitious climate action. Where to from here? We can expect the IPCC report to be deeply worrying. And unfortunately, 30 years of IPCC history tells us the findings are more likely to be too conservative than too alarmist. An enormous global effortboth scientifically and in computing resourcesis needed to ensure climate models can provide even better information. Climate models are already phenomenal tools at large scales. But increasingly, we'll need them to produce fine-scale projections to help answer questions such as: where to plant forests to mitigate carbon? Where to build flood defenses? Where might crops best be grown? Where would renewable energy resources be best located? Climate models will continue to be an important tool for the IPCC, policymakers and society as we attempt to manage the unavoidable risks ahead. Explore further IPCC says limiting any global warming is what matters most This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. Credit: CC0 Public Domain A recent study finds U.S. companies that have a substantial number of employees in foreign jurisdictions with lower tax rates are more likely than their peers to "artificially" locate earnings in those jurisdictionsand the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is less likely to challenge these complex tax-planning activities. "Many politicians seek to encourage domestic employment and discourage sending jobs overseas," says Nathan Goldman, co-author of the study and an assistant professor of accounting in North Carolina State University's Poole College of Management. "To do that, they'll need to address elements of corporate tax policy that effectively encourage corporations to ramp up their percentage of foreign employees." The researchers were interested in determining how foreign employment affected income shifting by large companies, and tax uncertainty regarding the foreign transactions of those companies. Income shifting is when companies artificially locate earnings in a low-tax jurisdiction. For example, one form of income shifting is when a company alters intercompany pricing by charging unusual prices to transfer income from the part of the company that earned the money to the part of the company that is based in a low-tax jurisdictionparticularly when there is no reason to do so other than to avoid taxes. Tax uncertainty refers to the likelihood that an IRS audit will result in the company having to pay more in taxes. For this study, the researchers looked at data from 815 large, multinational companies based in the U.S. The researchers collected financial data on all of the companies for each year between 2000 and 2016. During that time period, all of the companies had at least one year during which they recorded at least $100 million in foreign sales. The average firm in the sample, during the average year, had 18,763 employees, of which 8,499 were employed outside the U.S. The researchers used empirical models that allowed them to identify whether companies were recording unusually high profit margins in low-tax jurisdictions relative to the U.S. which would suggest that companies were engaging in income shifting. The researchers found companies that had a higher percentage of foreign employees were more likely to have unusually high profit margins overseas. In addition, those companies recorded fewer unrecognized tax benefit reserves on their financial statements, which reflects lower tax uncertainty. In other words, companies appear to be facing less scrutiny from the IRS related to their aggressive tax planning activities. "Think of it this way: If a company only has a few employees in a low-tax jurisdiction and claims a huge profit there, the IRS is likely going to single that company outthe amount of profit is out of scale with the size of the operation," Goldman says. "But if a company has a lot of employees in that jurisdiction, the profits appear more reasonable, and the relevant business activities are less likely to get singled out by the IRS for a rigorous audit. "One of the takeaways here is that the tax code effectively encourages companies to increase the percentage of their employees who work in foreign jurisdictions that have low tax rates. Not just because of a higher U.S. tax rate, but because the company is better able to substantiate the economic substance of their transactions, resulting in a higher likelihood of defending these aggressive tax planning activities in an IRS audit." The paper, "Foreign Employment, Income Shifting, and Tax Uncertainty," appears in The Accounting Review. The paper was co-authored by Katharine Drake of the University of Arizona and by Frank Murphy of the University of Connecticut. Explore further Having employees overseas helps companies reap US tax benefits More information: Katharine D. Drake et al, Foreign Employment, Income Shifting, and Tax Uncertainty, The Accounting Review (2021). Katharine D. Drake et al, Foreign Employment, Income Shifting, and Tax Uncertainty,(2021). DOI: 10.2308/TAR-2019-0047 This Aug. 7, 2021 photo shows a classic Chevrolet El Camino that was lost along with the home of "Pete" Reyna Wednesday evening in Chicago Park. About a two-hour drive south from the Dixie Fire, crews had surrounded nearly half of the River Fire that broke out Wednesday near the town of Colfax and destroyed 68 homes and other buildings. Evacuation orders for thousands of people in Nevada and Placer counties were lifted Friday. Credit: Elias Funez/The Union via AP Thick smoke that held down winds and temperatures began to clear Sunday from the scenic forestlands of Northern California as firefighters battling the largest single wildfire in state history braced for a return of fire-friendly weather. The winds weren't expected to reach the ferocious speeds that helped the Dixie Fire explode in size last week. But they were nonetheless concerning for firefighters working in unprecedented conditions to protect thousands of threatened homes. "The live trees that are out there now have a lower fuel moisture than you would find when you go to a hardware store or a lumber yard and get that piece of lumber that's kiln dried," Mark Brunton, operations section chief for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, said in an online briefing Sunday morning. "It's that dry, so it doesn't take much for any sort of embers, sparks or small flaming front to get that going." Fueled by strong winds and bone-dry vegetation, the fire incinerated much of Greenville on Wednesday and Thursday, destroying 370 homes and structures and threatening nearly 14,000 buildings in the northern Sierra Nevada. The Dixie Fire, named for the road where it started nearly four weeks ago, grew to an area of 765 square miles (1,980 square kilometers) by Sunday evening and was just 21% contained, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. It had scorched an area more than twice the size of New York City. Deer wander among homes and vehicles destroyed by the Dixie Fire in the Greenville community of Plumas County, Calif., Friday, Aug. 6, 2021. Credit: AP Photo/Noah Berger With smoke clearing out on eastern portions of the fire, crews that had been directly attacking the front lines would be forced to retreat and build containment lines farther back, said Dan McKeague, a fire information officer from the U.S. Forest Service. On the plus side, better visibility should allow planes and helicopters to return to the firefight and make it safer for ground crews to maneuver. "As soon as that air clears, we can fly again," McKeague said. Crews have constructed 465 miles (748 kilometers) of line around the massive blaze, Deputy Incident Commander Chris Waters said. That's about the distance from the central California city of Chico to Los Angeles. But officials are only confident that about 20% of the line is secure, he said. "Every bit of that line needs to be constructed, staffed, mopped up and actually put to bed before we can call this fire fully contained," Waters said during Saturday evening's incident briefing. A fire truck drives through central Greenville, which was largely leveled by the Dixie Fire, Friday, Aug. 6, 2021, in Plumas County, Calif. Credit: AP Photo/Noah Berger Strong winds contributed to increased fire activity Sunday. But the weather was expected to settle a bit starting Monday. Damage reports are preliminary because assessment teams can't get into many areas, officials said. The blaze became the largest single fire in California's recorded history, surpassing last year's Creek Fire in the Central Valley. It's about half the size of the August Complex, a series of lightning-caused 2020 fires across seven counties that were fought together and that state officials consider California's largest wildfire overall. The fire's cause was under investigation. The Pacific Gas & Electric utility has said it may have been sparked when a tree fell on one of its power lines. A federal judge ordered PG&E on Friday to give details by Aug. 16 about the equipment and vegetation where the fire started. The melted metal from a pickup truck's rims ran down the driveway of this Chicago Park home after the River Fire burned through here Saturday, Aug. 7, 2021. About a two-hour drive south from the Dixie Fire, crews had surrounded nearly half of the River Fire that broke out Wednesday near the town of Colfax and destroyed 68 homes and other buildings. Evacuation orders for thousands of people in Nevada and Placer counties were lifted Friday. Credit: Elias Funez/The Union via AP Cooler temperatures and higher humidity slowed the spread of the fire, and temperatures topped 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 degrees Celsius) instead of the triple-digit highs recorded earlier in the week. But the blaze and its neighboring fires, within several hundred miles of each other, posed an ongoing threat. Gov. Gavin Newsom surveyed the damage in Greenville Saturday, writing on Twitter that "our hearts ache for this town." "These are climate-induced wildfires and we have to acknowledge that we have the capacity in not just the state but in this country to solve this," Newsom said on CNN. Heat waves and historic drought tied to climate change have made wildfires harder to fight in the American West. Scientists have said climate change has made the region much warmer and drier in the past 30 years and will continue to make the weather more extreme and wildfires more frequent and destructive. Following the Dixie Fire, flames burn in a tree in the Canyondam area of Plumas County, Calif., Friday, Aug. 6, 2021. Credit: AP Photo/Noah Berger Northwest of the Dixie Fire in the Shasta-Trinity National Forest, hundreds of homes remained threatened by the McFarland and Monument fires, which continued growing. About a quarter of the McFarland Fire was contained and about 3% of the Monument Fire was contained. South of the Dixie Fire, firefighters prevented further growth of the River Fire, which broke out Wednesday near Colfax and destroyed 68 homes. Smoke from wildfires burning in the U.S. West continues to flow into parts of Colorado and Utah, where the air quality in many areas was rated as unhealthy. Denver's air quality Sunday was relatively better than Saturday, but the smoke has made the air there and in Salt Lake City among the worst in the world. California's fire season is on track to surpass last year's season, which was the worst fire season in recent recorded state history. Smoke from western wildfires funnels along Colorado's Front Range and obscures the skyline Sunday, Aug. 8, 2021, in Denver. Credit: AP Photo/David Zalubowski Smoke from western wildfires funnels along Colorado's Front Range and obscures the skyline Sunday, Aug. 8, 2021, in Denver. Credit: AP Photo/David Zalubowski In this satellite image provided by Maxar Technologies the Dixie Fire burns in Northern California on Sunday, Aug. 8, 2021. Credit: Satellite image 2021 Maxar Technologies via AP Deer wander among homes and vehicles destroyed by the Dixie Fire in the Greenville community of Plumas County, Calif., Friday, Aug. 6, 2021. Credit: AP Photo/Noah Berger A deer wanders among homes and vehicles destroyed by the Dixie Fire in the Greenville community of Plumas County, Calif., on Friday, Aug. 6, 2021. Credit: AP Photo/Noah Berger Since the start of the year, more than 6,000 blazes have destroyed more than 1,260 square miles (3,260 square kilometers) of landmore than triple the losses for the same period in 2020, according to state fire figures. California's raging wildfires were among 107 large fires burning across 14 states, mostly in the West, where historic drought conditions have left lands parched and ripe for ignition. Explore further Californians hit hard hard with weekend of wildfire fears 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. A large forest fire approaches the village of Pefki on Evia, Greece's second largest island. Firefighters battled heat and suffocating smoke for a seventh consecutive day Monday on the Greek island of Evia, swept by the most destructive of the wildfires that have destroyed hundreds of homes and forced thousands to flee. Greece and neighbouring Turkey have been battling devastating blazes for nearly two weeks as the region suffers its worst heatwave in decades. The wildfires continue as an alarming UN climate report warned that the planet is warming faster than previously estimated. Two people have been confirmed dead in Greece and eight in Turkey, while dozens have been hospitalised. While most of the fires that have blazed elsewhere in Greece for nearly two weeks have stabilised or receded, the ones on rugged and forested EviaGreece's second largest island after Cretewere the most worrying, creating apocalyptic scenes. Saving villages Authorities were on Monday putting the priority on saving the villages of Kamatriades and Galatsades because "if the fire passes through there, it will end up in a thick forest that will be difficult to extinguish," firefighters told the Greek news agency ANA. As the sweeping wall of fire laid siege to one village after another on the north of the island, firefighters toiled until dawn to quench flames at Monokarya in order to protect the town of Istiaia, all without the help of water-dousing aircraft, ANA reported. Wildfires on the island of Evia have charred pine forestS, destroyed homes and forced tourists and locals to flee. Thick and suffocating smoke on Monday also enveloped the coastal region of Pefki, where hundreds of villagers had been evacuated by sea, while others regrouped, an AFP reporting team said. Around 300 people evacuated from surrounding villages spent the night in a ferry moored near the long beach. Looming in the haze offshore, a military ship awaited further evacuees. The ferry "was the only place where people could get a little peace and security," a military official, Panagiotis Charalambos, told AFP. Like many nearby communities, Pefki "had no electricity or water," he said. "Here, the people lived from the forest, from the crops, olives and tourism. There's nothing of that left now," said Louisa, a penioner in Pefki. Finance Minister Christos Staikouras said up to 6,000 euros per household would be allocated to residents whose homes were damaged, as well as 4,500 euros for the injured. In the town of Aidipsos, collections of basic necessities were organised for villagers who had lost everything in the fire. "Have you seen the state offer us water? Snacks for the children? No one! They are just letting shopkeepers and individuals give water to people," Pefki resident Giorgos told AFP. A house burns as fires approach the village of Pefki on Evia. Climate change reality While rain brought some respite from the blazes in Turkey over the weekend, Greece continued to suffer from an intense heatwave that Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said should show even doubters the hard reality of climate change. Monday's report by the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change concluded that the 1.5C temperature goal of the Paris Agreement would likely be breached around 2030a decade earlier than it projected just three years ago. Meanwhile the EU said it was mobilising "one of Europe's biggest ever common firefighting operations" to assist Greece and other countries. The response was needed "as multiple fires affect several countries simultaneously," EU crisis management commissioner Janez Lenarcic said. Giorgos Kelaitzidis, Evia's deputy governor, echoed many when he blasted the "insufficient forces" to fight the fires while "the situation is critical" on the island. He said at least 35,000 hectares of land and hundreds of homes have been burned. Comparison of the area burned in Greece in the first 7 months of 2021 with the average of the first 7 months of the years 2008 to 2020. From July 29 to August 7, 56,655 hectares (140,000 acres) were burnt in Greece, according to the European Forest Fire Information System. The average area burnt over the same period between 2008 and 2020 was 1,700 hectares. Some 650 firefighters have so far been deployed on Evia, according to Greek authorities. But the air support faced "serious difficulties" because of turbulence, thick smoke and limited visibility, Greece's Civil Protection deputy minister Nikos Hardalias said. The situation looked better elsewhere, with officials saying that fires in the southwestern Peloponnese region and in a suburb north of Athens had abated. A fire on Crete was brought under control. But Hardalias warned the risk of fires resurging was heightened. Explore further Desperate Greeks flee as fires ravage Evia island 2021 AFP Sentinel-2C being readied for testing. Credit: IABG With the first Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellite in orbit since 2015 and the second since 2017, engineers are busy preparing the mission's follow-on pair to eventually pick up the baton to supply images for a myriad of applications from food security to monitoring the decline of Earth's ice. Slated for launch at the beginning of 2024, Sentinel-2C has just started a punishing five-month testing program to ensure that it is fit for its life in space. The Sentinel-2 satellites each carry an innovative high-resolution multispectral imager, which combined with their 290 km-wide swath and frequent revisit times, offer unprecedented views of Earth. The mission provides information mainly for agricultural practices and for tackling the global issue of food security. Images can be used to determine leaf area chlorophyll and water content indexes, for example. These data are particularly important for effective yield prediction and applications related to Earth's vegetation. However, over the last six years, the mission's data have also been used to monitor changes in ice sheets and glaciers, coastal erosion, deforestation, burnt land resulting from wildfires, pollution in lakes and coastal waters, and more. The mission is based on a constellation of two identical satellites in the same orbit, 180 apart for optimal coverage and data delivery. So, when Sentinel-2A retires, Sentinel-2C will be there to take its place, and eventually Sentinel-2D will replace Sentinel-2B. Sentinel-2 carries an innovative high-resolution multispectral instrument with 13 bands that work in three different resolutions: four bands at 10 m, six bands at 20 m and three bands at 60 m. The combination of the imager, its wide swath of 290 km and the satellites frequent revisit times provide unprecedented views of Earths land and vegetation. Credit: European Space Agency This pairing guarantees the continuation of data delivery that many Copernicus Services users now rely. With such an important career ahead, it is essential that the next Sentinel-2 satellite to launch, Sentinel-2C, is thoroughly tested. Engineers at Airbus Defence and Space in Friedrichshafen, Germany, have spent the last four months completing the build-up of the satellite by integrating its all-important multispectral imager instrument, and have now transported it to IABG's facilities in Ottobrunn. Given the restrictions that the COVID pandemic has imposed this has been no easy matter. Constantin Mavrocordatos, ESA's Copernicus Sentinel-2 project manager said, "We are thrilled that Sentinel-2C is now ready to be fully tested. Airbus has done a spectacular job fitting the whole satellite out, especially during these difficult COVID times, which has led to some different ways of working to ensure all the restrictions are respected. "The satellite arrived safely in IABG where it was unpacked, checked that all is well after its short road trip from Friedrichshafen and was installed in the cleanroom for series of exhaustive tests that will run until Christmas." The program includes a range of mechanical tests that simulate the noise and vibrations of liftoff, tests that check that the satellite deploys its solar wing correctly, other tests that place the satellite under the extreme temperature swings it will experience in space, and electromagnetic compatibility tests to measure radio frequency radiation levels generated by the satellite and to verify the correct operation of the satellite equipment under this environment. Once all this has been completed, Sentinel-2C will be transported back to Friedrichshafen for some final checks before being placed in storage to wait until it is time to ship it to the launch site in French Guiana. Liftoff is envisaged to take place in early 2024. Credit: Pixabay Connection to country, culture and community is intrinsically linked to teaching and retaining Indigenous languages, a Flinders University communications expert says. Flinders University Emeritus Professor Andrew Butcher, who has been researching Aboriginal languages of Australia for more than 30 years, highlights the importance of preserving First Nations language, including pronunciation and other details in a recent paper in three Central Australian languages. "Across all of Australia's Indigenous languages, the most important message is that these languages need to be recorded before they disappearas so many have done alreadyand, where possible, supported and revived in the communities where they belong," says Professor Butcher. August 9, the annual International Day of Indigenous Peoples 2021, warns the COVID-19 pandemic is exposing more than 476 million indigenous peoples in 90 countries to further inequities from poverty, illness, discrimination, and other instability. The pandemic follows centuries of marginalization and a set of different vulnerabilities affecting the health and wellbeing of indigenous peoples around the, the UN annual International Day of Indigenous Peoples warns. Indigenous peoples are the holders of a vast diversity of unique cultures, traditions, languages and knowledge systems. Despite these difficulties, indigenous peoples have demonstrated extraordinary examples of good governance, ranging from the Haudenosaunee to the National Congress of Australia's First Peoples. Professor Marija Tabain, from La Trobe University, the lead author in the recent article in the Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, researches the articulatory and acoustic phonetics of several different languages including the Central Australian languages Arrernte, Pitjantjatjara and Warlpiri. "Our study of consonant articulation among 21 speakers of these three neighboring Central Australian languages highlights the unique use of language and subtle differences between the users," she says. "Literacy plays a major role in maintenance of marginal phonemic contrast," the researchers conclude. Gavan Breen OAM from the Institute for Aboriginal Development in Alice Springs, and Professor Richard Beare from Monash University, were also involved in the study, engaging with several members of Arrernte, Pitjantjatjara and Warlpiri communities in the Northern Territory and northern South Australia. "This ongoing research is increasingly confirming the uniqueness of Aboriginal languages, particularly as regards their sound systems and range of articulations," says Professor Butcher, who is also an expert in articulation and communication disorders. He says the development of Indigenous Australian languagesamong the oldest surviving languages on the planetmay also help inform contemporary studies and "tell us more about human languages in general." Professor Butcher and the late John McEntee, a senior Adnyamathanha man, have also recently published a detailed analysis on the complexities of the Adnyamathanha language. The monograph in Phonology of Adnyamathanha underscores the close connections between the Adnyamathanha Thura-Yura language spoken in the northern Flinders Ranges of South Australia to the people's long history and culture, Professor Butcher says. The article, A formant study of the alveolar versus retroflex contrast in three Central Australian languages: Stop, nasal, and lateral manners of articulation (2021) by Marija Tabain, Andrew Butcher, Gavan Breen and Richard Beare, has been published in the prestigious The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America. Explore further Language extinction triggers loss of unique medicinal knowledge More information: Marija Tabain et al, A formant study of the alveolar versus retroflex contrast in three Central Australian languages: Stop, nasal, and lateral manners of articulation, The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America (2020). Journal information: Journal of the Acoustical Society of America Marija Tabain et al, A formant study of the alveolar versus retroflex contrast in three Central Australian languages: Stop, nasal, and lateral manners of articulation,(2020). DOI: 10.1121/10.0001012 Carp from Vltava river, Czech Republic. Credit: public domain For decades, four invasive species of carp have been devouring plants, gorging on plankton and endangering an interconnected community of fish, plants and mollusks beneath the murky brown water of the Missouri River. At the same time, conservationists and officials across the country have been fighting to control carp-wrought damage: conscripting scientists, installing barriers, contracting with commercial fishing companies, and even, later this year, starting a campaign to get more restaurants to serve the fish. Now scientists at the U.S. Geological Survey and the University of Missouri have identified a potential breakthrough: They are studying the complex way carp eggs move in rivers, in hopes they can kill them while still young. "We've been developing better ways to remove large numbers of adult carp," said Duane Chapman, supervisory fish biologist with the USGS. "But you need to think about the other end as well." Carp eggs drift for miles, and, as they drift, the fish develop. If researchers can figure out where they land, and if those locations are suitable for the growth of young carp, then they can target sites and intercept the eggs. Water moves in three dimensionsdownstream, side-to-side and up-and-down. But river models so far have been relatively simple, generally based on one or two dimensions, researchers say. Now, however, they have access to more powerful computers, have spent hundreds of hours gathering new water flow data, and have found some helpan expert who specializes in fluid physics. All of that means scientists now hope to use three-dimensional water flow data to chart the paths of the eggs. There are four species of invasive carp in Missouri riversbighead carp, black carp, grass carp and silver carp. All are important foods in China, cultivated there for more than 1,000 years. U.S. fish farmers largely imported them in the 1960s and early 1970s to keep fish farms and other ponds clean. But farmers failed to secure the fish properly, scientists have said, and the carp jumped ship, making their way into the Missouri and Mississippi rivers, and spreading rapidly throughout the Midwest. The population boomed in Missouri in the early 2000s, said Chapman, the USGS biologist. Adult grass carp consume aquatic plants, which serve as food and habitat for native fish. Bighead and silver carp feed on plankton, shouldering aside native fish that rely on the same food source. Silver carp are sometimes called "jumping carp," renowned for flying up to 10 feet in the air when startled, sometimes injuring boaters. Black carp are just getting a foothold in the Missouri River. But they eat mollusks, such as mussels, and mussels are already critically endangered in Missouri, in part due to their sensitivity to pollution. More than 40% of Missouri's 69 mussels are of conservation concern. The impact is stunning: The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service estimates that invasive carp can almost entirely wipe out native fish in some sections of particularly hard-hit rivers. "They really impact sport fish like walleye and crappie," Chapman said. Conservationists have had some success removing carp in lakes. For instance, in 2018 at Creve Coeur Lake, government agencies adapted a Chinese technique called "the unified method"systematically herding fish with sound and electricity, then catching them in large netsto remove about 47,000 carp, or 119 tons. Removal in rivers is more difficult. In 2006, organizers in Bath, Illinois, had a creative ideaan annual "Redneck Fishing Tournament," during which competitors attempt to collect as many silver carp as they can. The catch? No fishing poles are allowedjumping carp have to land in boats, or be snagged from the air by participants as they fly by. In some states commercial anglers harvest carp, largely for pet food and fertilizer. Later this year the state of Illinois plans to roll out a media campaign called "The Perfect Catch," renaming carp in an attempt to boost the fish's popularity as human foodsimilar to how a seafood merchant 45 years ago relabeled Patagonian toothfish as "Chilean sea bass" to increase its market appeal. But the carp are still spreading. "They are continuing to invade new places," said Robert Jacobson, supervisory research hydrologist with the USGS. "There are many states that are now very concerned that they will be next." In Columbia, scientists have been working for almost two decades to stop the spread. The USGS Columbia Environmental Research Center is a complex of buildings and ponds behind a chain-link fence. But one lab hosts most of the work with carp. It is "biosecure"equipped with a specialized wastewater treatment system that has mechanical and ultraviolet filters to prevent even the tiniest egg from escaping, alive, down a drain. Inside the lab are tubs of carp, of all sizes, connected by a maze of pipes circulating water through the containers. One day last month, researchers were experimenting with larval carp hatched just the week before. They placed the baby carp into containers of flowing water, an important sensory input for young fish. After three minutes of swimming, the researchers removed the fish and froze them, later dissecting their brains to see what areas had been activated by the moving water. "What we're trying to figure out is, once these larvae hatch, how their senses develop and how they use them to move into nursery habitat," said Amy George, a fish biologist at the research center. The center houses two groups that work on carp, each with 12-15 employees. Studies vary. They're measuring the impacts of toxins on carp. They're developing sterile bighead with tracking tags, in hopes that, once released, they'll lead scientists to existing populations. They have even charted the growth of carp eggs, every 15 to 30 minutes until they hatchedabout 30 hours later. The USGS in June awarded Mizzou and USGS researchers a $200,000 grant to use computer modeling and field measurements in the Missouri River to predict how the eggs travel. The team has a new member, who brings a specific expertise. Binbin Wang, an assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering at Mizzou, is an expert on fluid physics and will model turbulence in the Missouri River. Scientists could even work backward to calculate where the fish are spawning, which would tell them where to intercept and trap larval fish, or where to generate turbulence in an attempt to destroy the eggs. Carp eggs need Goldilocks-like river conditions not too slow, not too turbulent. Still water allows the eggs to sink to the bottom and die, and rapidly moving water can destroy them. River managers could eventually exploit water dynamics to damage the eggs. The work also will help researchers determine if un-invaded rivers have conditions suitable for carp survival, and then prioritize resources to high-risk waterways. Scientists are particularly concerned about carp traveling north and gaining a foothold in the Great Lakes, putting the ecosystem and fishing industry in jeopardy. Jacobson, the USGS hydrologist, says their findings will help understand how all sorts of materials spread through rivers. "It's not just how it applies to the invasive carp," he said. "It's also applied to endangered species, and it's applied to things like transport of contaminantsif there was an oil spill, or something like that." Now, finally, researchers may gain ground tracking carp eggs. "People ask, 'Why don't you know more about what these carp do?'" Jacobson said. "Well, because they live dominantly in muddy rivers, we can't actually see what they're doing a lot of the time." Explore further Predicting the spread of invasive carp using river water flows 2021 the St. Louis Post-Dispatch Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. A barrel thought to contain DDT waste products rests on the bottom of the ocean floor off of the coast of Los Angeles. Many of the barrels, which were dumped between 1947 and 1982, are surrounded by light-colored bacterial matte halos. The halos indicate a change to the microbial community in the sediment and the scientists hope to learn what bacteria are there and what chemicals they are breaking down. Credit: Schmidt Ocean Institute Marine scientists aboard Schmidt Ocean Institute's research vessel Falkor have completed a 12-day expedition off the coast of Southern California to survey the biodiversity of deep sea areas rich in minerals that are of interest to deep sea mining developers around the world. The expedition, which covered 5,310 square miles, explored nine deep sea sites, including the offshore site where possibly hundreds of thousands of barrels of toxic waste from the production of the insecticide DDT were dumped from 1947 to 1982. With an underwater robot, the team of scientists from UC San Diego's Scripps Institution of Oceanography and the United States Geological Survey collected sediment and biological samples around six barrels to understand potential ecological effects of the dump site and to determine the levels of DDT present in the ecosystem after more than 50 years. The site had been surveyed previously by scientists from UC Santa Barbara and Scripps on previous expeditions. The goal of the Schmidt Ocean Institute expedition was to establish mineral and biological baselines in the area known as the southern California Borderland, which has the potential for deep sea mining. The area contains rare earth marine minerals such as ferromanganese and phosphorite that are used in the manufacture of electronics, electric car batteries, solar panels, and other green technologies. A barrel thought to contain DDT waste products rests on the bottom of the ocean floor off of the coast of Los Angeles. Many of the barrels, which were dumped between 1947 and 1982, are surrounded by light-colored bacterial matte halos. The halos indicate a change to the microbial community in the sediment and the scientists hope to learn what bacteria are there and what chemicals they are breaking down. Credit: Schmidt Ocean Institute Scientists collected more than 300 samples of seafloor rocks, sediment, seawater, and marine invertebrates to better understand the ecology, mineral and microbial makeup of the relatively unexplored deep-sea system. In collecting samples, researchers also hope to evaluate the therapeutic or drug discovery potential of deep-sea microbes found in mineral-rich areas. "We are just beginning to understand the valuable resources of our ocean ecosystem," said Wendy Schmidt, co-founder of Schmidt Ocean Institute. "We can't protect what we don't know and understand, and the human impact on our ocean over the past 75 years has had a detrimental effect on its health and on the many ocean systems that support life on land. We expect the knowledge gained from this expedition will inform policy, management and stewardship of the deep sea, so that episodes of dumping toxic waste, such as this one, will not happen again" The 12 expedition dives were broadcast live to the public on Schmidt Ocean Institute's social media channels. During one of the dives to explore the DDT site, scientists discovered a whale fallthe seafloor location where the remains of a whale come to rest. Scientists also identified a new area of methane seepage. Marine biologists consider both areas a focus of specialized research because of the unique habitat they create. A brittle star and coral are picked up by ROV Subastians manipulator arm, along with the piece of deep-sea rock they are inhabiting. Taking the rock along with the accompanying organisms allows the scientists to study whether certain organisms prefer certain substrates. Credit: Schmidt Ocean Institute "Establishing ecological baselines in the deep sea allows us to track changes over time and better understand the consequences of human actions," said Chief Scientist Dr. Lisa Levin, a professor of biological oceanography at Scripps Institution of Oceanography. "The DDT dump site provides evidence of a large human footprint in the deep ocean, but we are just starting to identify the effects on local marine communities." The information the team collected at the DDT barrel disposal site will be compared to animals and microbes at more distant sites in order to assess the current concentrations and effects of DDT in the region. The samples will return to Scripps Institution of Oceanography where scientists will conduct further analysis and DNA sequencing. Explore further Scientists explore seamounts in Phoenix Islands Archipelago, gain insights into deep water diversity Provided by Schmidt Ocean Institute An image taken by the Curiosity Rover MastCam instrument shows layered sedimentary rocks composing Mount Sharp. The rover has been driving from the floor of Gale crater up through the rocks within these hills in order to understand how the rocks change from lower in the section (older) to higher in the section (younger). The rover have traversed rocks over >400 meters of elevation from the beginning of the mission. Credit: NASA's Mars Curiosity Rover In 2012, NASA landed the rover Curiosity in the Gale crater on Mars because the crater was thought by many scientists to be the site of an ancient lake on Mars more than 3 billion years ago. Since that time, the rover has been driving along, carrying out geological analyses with its suite of instruments for over 3,190 sols (martian days, equivalent to 3278 earth days). After analyzing the data, researchers from Department of Earth Sciences, the Faculty of Science at HKU, have proposed that the sediments measured by the rover during most of the mission did not actually form in a lake. The researcher team suggested that the large mound of sedimentary rocks explored and analyzed for the last eight years actually represent sand and silt deposited as air-fall from the atmosphere and reworked by the wind. The alteration minerals formed by the interaction between water and the sand did not occur in a lake setting. The "wet" environment, they propose, actually represents weathering similar to soil formation under rainfall in an ancient atmosphere that was very different from the present one. The discovery was published recently in Science Advances in a paper led by research postgraduate student Jiacheng LIU, his advisor Associate Professor Dr. Joe MICHALSKI, and co-author Professor Mei Fu ZHOU, all of whom are affiliated with the Department of Earth Sciences. The researchers used chemistry measurements and X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements, in addition to images of rock textures, to reveal how compositional trends in the rocks relate to geological processes. "Jiacheng has demonstrated some very important chemical patterns in the rocks, which cannot be explained in the context of a lake environment," said Dr. Michalski. "The key point is that some elements are mobile, or easy to dissolve in water, and some elements are immobile, or in other words, they stay in the rocks. Whether an element is mobile or immobile depends not only on the type of element but also on the properties of the fluid. Was the fluid acidic, saline, oxidizing etc. Jiacheng's results show that immobile elements are correlated with each other, and strongly enriched at higher elevations in the rock profile. This points toward top-down weathering as you see in soils. Further, he shows that iron is depleted as weathering increases, which means that the atmosphere at the time was reducing on ancient Mars, not oxidizing like it is on the modern day, rusted planet." These images show Gale crater in High Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC) images, with elevation colorised in blue. The image on the left shows the standard model where Gale crater is generally assumed to have been a large lake (flooded to at least an elevation of ~4,000m). The image at the right is the model proposed by Liu et al., in which only very small, shallow lakes existed on the floor of Gale crater (with the crater flooded only to an elevation of approximately ~4,500m). Most of the sediments were deposited from the atmosphere as air-fall deposits and later weathered from precipitation or ice-melt. A star marks the rovers landing site. Credit: ESA/HRSC/DLR Understanding how the Martian atmosphere, and the surface environment as a whole, evolved is important for the exploration for possible life on Mars, as well as our understanding of how Earth may have changed during its early history. "Obviously, studying Mars is extremely difficult, and the integration of creative and technologically advanced methodologies are necessary. Liu and co-authors have made intriguing observations via the utilization of remote sensing techniques to understand the chemical composition of ancient sediments that inform on their early development. Their data present challenges to existing hypotheses for both the depositional environment of these unique rock formations and the atmospheric conditions that they formed underspecifically, the authors show evidence for weathering processes under a reducing atmosphere in a subareal environment similar to a desert, rather than formation in an aqueous lake environment. Indeed, this work will inspire new and exciting directions for future research," Assistant Professor from Department of Earth Science Dr. Ryan McKenzie added. China successfully landed its first lander, Zhurong, on Mars in May this year. Zhurong is currently roving the plains of Utopia Planitia, exploring mineralogical and chemical clues to recent climate change. China is also planning a sample return mission likely to occur at the end of this decade. Explore further NASA Mars rover begins collecting rock in search of alien life More information: Jiacheng Liu et al, Intense subaerial weathering of eolian sediments in Gale crater, Mars, Science Advances (2021). Journal information: Science Advances Jiacheng Liu et al, Intense subaerial weathering of eolian sediments in Gale crater, Mars,(2021). DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abh2687 This diagram illustrates how planets are assembled and sorted into two distinct size classes. First, the rocky cores of planets are formed from smaller pieces. Then, the gravity of the planets attracts hydrogen and helium gas. Finally, the planets are "baked" by the starlight and lose some gas. The Magellan-TESS Survey aims to understand in more detail how the formation pathways for super-Earths and mini-Neptunes may differ. Credit: NASA/Kepler/Caltech (R. Hurt A Carnegie-led survey of exoplanet candidates identified by NASA's Transiting Exoplanets Satellite Survey (TESS) is laying the groundwork to help astronomers understand how the Milky Way's most common planets formed and evolved, and determine why our solar system's pattern of planetary orbits and sizes is so unusual. Carnegie's Johanna Teske, Tsinghua University's Sharon Wang (formerly of Carnegie), and Angie Wolfgang (formerly of Penn State University and now at SiteZeus), headed up the Magellan-TESS Survey (MTS), which is halfway through its three-year planned duration. Their mid-survey findings, in collaboration with a large, international group of researchers, will be published in the Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series. NASA's Kepler Mission revealed that our galaxy is teeming with planetsdiscovering thousands of confirmed worlds and predicting that billions more exist. One of the surprises contained in this bounty is that exoplanets between the size of Earth and Neptune are the most common discovered so far, despite the fact that none exist in our own solar system. These "in between" planets appear to come in two distinct sizesroughly one to 1.7 (super-Earths) and roughly two to three (mini-Neptunes) times the size of the Earthindicating different gas content in their compositions. "We want to understand whether super-Earths and mini-Neptunes were distinct from their earliest origins, or whether some aspect of their evolution made them deviate from each other," Teske explained. "In a sense, we are hoping to probe the nature-nurture question for the galaxy's most common exoplanetswere these planets born differently, or did they diverge due to their environment? Or is it something in between?" The survey is using TESS data and observations from the Magellan telescopes at Carnegie's Las Campanas Observatory in Chile to study a selection of 30 small, relatively short-period planet candidates. The TESS data show dips in brightness when an object passes in front of its host star. The amount of dimming allows the survey team to measure the radius of a planet candidate. This information is combined with observations gathered by the Planet Finder Spectrograph at Las Campanas that works by using a technique called the radial velocity method, which is currently the most common way for astronomers to measure the masses of individual planets. Artists conception of the Transiting Exoplanets Satellite Survey, or TESS, (left) which identified the planet candidates studied by the MTS team. Illustration is courtesy of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. Magellan Clay telescope at Carnegies Las Campanas Observatory (right), where the Planet Finder Spectrograph is used by the survey team and others. Credit: Yuri Beletsky, courtesy of the Carnegie Institution for Science The Magellan-TESS survey team is interested in the interplay between key variables that could help astronomers better characterize the formation pathways of super-Earth and mini-Neptune planets. They are looking for trends in the relationships between a planet's mass and its radius; the properties of its host star, including composition and the amount of energy it radiates onto the planet; and the architecture of the planetary system of which it the planet a member. "The underlying relationship between radius and mass for these small planets is crucial to figuring out their general compositions, via their overall density, as well as how much variation there is in their compositions," explained Wolfgang. "Quantifying this relation will help us discern whether there is one formation pathway or multiple avenues." What sets this survey apart from prior work is its scopethe team designed the survey from the start to try to account for biases that could skew how the results are interpreted in a broader context. Their goal is to be able to draw robust conclusions about super-Earths and mini-Neptune planets as a population, versus just a collection of 30 individual objects. The mid-survey findings, which represent a significant contribution to the number of small planets with known masses and radii, already hint at evidence for small observational selection biases that may have affected scientists' work on mass measurements. The MTS could thus provide an important framework for future radial velocity studies of transiting planets. Looking forward, the next half of the survey will focus on completing the samplethis paper contains 22 of the planned 30 candidatesas well as continuing to monitor all the systems for longer-period planets not detected by TESS to probe system architectures. Checking the influence of the host star composition is another next step, since past work has suggested that the compositions of planets may be related to those of the stars they orbit. "We hope that gaining this multidimensional understanding will significantly improve our knowledge of exoplanet evolution, and perhaps explain why our own solar system seems unusual," Wang concluded. Explore further Astronomers detect new large sub-Neptune alien world Credit: CC0 Public Domain When Donald Trump became president in 2017, federal employees who lean Democratic found themselves working for an administration they didn't agree with. The same thing happened eight years earlier to Republican bureaucrats when Barack Obama took office. Most civil servants carry on no matter who occupies the Oval Office, but this inevitable political mismatch does take a toll on productivity: A new study has found that cost overruns in federal contracts increase by about 8% when the worker overseeing them is misaligned with the president's party. The study is the first analysis of how partisanship affects hundreds of thousands of government workers at the individual level. Authored by Guo Xu, an assistant professor at Berkeley Haas, with Jorg L. Spenkuch and Edoardo Teso of Northwestern Kellogg, it was made possible by combining personnel records obtained through Freedom of Information Act requests with voter registration records. The researchers also analyzed data from an employee survey to get a sense of workers' feelings about their jobs. "We do see evidence for reduced performance due to not being aligned with your leader," Xu said. "Some people might be quick to think there is some sort of 'deep state' slowing things down, but we see the same thing from the Republican side as the Democrat side. Based on our evidence, it looks like misaligned civil servants just become less motivated overall." First look at ideology among civil servants The study, published as a National Bureau of Economic Research working paper, is filled with insights on the federal bureaucracy. From Office of Personnel Management records that included the names, ages, education, occupation, job location, and pay for nearly 3 million federal employees from 1997 to 2019, the researchers were able to match 1.26 million people with their voter registration records. That gave them detailed information on about 45% of federal workers over four presidential administrations: Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Obama, and Trump. "This allowed us to look inside the black box of who works for the federal government," said Xu. It was no surprise that at the highest levels of government, presidents use their discretionary appointments to align the bureaucracy with the mission of the White House. The analysis found that under a Democratic president, the chances that an appointee is a fellow Democrat increase by over 150%; Republican presidents' chances of appointing Republican increase over 500% relative to a Democrat. However, political appointees make up just 0.23% of the federal workforce. For the vast majority of civil servants, the researchers found no apparent partisan cycles. About 2% to 6% of employees leave each year, with no increases around the end of a presidents' term, and no significant differences between workers from the major parties. (An exception was the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) after Trump was elected, when departures tripled. Interestingly, it wasn't just Democrats who were quittingabout the same number of Republicans left during the transition). Insulated from political cycles Xu, who has extensively studied the civil service in India and found much more political churn at all levels, says it's notable that the roughly 2 million federal employees in the U.S. are largely insulated from political cycles. "We don't see a mass exodus from the government of people who aren't aligned with the mission of the president," he said. "In that aspect, this is exactly the classic idea of what constitutes a well-functioning bureaucracy, where you have career civil servants, continuity and political insulation, so that these experts are given the space to focus on implementing things." It was also no surprise that the researchers confirmed that Democrats outnumber Republicans or Independents in the federal workforce, as has long been public perception. Democrats made up about half of the workforce during the 1997-2019 data period (compared with about 41% of the U.S. population). Meanwhile, registered Republicans dropped from 32% to 26% during the period, with an increase in Independents making up the difference. The most heavily Democratic departments are the EPA, Department of Education, and the State Department, where about 70% of employees are registered to the party, while the most conservative departments are Agriculture and Transportation. Dems have more education, more seniority The analysis also found that Democrats even more heavily represented in the ranks of upper management jobs, topping out at 63% of senior executives, the level just below presidential appointees. However, this discrepancy is driven largely by the fact that Democrats tend to enter the civil service with higher rates of college and graduate degrees, and tend to stay in government careers longer, relative to Republicans. Even in comparable jobs at the same pay level, Democrats have higher education on average than Republicans. "These facts are at least suggestive of a higher proclivity for public service among Democrats," the researchers wrote. Misalignment and contract overruns Because federal bureaucrats are largely insulated from political turnover, it's difficult to measure how partisanship affects their work. Xu and his colleagues looked for workers who had comparable performance measures and outcomes, and found them among procurement officers, who select and monitor federal contracts for services, construction projects, and more. These contracts amount to over 9% of the federal budget. The researchers were able to match the party affiliation for 7,200 officers who administered over 700,000 contracts across 132 departments and agencies during the period. Comparing among similar contracts, they found an 8% increase in cost overruns among contractors who were registered as Democrats under a Republican president, and vice versa. That was true even when they compared procurement officers within the same department in the same year. "We didn't see any change in how people were choosing contractors or the types of contracts, so the decline in performance occurred while they were overseeing the contract," he said. "These overruns really do seem to be due to a decline in morale, which we corroborate through data from employee surveys." In addition to offering the first detailed look at political ideology in the federal workforce, the paper underscores the potential costs of mission misalignment in any organization. "Given that mission-driven organizations are also on the rise in the private sector, misalignment can have a significant impact," Xu said. Explore further How political bias impacts believing sexual assault victims More information: Jorg Spenkuch et al, Ideology and Performance in Public Organizations, National Bureau of Economic Research (2021). Jorg Spenkuch et al, Ideology and Performance in Public Organizations,(2021). DOI: 10.3386/w28673 A new study of shorelines in the Bahamas may change estimates of past sea levels. Here, some of the authors survey coastal rocks on the archipelagos Crooked Island formed when sea levels were higher. Credit: Blake Dyer One of the current mysteries of climate science surrounds the widely accepted evidence that during the planet's most recent past natural warm period, about 128,000 to 117,000 years ago, global sea levels peaked as high as 6 to 9 meters (20 or 30 feet) higher than today. And, during that so-called last interglacial, temperatures were just 1or 2 degrees C (1.8 to 3.6 F) warmer than those of preindustrial timesmarks we may surpass by century's end, if not sooner. Such a deluge could have been produced only by collapses of the Greenland and/or Antarctic ice sheets. If that happens now, it will drown much of the human world. Yet, at least so far, models of future sea level rise generally hover around a meter or so within the next 100 years. What are we missing, and how much should it scare us? In a new study, a team at Columbia University's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory believes they have an answer: They say that researchers examining signs of past sea levels along various coasts may have failed to accurately correct for long-term ups and downs of the land itself. Based on newly sophisticated measurements made across the Bahamas along with new methods of analyzing data, the researchers produced lowerthough still dauntingestimates for the last interglacial. They say seas peaked at least 1.2 meters (4 feet) higher than todayroughly in line with most current models for the next 100 years of so. However, they say, levels could have been higher. An unlikely upper limit, they say, is 5.3 meters (17 feet). The study appears this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. "To get to 9 meters of sea level rise, you'd have to melt large parts of Greenland and Antarctica," said lead author Blake Dyer. "This suggests that didn't happen. So maybe we should feel not as bad about the future. On the other hand, our lower estimate is bad, and our upper one is really bad." Key to the new study: the fact that as ice sheets build, they depress the land beneath them. The ice that covered northern North America during the last glaciation up to around 15,000 years ago squashed the land down hundreds of meters. But the Earth is elastic: What goes down in one place goes up someplace else, like when you squeeze a rubber ball or an inner tube. These corollary deformations outside the icy regions are still poorly understood; they may creep for hundreds or thousands of miles over hundreds or thousand of years. They move mainly in the pliable mantle, some 100 to 1,000 kilometers down, before bulging back on the surface. Then, when the ice melts, the process goes in reverse; previously ice-covered regions rebound, while those on the fringes sink, in slow seesaw fashion. Obviously, such movements, known as glacial isostatic rebound, can skew estimates of past water levels, and climate scientist have been struggling to accurately adjust for them. For instance, previous studies have suggested that topographic ripples from North America's glaciations have traveled down the U.S. East Coast and reached all the way to the Bahamas archipelago. This pushed the islands upward when the ice was high, and slowly eased them back down when the ice melted. But exactly how much, and when, was not clear. To find out more, the researchers studied the islands' coastal deposits in great detail. On Crooked Island, study coauthor William DAndrea operates a GPS instrument that records the exact location and elevation of rocks. Credit: Blake Dyer The Bahamas run north to south for 1,200 kilometers, which makes them ideal for the study of glacial isostatic rebound. Theoretically, cycles of bulging and subsidence would be greater closer to the ice, and peter out further south, as evidenced in the islands' coastal deposits. This is exactly what the researchers found. Trekking along the coasts of seven islands, the team exactly measured the elevations of different kinds of geologic formations, including fossil coral reefs; fossilized edges of ancient beaches and nearshore sand deposits; and fossil sand dunes. They found similar sequences of similar ages on each islandbut their elevations varied according to latitude. This meant the variations could not have been produced by water levels alone; movements of the land had to be considered. Putting all the measurements together, they concluded that islands to the north probably sank as much as 10 meters during the interglacial, while those to the south sank only about 6 meters. They combined these findings with hundreds of different models of how glacial isostatic rebound could have traveled through the Earth, and converted the calculations into global sea levels. This produced the new, lower estimates. "A lot of what we estimate for the future is based on what we observe from the past, so this directly affects our projections," said coauthor Jacqueline Austermann, a geodynamicist at Lamont-Doherty. "If our lower estimates are true, the implication is that the ice sheets will respond to warming, but maybe not as dramatically as we thought." One catch to the study: evidence for the much higher estimates of sea level rise during the last interglacial comes from many other places, including the Mediterranean, the Indian Ocean and Australia. The authors of the new study argue that the previous analyses could be based in part on a faulty premise that the ice sheet covering North America before 128,000 years ago was the same size as the more recent one. The new study suggests that in fact the previous ice sheet was smaller, and this could have affected calculations at other sites. Previous estimates could also be affected by assumptions about the size of the separate ice sheet that covered Scandinavia, northern Europe and northwest Russia. Also, the warm temperatures of the last interglacial were slowly produced by variations in Earth's orientation to the sun over thousands of years, and may not have affected both poles simultaneously. Study coauthor Maureen Raymo, director of Lamont-Doherty and a co-dean of the new Columbia Climate School, said this could mean that when some polar regions were losing ice, others might have been gaining. This would have helped balance things out and limit global sea level rise. "This is still a question. Models of ice sheets are still in their toddlerhood," she said. She points out that human carbon emissions are now heating the globe far more rapidly and evenly than during the last interglacial, so there is no guarantee of any such buffer. "That makes it more difficult to apply the results to today," she said. "The easy thing to say would be, 'Oh we showed that sea levels were not so bad, and that's terrific.' The harder answer, the more honest answer, is that maybe things were different then, and we're not in the clear." For researchers William DAndrea and Jacqueline Austermann, a small cave on Crooked Island offers shelter from rain, and a close look at fossilized ripples formed on an ancient sand dune. Credit: Blake Dyer The study is not the first to come up with lower sea level estimates for the last interglacial. Last year, a study led by Peter Clark of Oregon State University suggested that levels might have risen in the neighborhood of 4 meters. However, that study was based strictly on modeling, not new geologic evidence, as with the new study. Robert Kopp, a climate scientist at Rutgers University whose work is widely cited as evidence for the much higher sea levels of the last interglacial, said the study "should inspire substantial critical evaluation of what we understandor what we think we understandabout the last interglacial. Given that it is based on a single region, I think it should be viewed as an alternative hypothesis to the prevailing assessment [rather] than as the new best estimate." He said the next step would be re-examine other regions. The researchers plan to do that, and already are looking into new evaluations of sites in Denmark, France, England and South Africa. Robert DeConto, a scientist at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst who studies polar climate change, said of the study, "My guess is that this isn't the last word on [last interglacial] sea level. Considerable uncertainty, and the possibility of much higher sea level than 1.2 meters remains." One thing is certain: glacial isostatic rebound is still at work. In our current interglacial, the Bahamas at this point seem to be sinking only imperceptibly, but this is not the case along the U.S. East Coast. In many areas, the Atlantic Ocean is rising 1 to 2 millimeters a year. At the same time, the coast is sinking an equivalent amount, in reaction to the melting of the ice sheet further north thousands of years ago. Flooding from the resulting double whammy can already be seen in many areas. The study's other authors are William D'Andrea, Roger Creel, Michael Sandstrom and Miranda Cashman, all of Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory; and Alessio Rovere of the University of Bremen. Blake Dyer is now based at the University of Victoria, in British Columbia, Canada. Explore further Ancient temperature and sea level changes provide new insights into potential impact of climate change today More information: Sea-level trends across The Bahamas constrain peak last interglacial ice melt, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2021). Journal information: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Sea-level trends across The Bahamas constrain peak last interglacial ice melt,(2021). doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2026839118 Graphical abstract. Credit: DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2021.07.020 Small fish that live in open water and form a significant part of the base of the marine food chain have returned in huge numbers to the Clyde Sea, according to new research from scientists at the University of Aberdeen. Sprata fish which is food for many other marine specieshas increased its numbers 100-fold since the late 1980s, the study shows. The Clyde Sea was once a thriving marine ecosystem with large fisheries for herring and other species such as cod and haddock. In recent decades, these fisheries have disappeared, largely due to overexploitation in the latter part of the 20th century, although a sustainable prawn fishery now operates. Herring fishing, in particular, disappeared in the late 1990s. The new Aberdeen-led study, published in the journal Current Biology, has shown that although herring are still present, populations of sprat, a related species, are now 100 times more numerous, with the combined total biomass (or weight) of herring and sprat now almost four times the size it was in the late 1980s, which was the last time they were measured. The authors, working with Marine Scotland Science on their vessel Alba na Mara, used scientific sonar equipment to detect enormous schools of spratsome were over 2km long and over 30m (100 ft) deep. They then used advanced sonar processing techniques to estimate the numbers of each species over three years from 2014 to 2016. The total weight of sprat in 2016 was estimated at over 70,000 tons, equivalent to a population size of 23 billion individuals. Dr. Joshua Lawrence, who led the study which was funded by the Marine Alliance for Science and Technology Scotland (MASTS), was surprised by the results: "The Clyde Sea is famous for its herring, but although there has been virtually no fishing pressure on herring in over 20 years, it is the sprat population that has bounced back, not the herring. We can only speculate as to why this has happenedperhaps it is the warming seas, which may favor the sprat, or their more favorable reproduction strategy, as herring need particular gravel beds to spawn, whereas sprat do not. "We also found a large concentrations of krill in the Clyde Seaa major food source for the fish and for other larger animals such as minke whales which are known to visit the area. So there are large populations at various levels of the marine food chain, which tells us that the Clyde Sea's marine ecosystem is faring better than previously thought, despite centuries of overexploitation." Professor Paul Fernandes, a fisheries scientist at the University's School of Biological Sciences, who supervised the study, said: "Sprat form a critical part of the marine food chain, and are vital for other larger fish such as cod and whiting, as well as other animals further up the food chain such as seabirds, whales, dolphins, and sharks. It is fantastic to see these parts of the food chain recover. This should, in time, lead to recovery of the populations of the larger animals that feed on them." He added: "It does now provide an interesting dilemma for fisheries managers and the local seafaring community. A sprat fishery could operate, but perhaps a more sustainable and more lucrative opportunity could present itself through whale watching. There have been anecdotal reports of more whales and dolphins appearing in the Clyde Sea; and in a related study, we detected large numbers of porpoises in the area. As these whale populations themselves recover, they may find their way into these rich feeding grounds, much as they once did, and I am sure people would pay to see them, as they do in other parts of the world where marine ecosystems have recovered. The key will be to do this responsibly to ensure a long-term future for the Clyde's historic seafaring community." Explore further Genome sequencing paves the way for more sustainable herring fishery More information: Joshua M. Lawrence et al, A switch in species dominance of a recovering pelagic ecosystem, Current Biology (2021). Journal information: Current Biology Joshua M. Lawrence et al, A switch in species dominance of a recovering pelagic ecosystem,(2021). DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2021.07.020 Remains of Linya, recovered in Cova Gran site. Credit: CEPA Scientists at the Centro Nacional de Investigacion sobre la Evolucion Humana (CENIEH) have participated in the discovery, at the Cova Gran de Santa Linya site (La Noguera, Lleida), of the remains of a female attributed to H. sapiens, who lived in the northeast of the Iberian Peninsula at the end of the Upper Paleolithic, around 14,000 years ago, as shown by the carbon-14 dating of the sediments in the natural receptacle in which her remains were discovered. Cova Gran preserves innumerable buried vestiges of the sediments comprising it, which make it possible to reconstruct the history of the populations who lived in the Pre-Pyrenees of Lleida over the last 50,000 years, from Neanderthals and the first Homo sapiens up to the earliest farmers. The team of researchers from the Archaeological Heritage Center at the Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona (CEPARQ-UAB) and the CENIEH, which has been studying Cova Gran since its discovery in 2002, had previously found material records from between 45,000 and 4000 years ago. Nevertheless, no bone remains of the individuals who inhabited it had been located until the 2020 excavation campaign. "We recovered bone remains which definitely belonged to a human skeleton, and still partly connected, two meters below the ground of a side area of the excavation. A location that didn't presage the appearance of this kind of remains," explains the CENIEH researcher Alfonso Benito Calvo. The initial paleoanthropological characterization of all the remains recovered, which was announced this week, suggests that the pelvic girdle is from an adult woman, possibly a small one, and who has been dubbed "Linya, the La Noguera woman." The remains also include two femurs, one of them still attached to the pelvis, as well as long bones from the upper limbs (humerus, radius/ulna) and lower ones (tibia and fibula), and scattered metapodials and phalanges. The skull and axial skeleton (vertebrae and ribs), although present, are poorly represented. Funerary treatment Linya was found in a space considered to be a natural receptacle, formed by several large blocks which had fallen from the shelter roof. Linya's entire body was deposited in this space, and given the arrangement of the femurs, it rested directly on the ground in the supine position. Currently, the team is studying elements of what may be grave goods, a habitual practice in H. sapiens burials. The sediment from the space inside the blocks is being sampled to determine the processes the body was subjected to and to look for microresidues which could indicate whether it was covered with skins or plant fibers, which would justify an intention of depositing the cadaver without needing to excavate a grave. Among hunter-gatherers, funerary treatment could suggest various possibilities, ranging from intentional burial to secondary burial, depositing only part of the body, cannibalism or accidental death. "These scenarios will be evaluated in the light of the results furnished by the excavation of the space where the remains appeared," says Benito Calvo. A key site The Cova Gran de Santa Linya site is considered to be key to the study of human presence in the northeastern Iberian Peninsula. Covering over 2500 m2, it is one of the few sites in the Mediterranean region where traces of "transition" moments have been identified, such as that of the last Neanderthals (45,000 years ago) and the advent of the first modern humans (between 37,000 and 30,000 years ago), the continuance of the latter during the Last Glacial Maximum (20,000 to 15,000 years ago) and the appearance of the first farmers (7000 and 4000 years ago). "Prehistoric remains of modern humans in the Iberian Peninsula are very scarce. The study of Linya will let us learn more about what the hunter-gatherers of the northeast of the Peninsula were like, and how they lived," adds Benito Calvo. Explore further Montane pine forests reached the northeastern coast of the Iberian Peninsula 50,000 years ago Provided by CENIEH Credit: Jeremy Holden/FFI Everyone loves a picture of a pet rabbit, but when the cuddly creature in the photograph turns out to be a vanishingly rare species on the brink of extinction, it isn't only the bunny huggers who sit up and take notice. Sumatran striped rabbits are seldom spotted, in either sense of the word. Known only from a dozen Dutch museum specimens collected in the early 20th century, plus an occasional sighting in the wild and a handful of camera trap images, the species is widely considered to be the rarest rabbit in the world. Finding one flaunted on Facebook is the Indonesian equivalent of stumbling upon a thylacine in a Tasmanian pet shop, and the conservation community was quick to respond. After receiving a tip-off about the Facebook post, Fauna & Flora International (FFI) and the Kerinci Seblat National Park authorities quickly tracked down the would-be seller and rescued the priceless rabbit, which was held in safe custody until it was ready to be released. Unknown quantity Director of the national park, Tamen Sitorus, said: "While Kerinci Seblat is world famous for its biodiversity, it is the larger charismatic animals like tigers, elephants and helmeted hornbills that usually make the headlines. People so often forget this park also protects rare species like the Sumatran striped rabbit and its habitat; we have the highest peat swamp forests in Asia, for instanceand amazing moss forests." FFI's Deborah Martyr, who advises the park's Tiger Protection & Conservation Units, is one of the few people fortunate enough to have experienced a close encounter with a Sumatran striped rabbit in the wild. She is in no doubt about the enormous scientific significance of this unexpected opportunity to eyeball such an elusive species: "Very little is known about this animal, other than that it shows a marked preference for mossy hill and submontane forest. The only specimens from Sumatra date back to the Dutch colonial periodand are in the Netherlands, not Indonesia." It is understood that the rabbit was captured opportunistically by a local farmer who encountered it at the edge of the national park next to a river that had just flooded violently. It had a slight injury to its flankpossibly sustained during the flash floodbut has now been safely released back into the forest by the park rangers, at a site chosen on the basis of existing camera trap data. "The successful rescue of the Sumatran striped rabbit was a true team effort and is testament to the broad network of support that operates around the parkonline and offline; once the farmer who caught this rabbit understood its rarity, he was happy to see it returned to the national park," said Martyr. "I am proud of my staff for responding to this report so professionally and returning the rabbit to the park," said Tamen Sitorus. "I hope the samples taken and other data collected will be useful to Indonesian scientists in building knowledge of this little-known animal. This rescue and release were only possible due to the strong collaboration between the national park and other stakeholders including FFI, other institutions and local communities. That support from all stakeholders is key to the park's sustainability." The rescued rabbit prior to release. Credit: KSNP Hoppy returns For Herizal, a community ranger with one of the Tiger Protection & Conservation Units and a member of the release team, this was the first time he had seen a striped rabbit despite more than eight years of patrolling deep in the national park: "It's always good to release animals back into the wildand this was much less stressful than releasing a tiger! We let it go and it looked aroundand then started eating leaves. It seemed very relaxed."' By a strange quirk of fate, a nocturnal snapshot of a Sumatran striped rabbit (main picture) was recently included in a magazine feature showcasing some of FFI's historical camera-trapping successes, not only in Sumatra but across the globe. This image, captured in 1997, was the first ever photograph of the species in the wild. The Sumatran striped rabbit is categorized as Data Deficient on the IUCN Red List. It is one of only two species in the Nesolagus genus. Its mainland counterpart and closest surviving relativefrom which it is thought to have diverged around eight million years agois the Annamite striped rabbit. Discovered as recently as 1996 and named after the mountain range on the Laos-Vietnam border where it was first found, this species has also been captured on camera by FFI in recent years. The two species share many other common characteristics, most notably that their futures are hanging by a thread. Vital refuge Habitat loss and fragmentation pose by far the most significant threat to the survival of the Sumatran striped rabbit. Kerinci Seblat National Park appears to be one of the last remaining strongholds of this forest-dependent species. It is evidently not a frequent victim of hunting or the pet trade, owing to its natural rarity, largely nocturnal habits and, apparently, the unpleasant taste of its meat. However, that doesn't preclude it from being caught in snares set for other species as it forages on the forest floor. In that regard, the routine and intelligence-led forest patrols conducted by the Tiger Protection & Conservation Units as part of their anti-poaching activities have a crucial role to play. Over the years, these crack teams have covered a cumulative distance of over 30,000 kilometers and removed thousands of snaresoften detected using information from supportive forest-edge farmers. We can add the Sumatran striped rabbit to the growing list of speciesfrom sun bears and Sunda pangolins to Malay tapirs and helmeted hornbillsthat are benefiting from the work of FFI and our local partners in this extraordinary wildlife haven. In the years ahead, its survival will depend on the collective efforts of all those who are working to protect its forest home from poaching and other forms of illegal activity. Explore further First insight into the ecology of an elusive and threatened rabbit The lead sulphide nanoparticles, which are about eight nanometres (millionths of a millimetre) in size, initially arrange themselves into a layer with hexagonal symmetry. Credit: University of Hamburg, Stefan Werner The structure adopted by lead sulfide nanoparticles changes surprisingly often as they assemble to form ordered superlattices. This is revealed by an experimental study that has been conducted at DESY's X-ray source PETRA III. A team led by the DESY scientists Irina Lokteva and Felix Lehmkuhler, from the Coherent X-ray Scattering group headed by Gerhard Grubel, has observed the self-organization of these semiconductor nanoparticles in real time. The results have been published in the journal Chemistry of Materials. The study helps to better understand the self-assembly of nanoparticles, which can lead to significantly different structures. Among other things, lead sulfide nanoparticles are used in photovoltaic cells, light-emitting diodes and other electronic devices. In the study, the team investigated the way in which the particles self-organize to form a highly ordered film. They did so by placing a drop of liquid (25 millionths of a liter) containing the nanoparticles inside a small cell and allowing the solvent to evaporate slowly over the course of two hours. The scientists then used an X-ray beam at the P10 beamline to observe in real time what structure the particles formed during the assembly. To their surprise, the structure adopted by the particles changed several times during the process. "First we see the nanoparticles forming a hexagonal symmetry, which leads to a nanoparticle solid having a hexagonal lattice structure," Lokteva reports. "But then the superlattice suddenly changes, and displays a cubic symmetry. As it continues to dry, the structure makes two more transitions, becoming a superlattice with tetragonal symmetry and finally one with a different cubic symmetry." This sequence has been never revealed before in such detail. The superlattice of lead sulphide nanoparticles takes on six different internal structures during the drying process. Credit: Lokteva et al.; Chemistry of Materials, 2021 The team suggests that the hexagonal structure (hexagonal close-packed, HCP) persists for as long as the surface of the particles is swollen by the solvent. Once the film dries a little bit, its internal structure changes to a cubic symmetry (body-centered cubic, BCC). However, residues of the solvent still remain between the individual nanoparticles inside the film. As this evaporates, the structure changes two more times (body-centered tetragonal BCT and face-centered cubic FCC). The final structure of the film depends on a number of different factors, as Lokteva explains. They include the type of solvent and how quickly it evaporates, size and concentration of the nanoparticles, but also the nature of the so-called ligands that surround the particles and their density. Scientists use the term ligand to describe certain molecules that bind to the nanoparticle surface and prevent them from agglomeration. In the study, the team used oleic acid for this purpose; its molecules cover the particles, much like the wax that prevents gummy bears from sticking to each other in a bag. This is a well-established process in nanotechnology. "Our research indicates that the final structure of the superlattice also depends on whether the individual nanoparticles are surrounded by many or few oleic acid molecules," reports Lokteva. "In an earlier study, we obtained films with a BCC/BCT crystal structure when the ligand density was high. Here, we specifically looked at nanoparticles with a low ligand density, and this led to an FCC structure. So when using nanoparticles, the ligand density ought to be determined, which is not a standard practice at the moment," explains the DESY scientist. These observations are also important when it comes to other materials, the team points out. "Lead sulfide is an interesting model system that helps us to better understand the general mechanisms by which nanoparticles self-assemble," Lokteva explains. "Nature can provide nanostructures with various interesting properties via the phenomenon of self-assembly, and we now have the tools to look over nature's shoulder as it constructs these structures." More information: Irina Lokteva et al, Real-Time X-ray Scattering Discovers Rich Phase Behavior in PbS Nanocrystal Superlattices during In Situ Assembly, Chemistry of Materials (2021). Journal information: Chemistry of Materials Irina Lokteva et al, Real-Time X-ray Scattering Discovers Rich Phase Behavior in PbS Nanocrystal Superlattices during In Situ Assembly,(2021). DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemmater.1c02159 Seeley was issued a private pilot certificate in October 2000. However, it is only for a single-engine airplane and not for a helicopter, according to the Federal Aviation Administration database. In addition, the section where medical information is supposed to be listed is blank. Also, the helicopter is a kit aircraft, which means that the owner assembled it himself from parts. It has been in operation since 2003. Katz said that is a long time to be flying that type of aircraft without the proper license. Seeley also is the listed owner of a fixed wing single-engine Glasair RG plane. A staging area appeared to have been set up at the NV Farms Camping and Glamping property at 905 West Valley Road. There was a black SUV with a government license plate parked there. A Google Earth satellite image shows a wooded area northeast of the road. Craig Seeley owned property at 319 Miller Road, which is located up a twisting private road near Summit Lake. It is about 6 miles away from the crash site and about the same distance from Argyle Airport. It was used as a pilot training facility during World War II and later returned to the borough. It has remained in operation ever since, but according to Pikolycky, the hangars are functionally obsolete and mechanical systems often require repairs that are more costly than the worth of the buildings. The study is set to start as soon as Pikolycky completes the paperwork and is expected to take about six months. Plans are for the study to include a strategy to fund the work it proposes. Assuming that the analysis indicates feasibility, the airport can become an important economic driver for Woodbine, Pikolycky said. Based on conservative estimates, we are anticipating the creation of an average of six permanent, full-time jobs per hangar or an estimated 36 new jobs and a like number of part-time positions for borough residents at build-out. Those are significant numbers in a small community like Woodbine. Pikolycky sees potential use for the airport in support of a planned offshore wind farm. He also touted signs of life at the airport, including the location of company specializing in drones at the site. TRENTON Gov. Phil Murphy made a plea to unvaccinated New Jersey residents to get their COVID-19 vaccine, while taking to task others who he said want to sacrifice our kids to politics over his announcement last week that all students, teachers and staff must wear masks to start the 2021-22 school year. Noting there were now 13 patients under 18 admitted in New Jersey hospitals for COVID-19 and two in the intensive care unit, Murphy said those who are opposed to masks are willing to accept children ending up in the hospital or ICU, spreading the virus to vulnerable staff and family members, or dying. They wont say it out loud, but its exactly what they are saying. And I cannot be kind about that, Murphy said Monday at the start of his weekly COVID-19 response briefing. Were not willing to surrender our kids to this virus unlike those opposed to this common sense plan. On Monday, New Jersey reported there were 884 new positive PCR tests for COVID-19, 306 new positive antigen tests and three new deaths. Between July 20 and 26, Murphy said, 803 or 18% of the 4,332 new positive cases that week were in people already vaccinated for COVID-19. Vaccinated individuals also made up 3% of the new hospitalizations but none of the new deaths that week. TRENTON Gov. Phil Murphy will hold his weekly COVID-19 response briefing Monday afternoon at the Trenton War Memorial as the level of community transmission in several New Jersey counties continues to climb. Murphy will be joined by Department of Health Commissioner Judy Persichilli, State Epidemiologist Dr. Christina Tan, and State Police Superintendent Colonel Patrick Callahan for the briefing that will be livestreamed on the Governor's YouTube channel. According to the latest data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, every county in New Jersey has moved into either having a "substantial" or "high" level of community transmission. This CDC data is for the seven days from Aug. 1 through Saturday. According to the CDC, "a persons risk for SARS-CoV-2 infection is directly related to the risk for exposure to infectious persons, which is largely determined by the extent of SARS-CoV-2 circulation in the surrounding community." It started out as a social experiment, but it quickly came to a bitter end. Microsofts chatbot Tay had been trained to have casual and playful conversations on Twitter, but once it was deployed, it took only 16 hours before Tay launched into tirades that included racist and misogynistic tweets. As it turned out, Tay was mostly repeating the verbal abuse that humans, perhaps messing with it, were spouting at it. But the outrage that followed centered on the bad influence that Tay had on people who could see its hateful tweets, rather than on the people whose tweets were a bad influence on Tay. As children, we are all taught to be good people. Perhaps even more important, we are taught that bad company can corrupt good character and one bad apple can spoil the bunch. Today, we increasingly interact with machines powered by artificial intelligence AI-powered smart toys as well as AI-driven social media platforms that affect our preferences. Could machines be bad apples? Should we avoid the company of bad machines, lest they corrupt us? The mayors of Rock Island, Bettendorf, Davenport and Moline are engaging in some friendly competition to boost registration at Floatzilla this year. Rock Island Mayor Mike Thoms challenged the mayors of towns with Floatzilla launch points Thursday to a competition where the town with the most registered paddlers will receive an award. "The mayors were very gracious to accept this," Thoms said. "We work well together and so we've got to continue to work as one region in the Quad-Cities." Floatzilla an annual event that brings paddlers out in droves to the Mississippi River without the worry of motorized vessels is set for 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 21. Each mayor voiced their support of Floatzilla and the challenge in a news release. "Floatzilla is a great opportunity for Moliners to showcase our community and our connections, and to make lasting memories together," Moline Mayor Sangeetha Rayapati said. "Gather your friends and neighbors and hep us break the record! We can do this!" Tsk, tsk, tsk, Iowa. What have you become? Did you slide sideways into the Mississippi River and drift down to rest between Alabama and Mississippi? Iowa used to be known as a state with preeminent universities and an enviable elementary and secondary educational system. The Republican-dominated Legislature has consistently pinched back funding for these institutions. Now they are siphoning off funding to go to enrich private schools, decimating public education. I noticed in February that Brad Zaun, a state senator from Urbandale, was caught at the airport with a gun in his possession. Now why would Zaun feel he needs to carry a gun? Is he afraid that he might be beset by thousands of Iowa women, demanding that he rescind his amendment to the Iowa Constitution which outlaws abortion in Iowa? This amendment will take away from women the right to have control of their own bodies. If you do not have control of your own body, you are no longer a citizen, you are a slave. While we are discussing abortion, why are we picking on women? Last time I checked, there has only been one immaculate conception; all the rest have required a woman and a man. How should we punish the man? Perhaps castration? Zaun has obviously failed to look at all the possibilities. Or maybe that is why he is toting a gun. A good Monday to all. We're looking at a little heat and humidity plus a threat of storms today around the Quad-Cities. Here are the weather details from the National Weather Service. 1. Heat advisory for areas south of the Q-C A heat advisory is in effect for today and tonight for locations south of Interstate 80 with heat-index values of 100 to 105 degrees likely. There is a slight risk of severe thunderstorms this afternoon and evening for parts of northwest Illinois with a marginal risk extending westward into parts of eastern Iowa. The main threats are damaging winds and large hail. Today there is a 30% chance of showers and thunderstorms after 4 p.m. Skies will be cloudy then gradually becoming mostly sunny with a high near 88 degrees. Tonight there is a 20% chance of showers and thunderstorms. Skies will be partly cloudy with a low around 73 degrees. For Tuesday there is a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms before 10 a.m., then a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1 p.m. Skies will be sunny with a high near 93 degrees and heat-index values as high as 106 degrees. The chance of precipitation is 20%. There were many people who came to access basic needs and, when given the opportunity to check in on their mental health, realized how much they were struggling and found comfort in being able to talk to someone ready to listen, Curtis said. However, officials in Cedar Rapids say the first anniversary of the derecho has brought many of those issues to the forefront now. By comparison, in other natural disasters like the floods of 2008, mental health crises were more immediate as more individuals were displaced from homes. Its just a different level of crisis, said JNae Peterman, director of housing services at Waypoint Services in Cedar Rapids. It didnt have that immediate mental health need. I think it's more long-term this time around. For those who have been traumatized by their experience, they may relive the day the derecho tore through their community any time a storm rolls in and the wind begins to pick up. It can trigger a response that their brain may struggle to reconcile, said Theresa Graham-Mineart, associate executive director at the Abbe Center for Community Mental Health. China clearly intends to keep stonewalling. The WHO, the G7 advanced nations, and President Biden have all asked China to cooperate, but they have gone the disinformation route, notes Ruggiero. So what comes next? Where does this fit into the U.S.-China relationship? Where, indeed? Biden has ordered a 90-day intelligence community review of the pandemics origins that should be completed in August. But, absent critical Chinese data, that report wont be definitive. And any move to pressure China to comply with the WHOs crucial requests will impact fading U.S. hopes for Chinese cooperation on other issues. Yet to permit China to hide the origins of this coronavirus boosts the chance of another pandemic a risk the U.S. cant afford to take. Moreover, to let China and Russia spread a lie about a U.S. bioweapon presents other dangers. If we allow it without challenge they will convince large swathes of the [developing] world that the U.S. is the source of the virus, says cybersecurity expert Clint Watts, author of Messing With the Enemy. The U.S. is not aggressive enough in its messaging. It is a war over perceptions. Even as the administration fights misinformation about COVID-19 on the home front, Biden must figure out how to fight Chinas Big COVID Lie and press Beijing to come clean. Trudy Rubin is a columnist and editorial-board member for the The Philadelphia Inquirer. 2021 The Philadelphia Inquirer, LLC. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Love 2 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 On Saturday, a 36-year-old woman became the first official motorcycle fatality of the 81st annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. She was traveling west on Interstate 90 near Wall when her Harley Davidson struck a guard rail. Since what has become known as the pre-rally started in late July, however, a total of six people have died in motorcycle accidents in the Black Hills, including three who died before opening ceremonies at noon Friday in downtown Sturgis. Tony Mangan, spokesman for the South Dakota Department of Public Safety, said the only fatalities that the department attributes to the rally are those that occur during the official week of the rally, which started at 6 a.m. Friday, Aug. 7, and ends at 6 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 15. "That is the rally information, but it's not like we're not recording any of the crashes that have happened before the rally started. Everything is still included in the overall state numbers," he said. Mangan explained that there's no way of knowing if fatal motorcycle crashes that occurred before Aug. 7 are rally related. In 2020, the state reported a total of five motorcycle fatalities for the entire rally. Three of the six fatalities since July 31 occurred on Friday morning. A few minutes later, according to witnesses and Maggie and Cody Monaghan, the man from the bar and a few of his companions attacked them on the boardwalk. One picks me up like Im a rag doll and throws me into a parked car, Maggie said. Three men are holding my husband and hitting him in the face over and over again. I tried to jump on the guys back who was hitting my husband. I get socked in the left eye. Im out. I come to and I hear people screaming, she recalled. My husband was lying in a pool of blood and I thought he was dead, I saw a guy boot him in the head, Maggie said. By all accounts, the men who were involved with the assault on the Monaghans, or did nothing to stop it, were from a nearby Heroes and Horses treatment ranch. Two of the men were described as employees of Heroes and Horses, a non-profit. Ironically, Heroes and Horses typically works with veterans suffering symptoms of PTSD. Maggie and Cody Monaghan now describe some of the same symptoms. He suffered a badly broken nose and numerous facial injuries in the assault. She said she suffered a severe concussion, a fractured elbow and a black eye. The next couple weeks will be interesting with the growing surge of COVID-19 infections in the state, said St. Johns United President and CEO David Trost. Over the last two years, weve followed the national trends fairly consistently. We are likely to see a resurgence (in care facilities). On Monday, St. Johns United moved two facilities out of the 14-day COVID restrictions in which visitation was limited and group activities ceased for residents. One St. Johns facility in Yellowstone County is still in a 14-day outbreak mode, said Trost. Six care facilities in Yellowstone County are under restrictions due to positive cases in staff and residents, according to RiverStone Health communication coordinator Pat Zellar. An outbreak is defined by Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, CMS, as any one staff member or resident that contracts COVID-19, Trost said. When one positive test crops up, staff move into full personal protective equipment for all patient care including gowns, gloves and goggles. Visitation is limited to end-of-life visits, group activities stop for two weeks and residents cannot move between rooms. Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} Shelby, one of the larger towns on the I-15 corridor, has suffered some from the loss of through traffic headed for Great Falls, the commercial hub for the area, said Shelby Chamber of Commerce Director Ashley Holten last week. The U.S. side is not open to Canadian travelers until at least Aug. 21, a matter thats raised the ire of Montanas congressional delegation. Republican U.S. Sen. Steve Daines criticized Democratic President Joe Biden in a release Monday as hurting Montana businesses with the extended closure. Democratic U.S. Sen. Jon Tester likewise said he had been pushing the administration to open the border, but added it was important to monitor the pandemic as the delta variant of COVID-19 fuels a spike in cases across the country and in Montana. Cheri Hirst, general manager of the Comfort Inn in Shelby and member of the Central Montana Tourism Board, said Monday that opening the Canadian side of the border still restores some partial sense of normalcy, considering the family members and friends that live on either side of the invisible line crossing the plains. Its been hard here because were close neighbors and weve been crossing so freely for so long, she said. We were so used to it. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. The population of the greater Richmond area is 29% Black and 7% Latino, but when it comes to small-business ownership, just 5% are Black-owned and 2% are Latino-owned, according to the study, which was conducted between November and February. The study found that Black- and Latino-owned businesses in the region employ fewer workers and generate less revenue than white-owned businesses. *** Getting access to capital is necessary to create a successful, growing business, said Brian Robertson, CEO of Marion Marketing Global, a Black-owned marketing and public relations firm based in Hanover County. When my clients get access to more capital, then they can spend more, Robertson said. Without that capital, they have to spend their own personal money on infrastructure, on hiring, on growth. I have seen a lot of great businesses struggle between year one and year three when theyre growing, and their revenues may be increasing, [but] they cant keep up because of lack of access to capital. Robertson, who hopes to get access to more capital to be able to add a fourth member to his team, said he understands that it is difficult for Black entrepreneurs to get the necessary financing. Most fraternity and sorority members are under the age of 21 anyway, VCUs report said. At the beginning of the 2020-2021 school year, 75% of them were underage. By the end of the school year, 53% of them were still younger than 21. Underage students can be tempted, allowed or encouraged to drink if alcohol is served at an event. Allowing alcohol at social events where it should be reasonably expected that a substantial majority of the members are below the legal age to consume alcohol places those members at risk, VCU wrote. Fraternities need to find ways to appeal to students beyond simply social events. One parent said Greek organizations dont provide anything other than parties and lack depth and outreach to high-achieving students. Dyad also found fault with how VCU handles claims of hazing. The universitys investigation and adjudication of allegations needs improvement, the report stated. The misconduct process is confusing, lacks clarity, has no clear home and no clear lines of authority and is managed by multiple offices. Staff turnover has been constant. Twice, the entire fraternity and sorority life staff turned over in a six-month period. In making its decision, VCU Health held four town halls to discuss the idea of required immunization. In each session, there was a strong majority of employees who favored mandatory vaccination, said Dr. Art Kellermann, the health system CEO, in an interview. It was very important to hear from our team members, to answer their questions and hear what their concerns were, Kellermann said. About 70% of VCU Healths 13,000 employees are vaccinated, Kellermann said, a figure that hasnt risen substantially in recent months. That figure doesnt break down equally among all staffers. Among physicians, more than 90% have gotten the shot and, among nurses, more than 80%. But theres a barrage of false information on the internet that has caused some to abstain, Kellermann said. The hospital systems mandate also applies to contractors, such as people who deliver food or park cars. Patients will be more comfortable knowing the employees they come in contact with are vaccinated, Kellermann said. The mandate is a statement of the health systems commitment to its patients and community, he added. Vaccines are really the only way were going to turn the tide against delta and any other variants that come down the pipe, Kellermann said. Few localities ran buybacks under such a scheme because it meant that the guns taken off the streets were simply returned to the gun market for resale, which seemed to make the programs pointless. The General Assembly changed that law in 2020; now bought-back guns can be destroyed. Stromberg also noted a strategic goal of the program: To artificially raise the value of guns on the black market. The way the program does that is by setting a $250 floor on the value of cheap, semi-automatic handguns that otherwise would be sold for less on the street. Ideally, that floor will raise black-market gun prices, too. And those higher prices will result discourage sales and result in a less active black-market gun trade overall, she said. Were talking about the market for cheaply traded handguns falling into the hands of young men, Stromberg said. We can absolutely impact that. The last person I spoke to was city Councilman Joe Cobb, one of the many backers in city government of Groceries Not Guns. This is a pilot program, to see what we get, Cobb said. Were not naive enough to think were going to be able to get all guns. And from that perspective, it seems worth trying for a couple reasons. CHRISTIANSBURG Another defendant resolved her charges in Montgomery Countys Icy Roads methamphetamine distribution case, pleading guilty Monday in the countys circuit court and receiving a five-year prison term. Jessica Lynn Anders, 36, of Glade Hill was convicted of conspiring to possess meth with the intent to distribute it and of possessing a Schedule II substance. A drug possession charge and a count of being an accessory before the fact to possessing meth with the intent to distribute it were dropped in a plea agreement. Due to the amount of meth involved in her charges, Anders faced a sentence of up to life in prison. Judge Robert Turk imposed two 15-year prison stints and said that they would run concurrently and would be suspended after Anders serves five years. Turk also fined Anders $200. Among the top donors for the GOP candidates in the races for 7th and 12th districts are a committee of outgoing Del. Nick Rush, R-Montgomery, and Shelor Motor Mile, whose owners are also prominent holders of property in the New River Valley and have supported several GOP candidates in the past. The Rush committee and Shelor have donated a total of $36,000 March and Ballard each received $18,000 from those two groups. Rush currently represents the 7th District, but announced months ago that hes leaving the seat. I think its going really good, March said about her fundraising. I just feel like we got an immense grassroots support for our campaign. It makes me really happy. The rural country, hard working people want a voice. March is the owner of restaurants Due South BBQ and Fatback Soul Shack, with the former having locations in both Christiansburg and Roanoke. One notable part of Marchs fundraising is that a chunk of her funding is a $40,000 loan to herself. She said that amount was so she could mount a fight during the primaries when it seemed that she wasnt the GOP favorite. Ballou was highly recommended by the Virginia Women Attorneys Association, which earlier this year evaluated the candidates. Scott was ranked by the association as qualified. Judge Ballous even temperament and intuitive ability to understand the issues in all cases, coupled with the respect he accords to the litigants were qualities noted by lawyers and professional references, the association wrote in a May 27 letter to the senators. A member of the bar since 1987, Ballou was found to be professional, possess the requisite temperament, possess a keen intellect, and focused on the needs of all litigants, the letter stated. Scott, who received her law degree from Indiana University in 2002, possesses the requisite professionalism and integrity to be a federal judge, the associations evaluation found. It is clear that Ms. Scott has devoted a substantial amount of time and effort to address issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion in the practice of law, the letter stated. However, the information gathered caused concerns over her ability to deal with counsel, witnesses and parties calmly, courteously, and open-mindedly. Those concerns were the reason Scott received a lower ranking, according to the letter. JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) Efforts to recover the wreckage of a sightseeing plane that crashed in southeast Alaska last week, killing six people, were stymied again Monday by poor weather conditions, a National Transportation Safety Board official said. Clint Johnson, chief of the agencys Alaska region, said low clouds and fog continued to delay wreckage recovery efforts. They are ready to go as soon as they get a weather window, he said of the team that will handle the work. The wreckage is in a rugged, steep area that is heavily forested, at 1,800 feet (549 meters) to 2,000 feet (610 meters) up on the side of a mountain, he said. The site is about 12 miles (19 miles) northeast of the city of Ketchikan, Johnson said. Investigators were conducting interviews in the case, he said. The flight was returning to Ketchikan on Thursday from a tour of Misty Fjords National Monument when it crashed, Johnson said. The plane carried five passengers and the pilot. The Alaska State Troopers identified the pilot as Rolf Lanzendorfer, 64, of Cle Elum, Washington. Some foreign contractors who powered the logistics of Americas forever war in Afghanistan have now found themselves stranded on an unending layover in Dubai without a way to get home McCall also said that pettiness was going too far. He added that everyone on the council knew the meeting minutes from the committees contained the recommendation what the recommendation was. Barnes also said she was frustrated. On the minutes that everyone can see, it says that we would bring this forward for action, Barnes said. For us now to look to see that it cant come forward is disappointing because weve got a lot of citizens that are really excited about this CDC [community development corporation] happening. She also she would have liked to have been informed before the meeting. McCall also said the recommendations from the marketing and public relations committee he chairs to begin researching the potential to make the city an All-America City again would also be moved back a month because of the agenda issue. It was not clear exactly why the recommendations were left off the agenda. At the meeting, it seemed as if there was confusion between the city staff attending the committee meetings and the council members on the committee about who would take the appropriate steps to get the recommendations on the agenda. City Manager Randy Osterman pledged to the council that from Mondays meeting forward if a city council committee makes a recommendation, staff would bring it forward for inclusion on the next council agenda. Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. RFM Radio Ecoutez le meilleur de la radio SUD FM Ecoutez le meilleur de la radio Part 2 of Prof Slobogin discussing Just Algorithms | Main | Is it problematic for sentencing judges to require the COVID vaccine as a probation condition? This lengthy new article from Cleveland.com spotlights a local example of sentencing disparity and highlights how this tale contributes to calls for statewide data-focused reforms. The headline of the article provides a preview: "White woman who stole $250K gets probation, while Black woman who stole $40K goes to jail. Disparate sentences spark calls for reform." Here is how the article gets started: Two Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court judges doled out disparate sentences this week to women who stole public money in separate cases, reigniting calls to create a statewide sentencing database to ensure judges mete out fair punishments. A white woman stole nearly $250,000 from the village of Chagrin Falls. Judge Hollie Gallagher sentenced her on Monday to two years of probation. A Black woman who stole $40,000 from Maple Heights City Schools went before Judge Rick Bell, who sentenced her Tuesday to 18 months in prison. Leaders of Black faith organizations, labor organizations, current and former judges and social activist groups all told cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer that the stark difference between the sentences damaged the credibility of the criminal justice system and reinforced the sentiment that judges disproportionately punish people of color or those without means. All of the leaders called on Cuyahoga Countys judges and judges around the state to join an Ohio Supreme Court pilot project that would create a public database to make transparent how judges sentence defendants and provide guardrails on judicial discretion that often results in unequal justice. Only 10 of Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Courts 34 judges have said they plan to sign on to the program. Six of those judges are in their first term on the bench. Its kind of hard to figure how you can end up with results that are so different for similar kinds of actions, former longtime Cleveland Municipal Court Judge Ronald Adrine said. Cases like these point out the need for the system to do a better job of reviewing the data because theres lots of disparity between the way that people of color and white people are treated. But it doesnt get captured because nobodys really looking. Ohio Supreme Court Justice Michael Donnelly, who spent 14 years on the Cuyahoga County Common Pleas bench before ascending to the states highest court in 2019, and 8th District Court of Appeals Judge Sean Gallagher said the adoption of the database would move the state closer to identifying and correcting issues that contribute to disparities in sentencing. Are we satisfied with a system that would allow for two extremely different results like this? Donnelly asked. Is that good policy? Does it make the community more safe, when our sentencing laws allow for that disparity? We need to ask that question in Ohio. Both judges said that, while judicial discretion is important, the reaction to this weeks differing sentences shows the state needs to do more to ensure that judges punish people who commit similar crimes more equally. If there isnt faith in the justice system that youre going to get a fair shake, then thats the biggest indictment against keeping the things the way they are, Gallagher said. Taiwan has no plans to ease or lift its border restrictions despite a sharp drop in the islands Covid-19 infections, its health minister said on Monday. Citing the rapid spread of the coronavirus Delta variant in various parts of the world, Taiwanese Health Minister Chen Shih-chung said it was too early to reopen borders to visitors. As the Delta variant has remained rampant in many countries in the world, there is a need to maintain the current stringency of our border control and strict control of international and domestic flights, Chen said in a statement following a meeting of the self-ruled islands cabinet. Do you have questions about the biggest topics and trends from around the world? Get the answers with SCMP Knowledge, our new platform of curated content with explainers, FAQs, analyses and infographics brought to you by our award-winning team. Mondays meeting, led by Premier Su Tseng-chang, discussed Taiwans handling of the coronavirus and the curbing of its recent outbreak. The island has been fighting a spike in cases since late April its worst outbreak since the pandemic began but the situation has been brought under control after health authorities imposed soft lockdown measures. Eight cases were reported on Monday, four of them local the same number of local cases recorded on Sunday and a marked improvement from the high of 721 local cases on May 22. According to the islands Central Epidemic Command Centre, headed by Chen, there were 74 cases last week, down from 104 the previous week. The centre said 37 per cent of the islands 23.5 million people had received at least one of their two Covid-19 vaccine doses. The drop in cases has prompted local travel agencies to raise questions about the possibility of easing border control to allow foreign tourists to visit the island. After Chen ruled out doing so, Su directed government ministries to strictly uphold border controls to protect the public, Mondays statement said. Story continues Taiwan has imposed strict border controls throughout the pandemic, restricting foreigners from visiting unless for special reasons such as emergencies and on humanitarian grounds that are assessed case by case. Under local rules, Taiwanese returning to the island and foreigners permitted to visit in special circumstances are required to enter quarantine for 14 days and undergo testing before they may leave. Chen also said on Monday that despite the drop in new infections there were no plans to lift the islands level 2 status under its four-tier alert system, on the basis that there were still likely to be some undetected local cases. Level 3 restrictions were imposed in May, before being eased to level 2 a fortnight ago. As well as the eight new infections, four deaths were reported on Monday, taking the islands total to 15,790 cases and 813 fatalities. More from South China Morning Post: This article Taiwan keeps border controls despite fall in Covid-19 cases, citing Delta variant first appeared on South China Morning Post For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2021. SPIRIT LAKE, Iowa -- Two suspects in the December death of a Lake Park, Iowa, woman have been formally charged with murder and theft. Dickinson County Attorney Amy Zenor on Friday filed trial information documents charging both Allison Decker and Justice Berntson with first-degree murder, second-degree theft and conspiracy to commit second-degree theft. Decker, 26, and Berntson, 24, both listed in court documents as having no permanent address, are scheduled to be arraigned Aug. 23 in Dickinson County District Court. Both remain in custody in the Dickinson County Jail on $1 million bonds. They are accused of killing 25-year-old Angel Bastman, whose body was found Dec. 22 at her home at 104 Maple Ave. According to court documents, Bastman was killed at approximately 5 p.m. Dec. 21. Her body was discovered the following day. Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} Authorities have declined to comment on the cause of death. The trial information documents provided no details of Bastman's death, saying only that it was premeditated. Berntson and Decker conspired to commit a theft and took possession of property valued at $1,500-$10,000, the trial information said. Beshear said Monday that the highly contagious delta variant fueling the new surge in virus cases poses the single greatest threat to the lives and the health of Kentuckians, to the education of our children and to our economic rebound. It is spreading at least twice as fast as any previous version of COVID-19," he said. "It is deadlier and it is impacting more children. Kentucky reported 1,301 new COVID-19 cases and seven more virus-related deaths Monday. More than 1,130 virus patients are in Kentucky hospitals, including 331 in intensive care units. In his Fancy Farm speech, Quarles said the governor responded to the pandemic by violating our basic rights and individual liberties by becoming the shutdown governor. Harmon told the crowd: In 2023, the voters of Kentucky will have a chance to help Andy Beshear in the same way his policies helped many of them -- by sending him home. What the Republican speakers did with those attacks is muddy the waters in ways that give people excuses not to get vaccinated, the governor told the AP. WASHINGTON (AP) One by one, Democrats and Republicans trekked to the Senate floor on Sunday touting a $1 trillion infrastructure proposal and argued that, after months of haggling, it was time for a final vote on the measure. Standing in their way: Republican Sen. Bill Hagerty of Tennessee. The freshman senator spent the weekend using a procedural maneuver to essentially grind the chamber to a halt. A final vote that could have happened days ago could now linger into the early hours of Tuesday morning, forcing lawmakers to give up their second consecutive summer weekend to plod through the minutia of Senate rules. More than a dozen Republicans have joined Democrats to clear initial hurdles on the infrastructure bill, meaning the legislation will almost certainly pass despite Hagerty's protest. But the effort could raise the profile of a one-time Trump administration official eager to align himself with the former president, who has stepped up efforts to derail the package. But the high court acted by a 5-4 vote and Justice Brett Kavanaugh, part of the slim majority, said he was voting to keep the moratorium in place because it was set to expire at the end of July. Kavanaugh said he agreed with Friedrich and that he would reject any additional extension without clear authorization from Congress, which so far has not happened. In late July, the federal appeals court in Cincinnati also declared the moratorium illegal. The administration let the moratorium lapse and said over several days that its lawyers could find no legal authority for a new one. But as political pressure mounted from congressional Democrats, the CDC came up with a modified moratorium, scheduled to expire Oct 3., that applies only in areas of high transmission of the delta variant and lapses when the virus' spread declines. SALEM, Ore. (AP) A lawsuit filed in Oregon Appellate Court last week is challenging the efforts of staff within Oregons Legislature to unionize. Oregon Public Broadcasting reports the Freedom Foundation a group that combats public sector unions in Oregon, Washington and California is seeking judicial review of the state Employment Relations Boards ruling that cleared the way for legislative staff to vote to unionize in late May. Jason Dudash, Oregon director of the Freedom Foundation, said he believes the idea of a union is fundamentally incompatible with the work of the Legislature. Unionizing legislative assistants will compromise the integrity of the legislative branch and erode trust by the people toward their elected lawmakers, Dudash said in a statement Friday. The group argues that the bargaining unit representing legislative assistants is in conflict with the state law dividing power between Oregons three branches of government. The argument is nearly identical to one made by the Oregon Legislature itself last December when it objected to unionization efforts organized by staffer. MADISON, Wis. (AP) A Wisconsin lawmaker has taken the unprecedented step of demanding clerks in two counties turn over all ballots and voting equipment used in the 2020 presidential election for what the Republican is calling a cyber-forensic review of the results. Here are the key takeaways from state Rep. Janel Brandtjen's push to reexamine Joe Biden's victory in Wisconsin. WHAT EXACTLY DID BRANDTJEN DO? Court challenges and a partial recount in Milwaukee and Dane counties confirmed Biden defeated former President Donald Trump by about 20,000 votes in Wisconsin. But Trump has refused to accept defeat, demanding Wisconsin Republicans investigate the results. Brandtjen, the leader of the Assembly's elections committee, issued subpoenas Friday to clerks in Milwaukee County and in Brown County, which includes Green Bay. She demanded they appear before the committee on Sept. 7 and turn over all the ballots and voters' names and addresses. She also wants their election equipment, from tabulation machines to servers. No one has subpoenaed election equipment before in Wisconsin. WHY DID SHE TARGET THOSE TWO COUNTIES? OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) Most state workers in Washington, as well as hundreds of thousands of private health care and long-term care employees, will be required to show proof of vaccination for COVID-19 by Oct. 18 or face losing their jobs, Gov. Jay Inslee announced Monday. Weekly testing will not be an option for those who want to avoid vaccination and maintain their employment, and the only way to opt out of the requirement is with a medical or religious exemption. Inslee said the new rules believed to be among the nations strictest were necessary because of an increase in cases and hospitalizations tied to the delta variant. We have what is essentially a new virus at our throats, he said at a news conference. The state of Washington is taking decisive action. The governor's order applies to about 60,000 employees of the 24 state agencies that are part of his executive Cabinet, which includes the departments of corrections, transportation and social and health services, and the Washington State Patrol. Vaccination will also be a requirement for any contractor wanting to do work with the state. INDIANAPOLIS (AP) An Indianapolis man who says he was paralyzed while being taken to jail in 2019 filed a lawsuit alleging officers threw him head-first into the back of a van that had no safety restraints. The lawsuit, announced Monday, alleges that by the time the van arrived at the jail 20 minutes later, Travis Shinneman could not support his body weight. The 49-year-old remains paralyzed from the neck down and requires around-the-clock care, his attorneys said. The case is reminiscent of that of Freddie Gray, a 25-year-old Black man, who died in 2015 after his neck was broken while he was handcuffed and shackled in a Baltimore police van. Shinneman, who is white, was arrested by Indianapolis Metro Police Officers in September 2019 for disorderly conduct and public intoxication, according to court documents. Police then handed him over to officers with the Marion County Sheriff's Office to take him to jail. He was the only passenger in the back of the van and there were no cameras to monitor him, the lawsuit states. The lawsuit names the Marion County Sheriffs Office and some of its employees, as well as Indianapolis police officers and some city officials. Balderas has argued that recent concessions by the companies will result in more economic benefits for Indigenous communities and workers. On Monday, he said the state can't afford to miss a historic opportunity to modernize our energy infrastructure for both production and distribution. Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has voiced her support, saying the merger would help New Mexico meet its mandate for having carbon-free electricity generation in the next two decades. Nora Meyers Sackett, the governor's spokeswoman, said in an email Monday that anything that contributes to generating renewable energy to combat climate change and establishing meaningful economic opportunities in affected communities is welcome. However, she added that anything that would harm New Mexicans now or in the future or result in residents being anything less than a first priority would be problematic. The governors expectation is that the PRC, as an independent body, will rigorously and thoroughly vet the proposal as to the prospective benefits and/or drawbacks New Mexicans could expect," she said. Like all interested New Mexicans, she will continue to follow the course of the application as well as constructive professional and public feedback. The hearing will wrap up later this month, but it could be early fall before regulators make a final decision. Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Some policing researchers and strategists say law enforcement shouldnt engage in vehicular pursuits unless a violent crime is involved fleeing itself doesnt count because of their inherent dangers to life and limb. You can arrest them at their homes; get a warrant for them but the one thing that you cannot do is get a life back, said Chuck Wexler, a former officer who heads the Police Executive Research Forum, which places sanctity of life above all else in policing. We put a higher value on human life. Even someone who is fleeing the police. Fleeing the police by itself doesnt justify a tactic that could result in an injury or death to the driver, the police officer or to other third-parties. Wexler said they generally dont recommend use of the TVI or PIT maneuver because it might result in loss of life. The general principle comes down to proportionality, he said. Are the tactics that are used proportionate to the crime that was committed? People dont even go to jail for stolen cars, Wexler said. So can you get him another day? The more youre pursuing him the more hes fleeing. Geoffrey Alpert is a University of South Carolina professor who has researched high-risk policing activities for more than three decades. LINCOLN Former Nebraska Gov. Kay Orr took University of Nebraska-Lincoln Chancellor Ronnie Green to task Monday over a statement opposing a resolution on critical race theory. The statement was written by the six faculty and staff members leading the chancellor's anti-racism initiative. It takes issue with a resolution proposed by University of Nebraska Regent and GOP gubernatorial candidate Jim Pillen that would bar "any imposition of critical race theory in curriculum" at the university. Orr, who has endorsed Pillen, called the statement "inflammatory and beneath the dignity of your office." She went on to say that, in the past, the office of chancellor has never been "wielded as a weapon against duly elected officials." "The University would do you well to remember that as a tax-supported institution, they are responsible to reflect the virtues that are embodied in the minds and hearts of Nebraska citizens," she said. Orr said she found one passage in the statement particularly disturbing. SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) A third person has pleaded guilty in the shooting death of a woman at a New Years Eve party in Sioux City. Carlos Morales, 18, of Sioux City, admitted during his sentencing Friday that he and two others whove already pleaded guilty fired guns early Jan. 1 into a home where he knew people were congregated for the party, the Sioux City Journal reported. The shooting killed 18-year-old Mia Kritis and wounded three others. In exchange for his plea to second-degree murder and three weapons counts, prosecutors dropped his original charge of first-degree murder. The plea agreement calls for a sentence of 50 years, but his sentence will ultimately be up to a judge. Had Morales been 18 at the time of the shooting, he would be required to serve a mandatory minimum of 35 years. But Iowa law says a judge may suspend all or part of the prison sentence if the offender was under age 18 at the time of the crime. "This resolution undermines the mission and values of the University of Nebraska by attempting to influence curriculum and decrease opportunities for critical thinking and exchange of knowledge," the student regents said in a statement. "There is no doubt in our minds that the chilling message sent by this resolution would make it harder for Nebraska to recruit and retain young people," they continued. Regents will consider Pillen's resolution on Friday. The meeting is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. in the Varner Hall board room at 3835 Holdrege St. Last week, in a statement, Pillen said "Nebraskans want the confidence of knowing their tax and tuition dollars cannot be used to force critical race theory on anyone at the University of Nebraska." "Students should be educated, not indoctrinated," he said. In their resolution, the student government leaders said NU's "world-class faculty are best positioned to determine curriculum and establish space for critical, independent thinking." Critical race theory is a framework to examine systemic inequities stemming from racial discrimination and has typically been taught at law schools and at the graduate level. Two other executives, namely the president of the Neighborhood Retail business unit and the head of the units human resources department, resigned to take responsibility for mishandling the case. When the employee reported a horrendous act such as rape, they did not make timely decisions nor took appropriate action, said Zhang. As such, they need to bear responsibility as leaders. Alibabas Chief People Officer Judy Tong was also given a demerit on her record, as the human resources department did not pay enough attention and care to our people. In the memo, Zhang pledged to expedite the formation of an anti-sexual harassment policy that has zero tolerance for sexual misconduct. He also said there will be trainings held for the company on the protection of employee rights and interests, and that a dedicated reporting channel will be established that will allow employees to file a report if they feel violated. The company said Sunday that it was working with the police to investigate the incident. Jinan police said in a Weibo post that they were investigating a case involving the violation of a female Alibaba employee. Alibaba was lambasted by official media for taking action only after the victim went public with the allegations. KYIV, Ukraine (AP) Belarus' authoritarian leader on Monday denied that his government unleashed massive repression of dissent after his re-election a year ago triggered a monthslong wave of mass protests, even as his law enforcement officials admitted receiving nearly 5,000 complaints about beatings and torture. Despite this, or maybe because of this, some fishers shun the Lakes because of the heavy leisure-boat traffic, which can cause fishing boats to toss and rock from one side to the other uncomfortably. Smaller boats are particularly vulnerable to this phenomenon, and especially in the afternoons when the lakes are a madhouse of boaters. "This is kind of a hidden gem for open-water fishing, because there's so much boat traffic, pleasure-boating here, that the fishermen kind of avoid this lake," Grosvenor said, referring to West Lake Okoboji. "So, this lake, I believe, sees a lot more pressure in the wintertime with fishermen than it does in the summer." "If you're going to fish East or West Okoboji, you probably want to fish earlier in the day, because the pleasure boats don't tend to really get going until about noon," Campbell said. "The other lakes don't have quite the boat traffic, and so you could really fish those all day long." During the weekends, Campbell often heads to Spirit Lake, where the pleasure-boat traffic isn't as extreme. What catches best? In the matter of bait, Grosvenor says to "keep it simple." I was a little hesitant to speak with Dr. Bernard Ashby. Ashby works in Florida, taking care of COVID patients. He is bearing witness to that states record-breaking surge of infections at the moment. Its not that I didnt think Ashby would have interesting things to say. Its just: How many times can you repeat the exact same thing? Wear a mask indoors. Get vaccinated. Support health care workers. But when we got on the phone, Ashby sounded just as frustrated as I am: The transmission rate is ridiculous down here. Patients are coming in by the boatload. Theyre younger, theyre sicker. And unfortunately, we werent really prepared for the surge that weve gotten Advertisement I wanted to know who a front-line physician would hold accountable for this COVID spike, a dark rerun, complete with the same overcrowded hospitals and regretful patients weve seen before. Watching the news, it feels easy to find a villain: Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis. But Ashby says this blame game misses something. Everyones playing politics with this, he said. Its not just the Republicans. Its the Democrats, too. And, theres a lot of different agendas at play. Advertisement Advertisement So who does he blame? Oh, I blame everybody. Newsflash: Coronavirus aint going nowhere. Its going to be here for the rest of our lives. On Mondays episode of What Next, I spoke with Ashby about what its like inside Floridas surge. Our conversation has been edited and condensed for clarity. Advertisement Mary Harris: Take me inside a hospital you work at in Florida right now. Whats it like? Bernard Ashby: Im a cardiologist, first of all. But before I was a cardiologist, Ive always been a general doctor, so at the hospital, in addition to consulting cardiology patients, I also take care of general patients as well. So I do take care of patients that come through the ER with COVID-19 who are very ill. And in that capacity, what youre seeing is just a lot of sad stories. Patients tend to be less educated. They tend to be the working class. Theres a large migrant community, many of which are undocumented, who are coming in. And its unfortunate. When they come in, theyre sick; theyre scared. They know about the horror stories about COVID-19. And theyre just wondering if theyre going to meet that same demise. Advertisement Advertisement When you tell a patient they have COVID, Im curious how they respond. Its interesting. I have yet to encounter a patient that was surprised by the diagnosis. They usually know coming in the door that they have COVID-19. People are listening. They hear the stories. They probably had a friend or know someone that has had it. And so they know what COVID entails. And so theyre not surprised. The patients that Im seeing now, a large portion of themwell, really, all of the patients Ive seenhave been unvaccinated. And, if they have a chance to talk about it, I heard a different story almost every time. Theres certain themes, but everyone has a different story. Advertisement Tell me a couple of stories. I had one patient, she came in with COVID-19, and she was unvaccinated. And I asked her, Why didnt you get vaccinated? And this was after she made it out and wasnt tenuous. And she basically said that she had some concerns, but she just didnt really have the time or the opportunity to get it. And she was someone that was working in the fields, harvesting crops. Advertisement A migrant worker. This is a wake-up call and should lead to a fundamental reckoning of the failures of our health care system. Dr. Bernard Ashby Exactly. And she wasnt opposed to getting the vaccine. Its just that no one really talked to her. No one presented the vaccine to her. And she clearly would have gotten the vaccine if she was targeted. And so thats an example of how we could do better at our public health campaign and address these populations that are largely forgotten. Advertisement Its interesting to hear you talk because it seems like Floridians are about half vaccinated, which is sort of the median. And I see so much focus on the vaccine resistant, but it sounds like youre also seeing people who just havent been reached. I think some folks may have the perspective of, Oh, you can just go to your Walgreens and get it. Its so easy. Its free. What are you seeing that you would say to people like that? This is indicative of our health care system as a whole. Vaccination rates have always been low in certain demographics prior to the pandemic. Access to care has always been an issue in certain demographics prior to the pandemic. We talk a lot about disparities, and I actually dislike those terms: disparities and inequality, all that, yada, yada. Advertisement Advertisement Is it the passive voice you dont like? It makes it sound like its an abstract thing. I see it every day. I see that patients cant afford insurance. A lot of people are uninsured. A lot of individuals are underinsured, particularly if you have Medicaid, and they get inferior care. These patients dont get treated well. Things get overlooked. In some ways youre saying it makes sense that this would be the population that would be unvaccinated. These people are not engaged in the first place. And its interesting that a lot of people are surprised by their hesitancy. We didnt care about them before and all of a sudden we care about him in the context of the vaccine. This is a wake-up call and should lead to a fundamental reckoning of the failures of our health care system. Were one of the worst, if not the worst, performing countries in the industrialized world. And thats precisely because weve decided that health care is a privilege and not a right. And you can see that in how we approach the pandemic and how we approach the treatment of patients. In fact, theres been tons of data, even a recent study that came out of UPenn that showed that your mortality rate from COVID-19 was directly tied to what hospital you went to. You know what hospitals had the highest mortality rate? Well, the county hospitals, the ones in urban areas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The ones that serve Black and brown people. Yes, but also rural communities as well. Poor white people. They get the crappy care as well. And were not talking about that at all. Were acting like these issues dont exist, and were just focusing on vaccination, vaccination, vaccination. You cant just focus on one thing. You have to take a step back and look at the big picture because we are failing a large demographics of Americans. And as a result, were seeing a large portion of our population die unnecessarily from preventable illnesses. And now just add COVID-19 to the equation, and you got your stew. And so its unfortunate. Can we talk about you and your colleagues? I heard an emergency physician in Miami quoted, basically saying staffing is a huge issue because after a year and a half of treating patients with COVID, everyone was surprised by whats happened now. So how are you seeing that in your hospital? Whats the conversation like in the break room? Advertisement Youre going to get me in trouble. But, people are angry. People are tired. People are stressed. And, yes, staff is an issue. But Florida, compared to other states, we have a relatively good nurse-to-patient ratio. And I think that is one of the main reasons why we had a lower case fatality rate, meaning when people actually get sick and get hospitalized, their chances of dying were lower than most of the country. Thats something that was a good thing. However, people are tired, people are burned out, and we need to address the mental health implications of this. Advertisement The entire world has had collective PTSD from this pandemic, but particularly the front-line workers, particularly individuals like nurses, like respiratory therapists, like phlebotomiststhese people are in these patients rooms, they hear them coughing, and they know theyre sick, so theyre much more likely to encounter the virus, but theyre much more likely to experience the pain and the suffering that these patients are going through. And I just dont think they get enough credit, enough appreciation. And frankly, I dont think they get paid enough. So, I think we need to focus on that. Advertisement Ive seen you on CNN and MSNBC speaking out against Gov. Ron DeSantis lack of coordination when it comes to this latest surge. Youve said you want the governor to be more proactive, less reactive. So what can I say about our governor? I got to laugh and cry because its so, so reckless. Specifically, about two weeks ago, myself and some of my colleagues did a press conference because we saw everything surging and we were like, Hey, whats the plan? And we expressed our concerns. We wanted some action, and we laid out some specific things. But in general, our message was lets be proactive here. And instead of that being met with some positive response, the governor just got all political on us. They released a statement saying that we dont know what were talking about. He gave a press conference that alluded to us saying that these physicians basically want lockdowns and mandates, and hes opposed to all of those. Advertisement Advertisement Is that what you want? No, we never said any of that. We didnt talk about mandates. I just said we needed to do something. What did you want? We wanted proactive measures. We wanted this to be to be made an emergency situation. We wanted him to reinstate the emergency order that was in place, not necessarily the same measures, so that we can be on high alert and start distributing and allocating resources appropriately. In addition to that, we wanted masks to be used. Obviously, thats very important. And this predated the CDC recommendations. But DeSantis didnt do anything. He just talked about politics, and made fun of masks and Fauci, and was traveling to other states and fundraising for his campaign. Basically not taking it seriously. Advertisement And then, DeSantis did start to act. But not in the way the doctors would have recommended. DeSantis started by issuing an executive order limiting the use of masks in schools. The governor might say, Im not against masks, Im against mandates. Yeah, but you cant speak out of both sides your mouth, because hell say hes not against masks, but hes selling campaign merchandise making fun of masks. You have him saying that masks are detrimental to kids. Advertisement Do you ever talk politics with your patients? Oh, my goodness. Yes. A lot of them see me on TV, and my patients love me, man. I have very different demographics. In Miami, largely Black and Latino. In the Treasure Coast, largely white rural folks. And I have some diehard Trump-licans who are my patients. Advertisement Talking about Florida right now, Im really reminded of this conversation I had with a reporter in South Dakota a month or two ago. We were talking about how the governor there, similar to DeSantis, didnt want to put in mask mandates and has been really trying to pump herself up nationally because of her stance. And what he said was from the outside, it might look like South Dakota doesnt have the best COVID response. But if youre in South Dakota, people really like this freedom that the governors given them. When you talk to your patients, can you see that? This perception that even if the COVID numbers are going up, the governments doing a good job. Or is it different in Florida? Advertisement It really depends on how old they are and how they assess their risk. And so my older patients, who are vulnerable, they think DeSantis is reckless. But my younger patients, particularly my white male patients, they love what DeSantis is doing. What would you tell your patients in Florida right now who are hearing the news about this surge and maybe feel a little bit helpless? I would tell them that we are experiencing a crisis now, but youre not helpless. There are things that you can do as an individual to protect yourselves and protect your community. We know that masks work. We know that avoiding indoor spaces is important. Being outside is a better idea because its safer. I do understand that is hot, but just keep that in mind. Get vaccinated. Thats extremely important. In terms of the public health message to our leaders, we can do things like focus on providing early, aggressive care for people that do get sick. Were underutilizing the monoclonal antibody therapy. The government has already paid for that, and were not giving it to people at anywhere near the rate that we should be. And thats a message for our leaders and for the public. Know that this therapy exists. And if you get it early, youll do very well. Donald Trump got that therapy, and thats a big reason why he did well. We just need to be proactive, work together as a community, and not be so ideological about things. Were all Americans, were all Floridians, and we just need to realize that. The sooner that we do realize that, the better we can move on with our life because the coronavirus isnt going anywhere. There will be flare-ups in the future. And it really is incumbent on us to work collectively to protect our entire community, particularly the most vulnerable among us. Subscribe to What Next on Apple Podcasts Get more news from Mary Harris every weekday. In the early morning hours of Sunday, Sept. 5, 1982, 12-year-old Johnny Gosch vanished while delivering copies of the Des Moines Register. Two years later, 13-year-old paperboy Eugene Wade Martin disappeared under virtually identical circumstances on the south side of Des Moines. These cases terrified residents of Des Moines and Iowa, many of whom believed that the Midwesta safe, and implicitly white, placeought to be immune from this type of terrorism, as one local put it in 1984. This city and this geographical area are supposed to be comfortable, safe places to raise children, work and lead productive lives, he wrote in a letter to the Register. Advertisement Gosch and Martin disappeared amid an intensifying moral panic concerning stranger danger and child exploitation. They joined other high-profile casesnamely those of Etan Patz in Manhattan (1979), Adam Walsh in South Florida (1981), and Kevin Collins in San Francisco (1984)to distort Americans understanding of the threats confronting the nations children. Publicized by concerned politicians, bereaved parents (such as John Walsh and Johnny Goschs mother, Noreen), and an increasingly tabloidized news media, these cases and the inflated statistics surrounding them drastically exaggerated the stranger danger threat. (Some insisted that 50,000 or more children fell victim to stranger kidnapping in the U.S. each year.) The media and political emphasis on these sorts of cases seemed to imply that white children like Gosch and Martin were most likely to be victimized. Yet stranger kidnappings were and remain extremely rare (fewer than 300 cases annually), and children of color have long been underrepresented in news media coverage of missing children. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Present-day accounts often trace the origins of the 1980s stranger danger scare, which still haunts parents today, to the Etan Patz and Adam Walsh kidnappings. But the lesser-known kidnappings of Gosch and Martin played a crucial role in stoking this panic and the parental anxieties associated with it. Even though Gosch and Martin were never seen again, and their cases were never solved, they live onnot only as cautionary tales for Iowa parents and children, but also as potent symbols of endangered white childhood. Thats partly because Gosch and Martin were the first missing children to be featured on the sides of milk cartons. After two Des Moines dairies began placing missing childrens photographs, including Goschs and Martins, on their products in the fall of 1984, the practice caught on in the Midwest and then nationwide. All told, some 700 dairies took part, producing and distributing approximately 3 billion milk cartons adorned with images of missing kids. At a moment of national economic and political uncertainty, as fears of familial and national decline abounded, the image of imperiled white childhood resonated far and wide, from the prairies to the sea. The consequences have been dire. Advertisement Flanked by his dachshund Gretchen, Johnny Gosch, with his red wagon in tow, set out to deliver copies of the Des Moines Register on the Sunday of Labor Day weekend, 1982. By 7:45 a.m., one of the boys 37 customers, growing impatient, phoned the Gosch residence to determine the whereabouts of their Sunday paper. Johnnys father, John, checked the boys bedroom but found no trace of his son. Stranger still, the familys dachshund had returned home. We went searching and found his little red wagon, Johnnys father told the Register. Every single [newspaper] was in his wagon. After delivering the papers his son never had the chance to distribute, John Gosch called the police around 8:30 a.m. Advertisement The ensuing investigation yielded few meaningful leads, which aggravated John and his wife, Noreen Gosch, and prompted them to hire their own private investigators. In the months following her sons disappearance, Noreen also began to cultivate a public persona as an outspoken victims rights advocate. She routinely lambasted local law enforcement officials in the press and petitioned for more robust laws to safeguard children from kidnapping and exploitation. Her efforts transported her to Capitol Hill, where she testified before an August 1984 Senate committee concerning the effect of pornography on women and children. In her prepared statement, Gosch falsely accused the North American Man/Boy Love Association of abducting her son as part of organized pedophilia operations in this countrya speech that now feels like an antecedent to the conspiratorial thinking of QAnon. Advertisement Advertisement In her testimony, Gosch also underscored the notion that nefarious, presumably exogenous forces had shattered the suburban Midwestern idyll in which her family lived before Sept. 5, 1982. We lived in a nice quiet neighborhood in which one would least expect this type of tragedy to occur, she told the Senate hearing. This claimthat the Gosches West Des Moines neighborhood and, more broadly, Iowa and the Midwest should be insulated from such tragediescarried obvious racial and class implications. It also proved central to news media coverage of, and public responses to, the Martin disappearance. Four days after Gosch testified on Capitol Hill, Gene Martin went missing while delivering copies of the Sunday Des Moines Register. Almost immediately, Iowans connected the Gosch and Martin cases and insisted that they marked the arrival of what Register editor Jim Gannon called a dark threat of terror in their previously safe and secure communities. As Gannon wrote in the wake of Martins disappearance: Advertisement Somebody has singled out Des Moines, Iowa, for a special brand of terror. Here, in the normally safe-and-sane heartland of middle America, where clean living, neighborliness and a sense of security are supposed to prevail, a sinister shadow darkens our doorways and our lives. It took Johnny Gosch. Now its taken Gene Martin. It has raised questions that violate everything we hold dear about living in this comfortable, contented community: Is it no longer safe to let our youngsters walk our neighborhood streets? Will Des Moines, as if it were Detroit or Newark or Chicago, shut itself behind closed doors and cede the streets to the shadowy threat of terror? Advertisement Here Gannon juxtaposed light with dark, safety with danger, and Des Moines with several implicitly nonwhite spaces. For Gannon, violence and crime were commonplace and predictable in urban areas like Detroit (62.7 percent Black in 1980), Newark (58.2 percent Black in 1980), and Chicago (39.5 percent Black in 1980), each of which had experienced major racial rebellions in the late 1960s. Conversely, Gannon imagined that Des Moines (6.9 percent Black in 1980) should remain untouched by such violence. So now the national media, the television networks and the national press are fascinated with an unlikely tale, he wrote, terror in Des Moines, of all places. We are on display, each one of us bit players in a drama that examines whats wrong in a place thats supposed to be so right. Advertisement Because Gosch and Martin symbolized all that was so right with the heartland of middle America, their disappearances registered with a broad cross-section of the American public. After all, these were white, middle-class, Midwestern paperboys snatched from their supposedly secure surroundings. To that end, on ABCs World News Tonight, anchor Peter Jennings suggested that the Gosch and Martin cases spelled doomnot just for the idealized craft of newspaper delivery, but also for a certain way of life. It wasnt so long ago in this country that having your own newspaper route was part of the American dream, he explained. Its an early way to learn responsibility and earn a little pocket money at the same time. It has not been that way in Des Moines, Iowa. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Given the widespread appeal of these cases, Gannon and others (within and beyond Iowa) marshaled the names and faces of Gosch and Martin to petition for greater police protection and the formation of neighborhood-watch program[s]. Iowas Republican Gov. Terry Branstad organized a conference called Children in Jeopardy, during which participants demanded more rigorous background checks for those working with young Iowans and tougher penalties for child sexual abuse. Some ordinary Iowans adopted vigilantist sensibilities and reappropriated Gannons rhetorical flourishes, specifically his suggestion that Iowa had been deliberately targeted by terroris[ts]. This type of terrorism should be a call to arms and a call to anger for all law-abiding citizens, one Des Moines man wrote in a letter that was published in the Des Moines Register. In another letter to the Register, a Sioux City man proposed a constitutional amendment divesting criminal rights and the reinstatement of the death penalty for certain crimes. (Iowa had outlawed the death penalty in 1965.) Advertisement President Ronald Reagan championed and contributed to these efforts. Shortly after Martins abduction, Reagan and Vice President George H.W. Bush visited Cedar Rapids, Iowa, for a campaign rally, during which the president addressed the paperboy disappearances. We must continue cracking down on crime, he declared. And Im pleased to learn that Iowans have made a particular effort to seize the initiative in combating crime. Youve established a crime prevention citizens watch program in every one of your counties. Thats an accomplishment that few states can match. The president pledged his full support in the search for these two boys and noted the recent passage of the federal Missing Childrens Assistance Act. Nancy and I join all of you, Im sure, he told the audience, in praying for the safe return of Johnny and Eugene. And I pledge to you that none of us will rest until the streets in Iowa and throughout this nation are once again safe, particularly for our children. Advertisement Advertisement Critically, Reagan also couched his discussion of the paperboy cases and his vows to crack down on crime within a celebration of Iowas settler-colonial past. This was open prairie, he insisted, obscuring the Indigenous communities that had long called Iowa home. And then the pioneers began to settle here: Yankees, Germans, Swedes, Norwegians, and immigrants from many other nationsmen and women as hardy as the land. They plowed the sod, they planted crops, they dotted the land with farmhouses and built lovely towns like Cedar Rapids. And soon, Iowa contained some of the richest farmland in history, feeding tens of millions in America and around the world. By presenting Iowa as a mythic, racially homogenous, bucolic wonderland, Reagan could portray the paperboy kidnappings (and crime generally) as existential threats to a way of life that never truly existed. Advertisement The milk carton campaign, launched the same month as Reagans campaign event in Cedar Rapids, built on the interwoven pastoral and domestic ideals that animated so many responses to the paperboy cases. Des Moines Anderson Erickson Dairy started producing and distributing milk cartons with Goschs and Martins faces on them. Another Des Moines dairy soon followed suit. These campaigns drew upon and reinforced the intimate associations between milk, the Midwestern landscape, and maternal nurturance and child development. With their striking images of lost and endangered (white) childhood innocence, these milk cartons confronted children and families gathered around the breakfast nook or dinner table, warning them of the dangers ostensibly threatening their way of life. Advertisement The practice quickly caught on elsewhere, first throughout the Midwest and then nationwide. Chicagos Hawthorn Mellody Dairy, in collaboration with the citys police department, rolled out its own milk carton program in late 1984. Given Hawthorn Mellodys large footprint throughout the Midwest, the national news media took notice, and by March 1985, more than 700 of the nations dairies and milk processors were placing missing childrens photographs on their products. As one Associated Press reporter noted at the time, They are the faces of the nations missing children, and their images are rapidly becoming fixtures of American culture. Advertisement This imagery helped justify a spate of new laws and cultural practices designed to keep children safe from stranger danger. Since the emergence of the milk carton campaign, virtually every child honored through local, state, and federal memorial laws intended to safeguard children and penalize perverts has been white. Initiatives named for, or passed in honor of, Adam Walsh, Jacob Wetterling, Polly Klaas, Megan Kanka, Jimmy Ryce, Amber Hagerman, Carlie Brucia, Jessica Lunsford, and many others expanded the states capacity to surveil and incapacitate individuals deemed dangerous to certain children in the 1990s and 2000s. An elaborate system of sex offense registries, reporting requirements, civil commitment protocols, and residency restrictions has taken hold as a result. Advertisement Today, nearly 1 million people are listed on sex offense registries in the U.S., even though many experts consider such registries not only ineffective but ultimately counterproductive. Those previously convicted of sex offenses have relatively low rates of reoffending, and some studies show that the registration and community notification regime eliminates the possible deterrent effect of having to register for committing a sex crimein other words, once youre registered, youve suffered the consequences, and any such deterrent effect is gone. Individuals listed on sex offense registries are also subject to a form of civil deathunable to secure housing or gainful employment, unable to participate in the political process, and unable to find redemption or basic human dignity. Advertisement Ironically, children and adolescentsthe very people that registries and other tools purport to protecthave been inordinately harmed by these measures: According to the Juvenile Law Center, some 200,000 individuals are listed on sex offense registries for offenses they committed as minors. As Americans reckon with QAnon, another corrosive moral panic focused on child abduction and exploitation, they should acknowledge the role of white childhood innocence and its associated imagery in fueling fears of stranger danger. Rather than accurately depicting the dangers confronting American youth, lurid tales of sex slavery, sinister cabals, and stranger kidnapping reflect and perpetuate a cultural obsession with childhood innocence and the external dangers that supposedly threaten it. Other, more common and more severe threats to childrenincluding poverty, car accidents, and COVID-19often play second fiddle to sensationalized perils. If Americans truly wish to protect all children (and adults) from kidnapping, exploitation, and other forms of sexual and physical harm, we must recognize that cases like Johnny Goschs and Eugene Martins are extremely rare. Stranger abduction and exploitation understandably terrify parents and other family and community members in acute ways, yet family members and acquaintances are far more likely to perpetrate harm against children. Sex offense registries and related mechanisms counterintuitively locate the threat outside of the idealized family home and, through their reliance on narratives and images of endangered (white) childhood, imply that all registered sex offenders represent threats to children and adolescents. In reality, white children are no more vulnerable than others, and those opposed to mass incarceration and criminalization must acknowledge how notions of white victimhood have been leveraged in support of draconian and largely ineffective laws, such as the infamous crime bill signed by President Bill Clinton in 1994 or the 2016 International Megans Law signed by President Barack Obama. As truly devastating as cases like Goschs and Martins are, they also reveal a deep and enduring cultural and legal fixationone that has damaged countless lives while doing little to ensure the safety and well-being of all people. This article is part of the Free Speech Project, a collaboration between Future Tense and the Tech, Law, & Security Program at American University Washington College of Law that examines the ways technology is influencing how we think about speech. On July 31, 19 days into a strike, workers from the Haft Tappe sugarcane processing plant in southwest Iran took to the streets. The focus of their strike was delayed wages and poor working conditions. But they were also protesting against the Islamic Republics latest effort for curtailing online freedoms. They fear the internet [since] they back the corrupt, marching workers chanted in Khuzestan Province, southwest Iran. The workers were reacting to the Iranian parliaments decision to fast-track the introduction of a bill dubbed Cyberspace Users Rights Protection and Regulation of Key Online Services, widely referred to as the Protection Bill. (Its available here in Persian.) If implemented, the billwhich has been in the making since 2018is expected to curb access to the internet, invade users privacy, infringe net neutrality, and suppress freedom of speech in Iran. For years, Iran has been seen as constantly trying to emulate the more extreme censorship regimes of Russia and China. This bill would help the Islamic Republic set a new standard for other authoritarian states to follow. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Three days before the Haft Tappe demonstration, the Iranian members of parliament voted 121 to 74 in favor of invoking Article 85 of the Islamic Republic constitution to review and experimentally implement the bill. First, a select few MPs will review the legislation for two months behind closed doors, then they will send it to the Guardian CouncilIrans constitutional watchdogto be ratified. If it gets the greenlight from the Guardian Council, it will be experimentally enforced for up to five years, and later can be permanently ratified into law. The internet is already heavily censored in Iran, which has about 57.4 million internet users in a total population of about 82 million. Facebook, Twitter and YouTube have been banned in Iran since 2009. Telegram, which has 49 million users in Iran, has been banned since 2018. Furthermore, over the past few months, the state has used throttling to disrupt access to WhatsApp, Instagram, and Clubhouse. WhatsApp and Instagram are respectively used by 50 million and 47 million people in Iran. Advertisement The new legislation is expected to further tighten the net by imposing a blanket ban against all international services. International online services providersfrom Google, Microsoft, Amazon, and Facebook to smaller oneswill have to agree to operate within the laws and regulations of the Islamic Republic, and collaborate with the state in surveillance and censorship operations. The language of the bill is vague but it can also require tech companies to install an official representative inside the country. This would provide the Islamic Republic with an additional leverage, considering the states history of taking foreign and dual nationals hostage to pressure Western nations. Advertisement The Islamic Republic appears to be following the example of other authoritarian states. In 2021, Russias Duma imposed similar conditions on international tech firms, and the Indian government has tried to curtail online freedoms by strong-arming international social media platforms. Advertisement If companies fail to comply with the demands, access to their services would either be throttled or blocked. But because Iran is subject to both U.S. and international sanctions, tech companies, especially American firms, are legally barred from conceding to the demands. Even Gmail and WhatsApp would likely be blocked going forward. The bill would also criminalize production and distribution of censorship circumvention tools like virtual private networks, punishable with up to two years in jail. Iranians heavily rely on such tools to access blocked platforms. It would also introduce a multitiered system that would rank citizens based on their age and profession and provide them with different levels of access to the internet. The Islamic Republic has already tried introducing such a system. For instance, some Iran-based journalists who are seen as friendly toward the establishment have been provided with unfiltered internet and now frequent platforms like Twitter to echo the states public messaging. Some university professors have also been provided with access to banned platforms like YouTube for research purposes. The bill would enshrine the system into law and expand it to all citizens. Advertisement Advertisement In addition to being an outright breach of net neutrality, the move would be tantamount to establishment of a cyber caste system, exacerbating the already gaping inequalities in Iran and making access to the internet a privilege for the darlings of the dictator. The parliament has also aimed to kill online anonymity in the bill, requiring all service providers to implement a real name policyforcing users to sign up with their legal identity. In oppressive environments like Iran, civil society, activists, journalists and marginalized groups heavily rely on online anonymity to evade state persecution. The policy would also be an invasion of all users privacy. While Iran holds elections and has a civilian government, the countrys de facto dictator, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has the final say over all matters, from international relations to cyber policies. If enacted, the legislation would further tighten the grip of the Supreme Leader on Iranian cyberspace and limit the civilian governments role in Irans cyber policy arena. It would transfer control of Irans key communication infrastructureinternational gateways that connect Iran to the World Wide Webfrom the government to an ad hoc agency dominated by the armed forces and security agencies, which in turn are controlled by the Supreme Leader. Advertisement Advertisement It would also put another Supreme Leader-controlled entity, the Supreme Regulatory Commission, in charge of regulating and purifying Irans cyberspacenom de guerre of censorship. Among other things, the commission would also set a gradually decreasing cap for the bandwidth international services can use, throttling access to them until they are rendered useless. The transfer of power to opaque agencies that are only accountable to the Supreme Leader would make imposition of censorship policies and internet shutdowns easier for the Islamic Republic. In Irans divided society, where people seldom see eye to eye on any topic, the parliaments bill has managed to elicit a unified response: fear and rage. The unified response did not come as a surprise to anyone familiar with Irans recent history. After all, Iranians suffered a weeks-long nationwide internet shutdown in 2019, and have been struggling with an overbearing censorship regime for years. More than 930,000 people have signed a petition to stop the bill from passing. Iranian social media has also been abuzz with protest against it with hashtags like #No_to_the_protection_bill in Persian trending since July 28. Advertisement But the Islamic Republic would have none of this. In an open letter published on July 30, top Iran Revolutionary Guard Corps general Mohammad Reza Naqdi has called on MPs to stay steadfast and end the foreigners rule over Irans cyberspace for good. And in all likelihood, that will happen. The bill is expected to sail through the remaining hurdles. The free expression organization Article 19 has described the bill as a full-on attack on peoples rights to freedom of expression, access to information and privacy that would place Iranians in an information blackhole where accessing even basic services such as email and messaging tools will not be possible. To many Iranians, it will be another episode of a decades-long nightmare. Future Tense is a partnership of Slate, New America, and Arizona State University that examines emerging technologies, public policy, and society. This story was originally published by Grist and has been republished here as part of the Climate Desk collaboration. Malaysias Kinabalu Park, which surrounds Mount Kinabalu, the 20th-largest peak in the world, is home to a nickel mine like none other. In lieu of heavy machinery, plumes of sulfur dioxide, or rivers red with runoff, youll find 4 acres of leafy-green shrub, tended to since 2015 by local villagers. Once or twice per year, they shave off about a foot of growth from the 20-foot-tall plants. Then, they burn that crop to produce an ashy bio-ore that is up to 25 percent nickel by weight. Advertisement Producing metal by growing plants, or phytomining, has long been tipped as an alternative, environmentally sustainable way to reshapeif not replacethe mining industry. Of 320,000 recognized plant species, only about 700 are hyperaccumulators, like Kinabalus P. rufuschaneyi. Over time, they suck the soil dry of metals like nickel, zinc, cobalt, and even gold. Advertisement Advertisement While two-thirds of nickel is used to make stainless steel, the metal is also snapped up by producers of everything from kitchenware to mobile phones, medical equipment to power generation. Zinc, on the other hand, is essential for churning out paints, rubber, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, plastics, inks, soaps, and batteries. And, as supplies of these hard-to-find metals dry up around the world, demand remains as strong as ever. Advertisement Phytomining has long been tipped as an alternative, environmentally sustainable way to reshapeif not replacethe mining industry. The idea of phytomining was first put forth in 1983 by an agronomist at the U.S. Department of Agriculture named Rufus L. Chaney. Other research groups before the Malaysia team have shown that the solar-powered and carbon-neutral metal extraction process works in practicea key step to winning over mining industry investors, who have insisted on field trials of several acres to show proof of principle. The most recent data out of Kinabalu Park, a UNESCO-listed heritage site located on the island of Borneo, is finally turning industry heads, as it shows the scales have tipped in favor of phytominings commercial viability. We can now demonstrate that metal farms can produce between 150 to 250 kilograms of nickel per hectare annually, said Antony van der Ent, a senior research fellow at Australias University of Queensland whose thesis work spurred the Malaysia trial. At the midpoint of that range, a farmer would net a cool $3,800 per acre of nickel at todays priceswhich, van der Ent added, is on par with some of the best-performing agricultural crops on fertile soils, while operating costs are similar. Advertisement Advertisement Take, for instance, palm oil, a crop as notorious for its profitability as for its role in driving deforestation in Asia and Africa. Farmers planting oil palm trees, prior to the pandemic, stood to clear 2.84 metric tons of crude oil annually on average, or $2,710 in todays prices. For farmers in Malaysia and Indonesia, where 90 percent of the worlds palm oil is grown, nickel farming might just prove a more attractive option. At this stage, phytomining can go full scale for nickel immediately, while phytomining for cobalt, thallium, and selenium is within reach, van der Ent said. While van der Ents team has won over some in the mining industry, adoption of phytomining isnt yet on the fast track. Thats despite the Malaysia plot and other examples suggesting that while plants are of course less capital-intensive and more environmentally friendly than traditional mining, they are also more efficient. Still, in an industry that van der Ent characterizes as resistant to change, phytominings immediate future could see it more as a complement to traditional mining than its replacement. Advertisement Several Indonesian nickel mining companies are now looking to partner with van der Ents Malaysia team. We have lined up several industry partners whove agreed to implement trials in Indonesia, he said. But due to COVID, this development is currently on hold. Advertisement When travel restrictions are lifted and borders open up, van der Ent hopes to show that there are a number of advantages to phytomining that traditional mining simply cant offer. There is an abundance of unconventional ores that could be unlocked through phytomining, he said. One example is soil abundant in tropical regions that typically contain 0.5 to 1 percent nickel by weight, which is below the cutoff where a company could profitably implement conventional strip mining. Advertisement Strip mining takes place in thick layers of soil containing more than 1 percent nickel by weight that are found in places like Brazil, Cuba, Indonesia, the Philippines, and New Caledonia. This process involves removing a layer of soil or rock, referred to as overburden, before mining that seam for the target metal. And it comes at great environmental cost. Because nickel is difficult to extract, the process calls for heavy machinery that runs on diesel and generates carbon, as well as large, acid-leaching installations needed to separate the metal from its ore. Those nickel-rich soils, however, are becoming increasingly scarceand it might well be that an undersupply eventually drives more and more companies to embrace phytomining. That, and the fact that bio-ore contains 20 to 30 percent nickel by weight and is also more compact and cheaper to transport than typical oreswhich hover around the 1 percent to 3 percent mark by weight. Advertisement Advertisement Still, regardless of how the Indonesia partnerships eventually go, its unlikely that major mining companies will swap out strip mines for shrubbery overnight. Thats why phytoremediation, a spinoff technology which complements mining rather than replacing it, might just be the thin end of the wedge. Currently, as strip mining happens, the surrounding topsoil becomes littered with toxic metal tailings. This layer typically has to be dug out, carted off, and sold to landfills, often at great cost to the mine operator. In the case of coal extraction, the cost of rehabilitation for strip-mined land averages $71,000 per acre. In the E.U. alone, there are an estimated 130 million acres in need of clean up. Its a hefty bill for mining companiesand thats if they choose to foot it at all. High-profile inquiries in Indonesia, Australia, and the U.S. show mining companies are all too often willing to shirk rehab responsibilities. Advertisement The residue, though, is commonly composed of nickel, cobalt, sodium, and cadmium. With a little physical or chemical treatment of the soil, one can create precisely the conditions in which certain hyperaccumulators thriveits as simple as planting a seed and recovering the additional ore at a later date. Trash from treasure, as van der Ent put it. Advertisement Advertisement Marcus Radford, an environmental consultant based in Western Australia, added that phytomining on these sites is a win-win. It would make mine remediation cheaper, quicker, and easier. Adding to that, it would revitalize the local ecosystem. Its a way of putting back, rather than taking away, he said. Phytoremediation has been tested in France, Greece, Albania, and Italy, but the experiments have seen varying levels of success. In Italys Tuscany region, for example, researchers planted various cottonwood and willow species over arsenic-contaminated pyrite waste. While both plants grew successfully in challenging conditions, arsenic wasnt recovered at a significant level. That said, small-scale phytoremediation in France and elsewhere has been shown to recover nickel, zinc, and cadmium. Advertisement In order for the mining industry to adopt phytoremediation, the practice will need boardroom backing, van der Ent explained, adding that the support turns on wide-scale implementation. Scaling up, however, requires funding, so theres a bit of a chicken-and-egg problem. Its only uptake by industry that is holding up translation of phytomining to large-scale application, van der Ent said. Industry invariably asks for a field-scale demonstration of phytomining to prove operational viability but is not prepared to fund such a pilot project. I firmly believe that once a proven field demonstration at scale exists, this will attract funding. Advertisement Van der Ent is optimistic that the pandemic-delayed push into Indonesia will do the trick. Just to be sure, though, hes also planning to scale the Malaysia trial up to nearly 50 acres which would call for the application of an industrial-scale hydrometallurgical plant, which separates the target metal, in this case nickel, from its ore via a water-based medium. They wont have to manually burn the crop as they are doing now, meaning the process will be carbon-negative, as opposed to what van der Ent labels carbon-neutral. Once COVID restrictions lift, he hopes the team will bring new life to the term smelting plants. Another top official confesses to accepting a hefty bribe in the Mytnik case The recently charged Daniel Cech testified that former prime minister Peter Pellegrini also received a bribe. Font size: A - | A + Daniel Cech, who has been repeatedly charged in the Mytnik case, confessed to having accepted a bribe of 200,000 from his former superior Frantisek Imrecze. Cech has also testified about allegations that the former prime minister and now leader of the opposition Hlas party, Peter Pellegrini, accepted a bribe. Imrecze has told the police about this previously. The Noviny.sk news website of the private broadcaster TV JOJ reported on August 9 that Cech confessed to having accepted the bribe from his former superior at the Financial Administration, Imrecze, after he left his post in 2016. The bribe was linked with the purchase of IT systems for businessman Michal Suchoba and his company Allexis. He confessed following the recent arrests and charges in the Mytnik (Toll Collector) case that involves corruption in IT orders of the Financial Administration. The police charged eight people, including businessman Miroslav Vyboh, whom former prime minister Robert Fico described as his friend, and former head of the Financial Administration Lenka Wittenbergerova, who has confessed to having accepted bribes. Her predecessor, Imrecze, was first detained in January 2021. Imrecze has confessed and started cooperating with the investigators in July. Suchoba, who has also been charged as part of the Mytnik operation, has also confessed. Bribe connected to Pellegrini How the mafia took over the police. Detained tax inspector tells his story Read more Imrecze and Suchoba reportedly told the investigators, among other things, that former prime minister Pellegrini was bribed when he served as the state secretary at the Finance Ministry. He broke away from the Smer party with a group of fellow renegades last year and currently leads the opposition party Hlas, which tops public opinion polls. According to Imrecze and Suchoba, Vyboh gave a 150,000 bribe from Suchoba to Pellegrini, the Aktuality.sk news website reported. Cech, in his confession, reiterated Imrecze's claims, Noviny.sk reported. He reportedly offered more witnesses to verify his testimony, including the representatives of the state-run minting company Kremnica Mint, which cooperated on the creation of an electronic system. Cech reportedly alleged that Pellegrini had been against Suchoba's company Allexis, but his rhetoric changed over time. Cech told the investigators that when he asked Imrecze what was behind Pellegrini's change in attitude, he responded that Pellegrini had been offered a financial reward, Noviny.sk wrote. 9. Aug 2021 at 16:05 | Compiled by Spectator staff Charges fly around Slovakias former prime ministers Summer suspense as police continue uncovering corruption schemes, while epidemiologists prepare for the Delta episode of the pandemic to unfold. Welcome to your weekly overview of news from Slovakia. The police have charged an oligarch and close friend of former prime minister Robert Fico. A visit by the speaker of the Hungarian parliament dismayed Slovak diplomats. The Health Ministry has been forced to rewrite its strategy for the third wave. And a prize lottery for the vaccinated has attracted much criticism; its impact will be hard to measure. Corruption investigation comes close to Fico and Pellegrini When the former head of Slovakias tax system, Frantisek Imrecze, confessed to wrongdoing and began cooperating with investigators last month, people who have been following the investigations of major corruption in Slovakia over the past two years saw this as unsettling news, to say the least, for senior politicians from the former ruling party Smer (including those around Peter Pellegrini who have since broken away to form the Hlas party). Imrecze, who was even briefly considered for the finance minister post in 2018, confessed in July to crimes he had been charged with after he was first arrested in January this year. A few weeks later, the police made some high-profile arrests in what they have labelled the Mytnik 3 operation. Imreczes successor as head of the Financial Administration, Lenka Wittenbergerova, confessed to having accepted bribes as the police alleged in the charges against her. But the most prominent among those who have been charged is Miroslav Vyboh. 9. Aug 2021 at 14:26 | Michaela Terenzani The Sunday evening (August 8) harness racing program at Running Aces was loaded with feature events, including four Minnesota-sired contests and the weekly Open Trot feature. The $14,375 sophomore filly trot event drew a field of six and public choice Coatofmanycolors (Nick Roland) was fastest away from the gate from the outside post to control the tempo all the way to the top of the stretch through fractions of :29.1, :59.2 and 1:29.1 before The Royal Queen (Rick Magee) emerged from the pocket and Its So Fluffy got rolling from third. The Royal Queen ($4.80) had the most trot through the lane and posted a final quarter of :28.1 to register a 1-1/4 length tally in 1:57.3 over Its So Fluffy, with Coatofmanycolors holding a clear third. The impressive victory made it three in a row and established a new lifetime mark for the daughter of Tom Ridge, who now shows 10 wins from 24 career races. She is owned and trained by Justin Anfinson. Driver Rick Magee also converted a pocket trip into a sharp victory with SB Sampsons Ridge in the $14,375 sophomore boys trot with a half-length tally in 2:00 over front-runner and race favourite Rush To The Bank (Nick Roland). The top two finishers battled through the stretch with SB Sampsons Ridge ($6.80) prevailing for his third straight win for owner Mikaela Del Giudice. Magee is also the winning trainer. The $13,800 Open Handicap Trot went to All American N (Luke Plano), who delivered a dominating performance in 1:57 as the public choice. Starting from the outside six post, Plano wasted no time in getting the seven-year-old son of Muscle Hill to the front of the field and they controlled the contest from start to finish, posting a 1-3/4 length tally over newcomer Mind Yown Business (Brady Jenson), with Susies Sister picking up the third spot. All American N ($3.40) is trained by Edward Hernandez and has now won six races this season for owner Jose Cervantes. There were two additional Minnesota-sired events on an early non-betting card. They included the $9,375 freshman male Class A pace, which went to Antetokounmpo (Rick Magee) in 1:56 for his first lifetime win. The son of Easy Again is owned by Mikaela Del Giudice and is also trained by Magee. Roscoe P Coletrain was second-best and Lovin On You was home in third. The $10,000 Sophomore Class B pace went to Doubleontherocks (Luke Plano), who rallied from third to draw away late and post a 1-1/4 length tally for her first local win in 1:56.3 over Weeha, with Muffin Top picking up third. The winner is a daughter of Lettherockbegin and is owned by Nikki Hudson and also trained by Plano. Driver Rick Magee posted a grand slam on Sunday, while Nick Roland posted a double. Magee also registered a training double, along with Edward Hernandez. Live racing returns to Running Aces on Tuesday (August 10) with first post at 6:05 p.m. (CDT) and will feature a carryover of $15,339.67 in the 20-cent Pick-5 Jackpot wager. (With files from Running Aces) Sharpe Farm Supplies has announced it is partnering with Brooks Feeds, Masterfeeds and Purina to bring the horsepeople Sharpes Day At The Races. Starting this weekend, they will be visiting five racetracks in Southern Ontario. Each card will feature one race with a cooler presentation, all winning trainers will receive a coupon for a free bag of feed, all winning grooms will receive a Sharpes ball hat and they will be providing all race participants free pop/water. Sharpe Farm Supplies is a well known feed and livestock company with 10 retail locations all across Southern and Northern Ontario. The dates for the Ontario tracks hosting a Sharpes day are as follows: Saturday, August 14 (with Masterfeeds) Hanover Raceway Saturday, August 21 (with Brooks Feeds) Georgian Downs Sunday, August 29 (with Purina) Clinton Raceway Friday, September 3 (with Purina) Grand River Raceway Saturday, September 11 (with Brooks Feeds) Kawartha Downs (With files from Sharpe Farm Supplies) The CDCs current guidelines, in effect until Nov. 1, say cruise lines can sail again with confirmation that at least 95 percent of passengers and crew have been vaccinated, the judge noted. The plaintiffs are Surgeon General Scott Rivkees and the Florida Department of Health. The states attorney, Pete Patterson, previously said the laws aim is to prevent invasions of privacy and discrimination against passengers who dont get vaccinated. DeSantis spokesperson Christina Pushaw said the state will appeal Williams ruling. A prohibition on vaccine passports does not even implicate, let alone violate, anyones speech rights, and it furthers the substantial, local interest of preventing discrimination among customers based on private health information, the statement said. The pandemic has cost Norwegian more than $6 billion to date by forcing the company to dock its entire 28-vessel fleet and send nearly 30,000 crew members home. Each canceled seven-day voyage would cost the company another $4 million, the judge noted. The Norwegian Gem is set to depart from Miami on Sunday the companys first voyage from Florida since the pandemic halted its operations. More than 1,200 passengers have already booked tickets, promising to prove theyve been vaccinated before boarding, the judge noted. Editors note: Information is provided by the Cowlitz County Corrections Department and local law enforcement agencies. Each individual named in this report is presumed to be innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Harassment Cowlitz County Sherriffs deputies Friday arrested Brandon Albert Knight, 38, of Kelso, on suspicion of harassment. Burglary, theft Cowlitz County Sheriffs deputies Friday arrested Nicole Renee Stakes, 32, of Longview, on suspicion of residential burglary and third-degree theft. Drugs, driving without a license Longview police Friday arrested Tyran Lamar Ward, 44, of Kelso, on suspicion of two courts of possession of felony drugs with intent and third-degree driving without a license. Fugitive, theft, forgery, possession of stolen property Longview police Friday arrested Justin William Hurzeler, 37, of Rigby, Idaho, on suspicion of being a fugitive from justice, second-degree theft, forgery and possession of stolen property. The school board has broad discretionary power, he said, adding that we need to reclaim that broad discretionary power and make parent voices heard. Saying Gov Jay Inslee and Reykdal are confused, Walsh said there was no legal basis for cutting school funding and that Inslee had abused the emergency powers we gave him. Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} Some say we are anti-vaccine, but we are not, Walsh said to the maskless crowd. Some say we are anti-mask, but we are not. What we are is pro-consent and in the case of medical procedures pro-informed consent. Toutle Lake School Board candidate Lisa Mathes encouraged attendees to not let another shutdown happen, saying that being a teacher against masking feels like we are on a battlefield. Longview kindergarten teacher Brittany Priutt said there are many teachers who do not agree with the stance of the teachers union, and that she is one of them. Priutt explained to the attendees that for kindergarteners, seeing mouth shapes is vital to learning to read and talk, and masks are causing educational and emotional stress for students. JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) Six people who were killed in a sightseeing plane crash were recovered and identified after crews initially struggled to reach the wreckage in southeast Alaska due to poor weather conditions. Alaska State Troopers identified the pilot and five passengers late Saturday following the crash Thursday. The aircraft went down as the pilot was returning the passengers to Ketchikan from Misty Fjords National Monument. The passengers who died were Mark Henderson, 69, and Jacquelyn Komplin, 60, both of Napa, California; Andrea McArthur, 55, and Rachel McArthur, 20, both of Woodstock, Georgia; and Janet Kroll, 77, of Mount Prospect, Illinois. The pilot was Rolf Lanzendorfer, 64, of Cle Elum, Washington. All five passengers were on an excursion off the Holland America Line cruise ship Nieuw Amsterdam. Ketchikan is a popular stop for cruise ships visiting Alaska, and cruise ship passengers can take various sightseeing excursions while in port. Popular among them are small plane flights to Misty Fjords National Monument, where visitors can see glacier valleys, snow-capped peaks and lakes in the wilderness area. The planes emergency beacon was activated about 11:20 a.m. Thursday when it crashed near the monument, the U.S. Coast Guard said. Credit: CC0 Public Domain Senators hit a roadblock Thursday night on adjustments to the bipartisan infrastructure package's cryptocurrency reporting rules as the White House weighed in to push a smaller change. The bill's lead negotiators, Democrat Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona and Republican Rob Portman of Ohio, joined with Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., on an amendment late Thursday that would exclude "proof-of-work" miners and wallet developers from new requirements that those facilitating cryptocurrency transactions must report information on trades to the IRS for tax enforcement purposes. An earlier, competing amendment would have shielded all blockchain network validators and developers of peer-to-peer cryptocurrency exchanges from the new mandates. But the Treasury Department doesn't like the latter exemption, arguing it could still lead to untaxed transactions. The White House stepped in to back the Warner-Portman-Sinema amendment, describing it as a compromise, but backers of the earlier amendment balked. Senate Finance Chair Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Republicans Patrick J. Toomey of Pennsylvania and Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming all doubled down on their own proposal, as the cryptocurrency industry did the same. "I think we're at an impasse," Toomey told reporters. "They want to apply this in a fashion that we think is too broad, doesn't work and shouldn't be doneand will do harm." Later on Thursday, Senate Finance ranking member Michael D. Crapo, R-Idaho, told reporters it was possible there could be an agreement to take up both amendments "side by side," giving senators a chance to hear both arguments and then cast their votes. A 60-vote hurdle for each amendment was under consideration as the chamber was seeking to wrap up the infrastructure bill, potentially this weekend after Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer filed cloture Thursday night. Both sides agreemostly Senators on both sides of the aisle and the White House agree that centralized cryptocurrency exchanges should be added to the definition of a "broker" that must provide the IRS with tax forms showing clients' names, addresses and gross proceeds from transactions, Toomey said. Adding that business transactions of over $10,000 in cryptocurrency must be reported to the IRSmuch like cash payments are nowhas also generated no major controversy. The stalemate Thursday came over which players in the nascent industry should be exempted from broker reporting rules, after industry groups spent days pressing for a narrower definition. They warned that some intermediaries wouldn't have the information they'd be required to provide the IRS on trades of digital assets such as Bitcoin and Ethereum, and that reporting obligations could push businesses overseas. Wyden, Toomey and Lummis have made a similar case in recent days. The White House was calling Democrats in an attempt to block a vote on the Wyden-led amendment earlier Thursday because the Treasury Department wanted the option to require tax forms from creators of peer-to-peer exchanges, according to a GOP aide. The White House then publicly got behind the Warner-Sinema-Portman amendment. "The Administration believes this provision will strengthen tax compliance in this emerging area of finance and ensure that high income taxpayers are contributing what they owe under the law," Deputy Press Secretary Andrew Bates said in a statement. "We are grateful to Chairman Wyden for his leadership in pushing the Senate to address this issue, however we believe that the alternative amendment put forward by Senators Warner, Portman, and Sinema strikes the right balance and makes an important step forward in promoting tax compliance." Portman, who was behind the underlying bill's reporting provision, tweeted that he would support a vote on the Wyden-led amendment earlier Thursday, before offering his own version. He previously said the text was not meant to apply to the groups that senators wanted exempted. The Warner-Sinema-Portman amendment would specify that reporting obligations don't apply to proof-of-work miners and sellers of hardware or software for controlling private keys that access a user's cryptocurrency, known as wallets. Proof-of-work mining is the more traditional form of validating transactions on a blockchain, where miners solve complex mathematical problems using high-powered computersa process that's been criticized for wasting electricity. The competing amendment would provide "safe harbor for the most climate-damaging form of crypto tech, called proof-of-work," Wyden tweeted late Thursday. "It would be a mistake for the climate and for innovation to advance this amendment." The Wyden-led amendment would exempt all miners, including those using alternative models such as "proof-of-stake," which Ethereum is gradually moving toward, for instance. That's where individuals "stake" digital tokens as collateral and receive transaction fees when they are chosen to be validatorsa process backers say uses less energy. The Wyden-Lummis-Toomey amendment would also exempt wallet developers and those "developing digital assets or their corresponding protocols for use by other persons," unless those users are customers. The latter is the piece that spurred the Biden administration to intervene and that would cover developers of peer-to-peer exchanges. As industry groups and cryptocurrency businesses took to Twitter calling on senators to vote for the more expansive amendment and reject the Warner-Portman changes, Wyden, Toomey and Lummis weren't budging on Thursday night. "Do what you say you're going to do," Lummis said in a tweet. "Our amendment protects miners as well as hardware and software developers. The other does not. The choice is clear." Explore further Tax changes would boost IRS monitoring of cryptocurrency use 2021 CQ-Roll Call, Inc. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Fazel Ansari in the pilot factory of TU Wien. Credit: Vienna University of Technology The complexity of large industrial production plants is hardly manageable for a single person. In order to maintain, monitor and service an industrial production line, it therefore makes sense to rely on artificial intelligence (AI). There are different strategies for this. The most obvious would be to equip machines with sensors and to infer the condition of the plant from the sensor data. However, a large part of the information about machines and production plants is not available in the form of digital measurement data, but in the form of texts written by humansfrom machine inspection reports to shift logs pointing out problems. If an artificial intelligence could use all this data, it would be a huge step forward. This is exactly what scientists are working on now at TU Wien (Vienna), in the research field of "text mining" and "maintenance 4.0." The algorithm that can read "We are probably all familiar with thisyou write something, save it somewhere and then forget about it," says Dr. Fazel Ansari from the Institute of Management Sciences at TU Wien. "An audit report might be flicked through briefly, then it disappears in the drawer. To draw the right conclusions from it and initiate the necessary measures, you need a lot of experience." Human experience is extremely valuable in the industry, and it will probably remain irreplaceable in the future. Fazel Ansari's vision is to make the collaboration between humans and machines more efficient. When humans and machines communicate with each otherwhat language should they use? The language of machinesfor example in the form of long tables with numerical codes, or in human language? "If we succeed in making natural human language understandable for artificial intelligence in industry, then a huge amount of additional information opens up to us," says Fazel Ansari. "Imagine how much knowledge you can extract and use about a manufacturing plant, from written records of the last ten yearsfrom shift books, logs or final quality control reports." Much more comprehensively and precisely than any human, an artificial intelligence could automatically recognize patterns from large amounts of datafor example, typical problems that are reported again and again before major damage then occurs. In this case, the artificial intelligence could suggest countermeasures. Tailor-made solutions for every type of plant However, it is not easy to prepare human texts for artificial intelligence. "You cannot develop a perfect AI that can then be used for any type of manufacturing plant," says Fazel Ansari. "You have to develop customized solutions for each type of plant." Sometimes data are available in the form of handwritten textsin which case they first have to be digitized. Depending on the type of plant and industry, different technical terms are important, and the AI must first be trained for this. In order for an artificial intelligence to actually "understand" what the texts are about, it needs to know the overall situation: It needs an understanding of the machine, the processes and even knowledge about the role of the people involved. Only when the AI has this understanding can texts be correctly classified. This is not only done with statistical analysis, such as detecting the changing frequency with whicht certain terms occur. Algorithms can also distinguish between positive and negative evaluationsthis is called "sentiment analysis." It is possible to examine how subjective evaluations have changed over time; associations between different words are also detected and quantified. "A lot of research has already been done in this area. To some extent, we can use existing AI solutions and adapt them to our requirements. But a lot of research is still needed to apply these text mining algorithms in an industrial environment," says Fazel Ansari. "In the Smart and Knowledge-Based Maintenance research group, we have a lot of experience in the field of industrial maintenance; we currently have several research projects running in this topic area. This expertise is very important to be able to apply and optimize the algorithms." TU Wien's text mining approaches could have particularly disruptive potential in the insurance industry: "For a company that offers insurance for expensive equipment, optimal maintenance is of course very important," says Fazel Ansari. "In this area, you can save a lot of money if you find better methods to detect problems in time." More information: Fazel Ansari et al, Text mining for AI enhanced failure detection and availability optimization in production systems, CIRP Annals (2021). Fazel Ansari et al, Text mining for AI enhanced failure detection and availability optimization in production systems,(2021). DOI: 10.1016/j.cirp.2021.04.045 Fazel Ansari, Cost-based text understanding to improve maintenance knowledge intelligence in manufacturing enterprises, Computers & Industrial Engineering (2020). DOI: 10.1016/j.cie.2020.106319 Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain Advancements in natural language processing (NLP) enable computers to understand what humans say and help people communicate through tools like machine translation, voice-controlled assistants and chatbots. But NLP research often only focuses on spoken languages, excluding the more than 200 signed languages around the world and the roughly 70 million people who might rely on them to communicate. Kayo Yin, a master's student in the Language Technologies Institute, wants that to change. Yin co-authored a paper that called for NLP research to include signed languages. "Signed languages, even though they are a significant part of the languages used in the world, aren't included," Yin said. "There is a demand and an importance in having technology that can handle signed languages." The paper, "Including Signed Languages in Natural Language Processing," won the Best Theme Paper award at this month's 59th Annual Meeting of the Association for Computational Linguistics. Yin's co-authors included Amit Moryossef of Bar-Ilan University in Israel; Julie Hochgesang of Gallaudet University, a school for the Deaf and hard of hearing in Washington, D.C.; Yoav Goldberg of Bar-Ilan University and the Allen Institute for AI; and Malihe Alikhani of the University of Pittsburgh's School of Computing and Information. The authors wrote that communities relying on signed language have fought for decades both to learn and use those languages, and for them to be recognized as legitimate. "However, in a predominantly oral society, Deaf people are constantly encouraged to use spoken languages through lipreading or text-based communication," the authors wrote. "The exclusion of signed languages from modern language technologies further suppresses signing in favor of spoken languages." Yin first became interested in sign language while doing outreach work at a homeless shelter while she was an undergraduate at Ecole Polytechnique in Paris. There, she met a Deaf woman and saw how difficult it was for her to establish social connections with others. Yin started learning French sign language and pursued sign language translation as part of her undergraduate research. Once at the LTI, she noticed that almost all NLP research addressed only spoken languages. Computer vision research sought to understand signed languages but often lost the linguistic properties that signed languages share with spoken languages. Signed languages use hand gestures, facial expressions, and head and body movements and can convey multiple words at once. For example, someone could sign "I am happy," but shake their head while doing it to indicate that they are not happy. Signed languages also employ shortcuts similar to the use of pronouns in spoken languages. Natural language processing tools are better equipped than computer vision methods alone to handle these types of complexities. "We need researchers in both fields to work hand in hand," Yin said. "We can't fully understand signed language if we only look at the visuals." Hochgesang, a Deaf linguist who focuses on signed languages, said that when she was studying for her degree, there was barely any mention of signed languages in the literature, in her linguistics classes and in research like NLP. Language was speech; other methods of expressing language were ignored. "On a personal scale, this hurt. It completely ignored my way of being," Hochgesang said. "When I was a student, I didn't see myself in the data being described and that made it really hard for me to connect. That it still hasn't improved much these days is unfortunate. The only way this kind of thing will change is if we are included more." Yin said the paper was well received by both natural language processing researchers and people studying and using signed languagesthe two groups she sought to bring together. "It's really exciting to see a paper the I wrote motivate people, and I hope can make a change in these communities," Yin said. More information: Including Signed Languages in Natural Language Processing, arXiv:2105.05222 [cs.CL] Including Signed Languages in Natural Language Processing, arXiv:2105.05222 [cs.CL] arxiv.org/abs/2105.05222 The source of a massive oil spill last week from a section of the shipwrecked Golden Ray was apparently an open fuel pipe, the sealing of which Sunday has so far stanched further environmental degradation along the southern shores of St. Simons Island, according to Unified Command. Local_news Jekyll conservation leaders call for more scientific consensus on dredging proposal savannah / The Brunswick News/File A green sea turtle at the Georgia Sea Turtle Center on Jekyll Island. Staff members representing the Georgia Sea Turtle Center and Jekyll Island Authoritys conservation department recently added their voices to an ongoing conversation about whether dredging should be allowed in local waters outside of a long-held winter window that protects nesting sea turtles. In a letter submitted during a now-closed comment period seeking public input on a plan proposed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to dredge during the summer in the Brunswick Harbor, the JIA staff members said they have significant concerns. The sea turtle center leaders concerns, according to the letter, include the lack of robust scientific consensus supporting the proposed changes to policy and practice, insufficient communication and interpretation of the scientific rationale for these proposed changes and lack of a strategic approach to forge a collaboration between NOAA, the Corps, Georgia DNR and others, including the sea turtle center. (O)ur view is that the available science is inadequate to sufficiently evaluate the risks or potential benefits to protected species of allowing (operations and maintenance) dredging to proceed without seasonal restrictions, according to the letter, which is signed by Michelle Kaylor, director of the Georgia Sea Turtle Center; Dr. Terry Norton, the centers director of veterinary services and wildlife health; and Ben Carswell, director of conservation and sustainability for JIA. The Corps opened a public comment period seeking input on its plans in June after updating analysis to provide clarity related to the operations and maintenance of the channel. Their study incorporates the 2020 South Atlantic Regional Biological Opinion (SARBO) and replaces seasonal windows with a risk-based management approach that the Corps says considers risk to multiple species in any given area. The original plan was to begin a dredging project this summer in the local shipping channel, but a federal judge ordered May 20 for the Corps to halt those plans after One Hundred Miles, represented by the Southern Environmental Law Center, filed a legal challenge and motion for preliminary injunction earlier this year. The letter submitted by JIA during the recent comment period posed numerous questions regarding scientific uncertainties not addressed in the currently proposed approach. Those include the impact climate change may have on the nesting process in certain areas and how Atlantic and short-nosed sturgeon may be affected in the St. Simons Sound, among other questions. We urge the Corps not to proceed with O&M dredging utilizing hopper dredge equipment outside of the historic winter environmental window before a more inclusive and collaborative discussion can be convened, according to the letter. We strongly advocate the need to build expert consensus around existing science and scientific process as it relates to these and other pertinent questions that may be raised before going forward. In a phone interview with The News, Carswell said his greatest concern is the apparent lack of scientific consensus around the issues. In our view, without more robust scientific vetting, the risks or potential benefits to endangered species of any proposed change are not as calculated as we believe they should be, he said. Many experts, at both the federal and state level, can offer important additional input that needs to be considered, he said. In some sense, those experts are kind of working at different scales, Carswell said. The federal folks are trying to develop a consistent policy across the south Atlantic region that optimizes protection of endangered species with other factors theyre responsible for, and the state folks have a ton of expertise here, locally in Georgia, and we at the Georgia Sea Turtle Center feel like there should be room made in the conversation to try to get closer to scientific consensus. JIA suggested that a workshop or series of workshops drawing on a broader array of scientific expertise could be beneficial and offered to help facilitate such an event. The Georgia Sea Turtle Center is the only veterinary hospital in the state dedicated to the care and rehabilitation of turtles. Staff at the center and members of Jekylls conservation team routinely encounter sea turtles on an individual basis, Carswell said, treating injured and sick patients and observing their nesting process up close every summer. We do see patients that have injuries related to dredging from time to time, including some in recent times, and we have individual staff that are familiar with those individual turtles, he said. Carswell said he and his colleagues feel the outcome of this discussion is more likely to be positive for all interests involved if more effort is made to reach a better scientific consensus. If despite an abundance of state agency and local concern, the Corps determines that it will seek to proceed as currently proposed in the draft IFR/EA and FONSI, we are troubled by the potential for this issue to divide federal and state interests that we know can and should be mutually supportive to achieve common goals, they wrote in the letter. Homeowners insurance non-renewals are on the rise as private insurers steer clear of locations at high risk for natural disasters. The West Coasts blazing wildfires are leaving some Californians scrambling to find coverage, while many Floridians are facing non-renewals during hurricane season. In the midst of changing climate conditions and increasing weather-related catastrophes, its more crucial than ever to have insurance coverage for your home to have peace of mind. Heres what to do if your homeowners insurance policy isnt renewed. 1. Know your rights An insurance company is usually required to provide a non-renewal notice, typically at least 30 days prior to the end of coverage, unless youve missed a payment or committed fraud on your application. But you might get more time to find a new policy. For example, Florida homeowners could get up to 120 days notice, according to Stacey Giulianti, chief legal officer for Florida Peninsula Insurance Company. BAfter almost 40 years of working with the law, including six years as a judge, Mark Young of Grand Island will hang up his robe and step down from the bench on Sept. 1. The District Court judge, who turns 66 this month, has been thinking about retiring for a year or a year and a half. I just feel like its the right time for me. Ive enjoyed this job and other jobs, but I think its time for me to step aside before I lose what effectiveness I have, he said. So its a good time for me to hang it up. A former Hall County attorney, Young has lived in Grand Island since 1982. Its hard to sum up four decades in the courts. But, I hope Im remembered as a guy who showed up most days for work and was occasionally useful, or helpful, Young said. Young was appointed a District Court judge in 2015. In the position, Young has appreciated having a great staff. The courthouse is full of people who are great to work with, he said. Its a challenging job, but its been rewarding. Im not sure its a job you would say is enjoyable, but certainly its been rewarding and challenging. This project is laid out to have a very aggressive schedule, York City Administrator Sue Crawford told the council. It is on the fast track to be done before it gets too cold outside. Redfern asked if there are any supply chain issues for the work to be done. Jackson said, Right now, its looking good, but you never know about glitches. The schedule is for this to be done in October, which is a good month to do this type of project, and thats what we are shooting for. The strategy to go to gas is a good one, Redfern commented. You were the only company to bid on this huge project? Councilman Matt Wagner asked Jackson, with Jackson responding that his company won the engineering bid. Crawford said the call for bids was published per law requirements and letters were sent to 30 engineering companies. And they are the only ones who applied? Wagner asked. Crawford said yes, that was the case. I still feel gun shy, Wagner said. We only got one bid and this is the first time Ive seen this. I want to table this because we are just now seeing their proposal. And what kind of protections do we have with change orders? A childhood polio survivor, McConnell used leftover campaign funds for ads on 100 Kentucky radio stations calling the vaccines highly effective and a modern medical miracle. Partisan acrimony remains on multiple issues from voting rights to immigration. Just last week, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy a moron, and the GOP leader said, if he becomes speaker, it will be hard not to hit her with the gavel. Still, the Senates infrastructure alliance is not the only sign of nascent bipartisanship. When the House Select Committee on the January 6 insurrection held its first hearing, gripping accounts from Capitol police officers dominated the coverage. But the days most significant long-term development was the unified determination among its seven Democrats and two Republicans to pursue that horrific days unanswered questions. In fact, the two GOP members, Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney and Illinois Rep. Adam Kinzinger, were the most outspoken in vowing to tackle the factor most fraught with political consequences: Trumps role in the demonstration-turned-riot that sought to keep Congress from certifying his 2020 election defeat. Hastings told The Southern Illinoisan the group chose to honor Pierce for one simple reason: "It's the right thing to do." The Flagman's Mission Continues has long attended funerals and covers 400-mile radius that includes all of Illinois, Indiana and Missouri. It also includes parts of Iowa, Wisconsin, Tennessee, Kentucky, and Kansas. The fatal incident Government-and-politics alert ORANGEBURG COUNTY COUNCIL Orangeburg County audit shows strong fund balance for 'rainy day' Orangeburg County's general fund balance through the end of June 2020 was in a healthy position, leaving the county with a good "rainy day" fund, according to the county's 2019-2020 financial audit. According to its financial audit, the county saw an increase of $1,893,661 in its fund balance for 2019-2020. The increase helped raise the county's year-end fund balance to $8,036,604. "We are getting healthier there," Orangeburg County Comptroller Gary Cooke told Orangeburg County Council Thursday during a special called meeting on the presentation of the audit. "The ratings services like Fitch and Moody's and Standard and Poor's have all encouraged us." COVID cases up, vaccines urged; Orangeburg admin.: Its now a pandemic of the unvaccinated Local health and government officials are urging people to get vaccinated as the number of coronavirus cases rises. "It helps us when we go out to get bonds," Cooke explained. "It helps us get better interest rates and save money for the county. We have been able to improve that a little bit." Orangeburg County Administrator Harold Young said that when he arrived as administrator about a decade ago, the county's fund balance was about $800,000. "We have been trying to push the fund balance in the right direction," Young said. "We still have a long ways to go but we are going in the right direction." Cooke said the importance of maintaining an adequate fund balance has been heightened due to the pandemic, which is a reminder that "things can happen beyond our control." "We have to have that rainy day ability to draw fund resources to cover the county's general operations during those downturn times," Cooke said. Council Vice Chair Janie Cooper-Smith asked if the fund balance would be able to carry the county forward for three or four months in the event of catastrophic event. Cooke said the funds would help the county over a 2-1/2 to three-month duration for operations assuming expenditures are normal. "The good thing is that Mr. Young is always attentive to managing expenditures when he sees things turning down," Cooke said. "He manages that very well and cuts back on the more discretionary types of expenditures." Cooke said the county's strong fund balance can be seen in its attractiveness to banks when it decides to go onto the bond market. He says recently it received a 0.88% interest rate on borrowing. "The county is receiving multiple proposals when they borrow now," Cooke said. "It is nothing for us to get four or five, maybe six, proposals that are all in very good interest rate range and we are able to pick the one that fits us the best, which in all cases is the lowest rate out there." "When you have multiple banks that are saying we want to be a part of Orangeburg County's future and giving us so good rates speaks very highly of the direction we are moving," Cooke said. TheTandD.com: Full access for 3 months for just $1 Support local journalism by becoming a member at www.TheTandD.com The editor's limited time offer is full access to all the website has to offer for just $1 for three months. https://go.thetandd.com/june3 Audit overview As far as the accuracy of the audit and county's financial statements, Charlotte Allen of WebsterRogers noted the audit received a clean or unmodified opinion, meaning that all its financial statements were accurate and a reliable indication of the county's financial position. "That is a clean opinion and you can't ask for better," Allen said. Allen said there were some findings or deficiencies in internal controls, one of which was a material weakness related to the reconciliation of bank statements in a timely manner. A material weakness is the most serious of audit findings. "If you can't do that, it makes it impossible to audit the financial statements," Allen said. She also noted there were a couple of significant deficiencies in internal controls, which are less severe than a material weakness. You are no better than your team; Young: Training benefits Orangeburg County operations Orangeburg County Administrator Harold Young has been serving in his role for a decade, but hes still learning how to better serve the community. Allen said the findings in the county's audit can be primarily blamed on the county's transitioning to new software in its treasurer's office as well as the transition of new leadership in the treasurer's office. COVID was also cited as a reason the audit was completed later than normal. Allen said the biggest challenge facing the county and its audit was the retirement of former county treasurer Steve Summers in January 2018. She said the retirement left a significant gap in institutional knowledge in the position. "Part of the problem started when your former treasurer retired and that handover was not a graceful one," Allen said. Allen said Summers did most of the work in the office that is typically assigned to a deputy treasurer. She said as a result, the deputy treasurer was not kept abreast of the work she had to do. "She had a very steep learning curve after his departure," Allen said. "There were things she needed to do that she had no idea she needed to do." TheTandD.com: Full access for 3 months for just $1 Support local journalism by becoming a member at www.TheTandD.com The editor's limited time offer is full access to all the website has to offer for just $1 for three months. https://go.thetandd.com/june3 Allen said the county's new treasurer, Matt Stokes, was also not aware of the tasks because he was newly elected. "It has caused a fair amount of disruption," Allen said. "The last couple of years have clarified that they have more of an action plan and hope to be ready for the financial statement close by the end of August." TheTandD.com: Full access for 3 months for just $1 Support local journalism by becoming a member at www.TheTandD.com The editor's limited time offer is full access to all the website has to offer for just $1 for three months. https://go.thetandd.com/june3 Allen said another challenge was the transition into new software for the treasurer's office. Data entry has been manually done. Cooke said the county is getting the automated bank reconciliation process in place, and is going to have individuals trained in the software to have bank reconciliation statements done in a more efficient manner. "They have so many bank accounts there to work with," Cooke said. "They are slowly pairing down the number of accounts. It has been a monumental task to get all that done." Cooke said he is confident that the department will be able to meet the current audit deadline of Dec. 31, 2021. "They are all aware it will take hard work to get it done," Cooke said. "They have shown me up to this point, the dedication to do that." "I have high hopes that your next audit will be pretty close on the heels of this one and that you will be up to speed and on time," Allen said. Allen also noted the county's need to hire at least one professional accountant or several accountants to help ensure its financial record keeping runs more smoothly. "You don't have enough degreed accountants to really devote the time to this at this juncture," Allen said. Young said the county does have plans to hire additional accountants for its treasurer's office. Allen said one example where an accountant's expertise would prove beneficial is with grants. She said in the past the county would often set up new special revenue fund for new grants. "The problem with that is keeping up with them when the need for them is over," Allen said. "For example, the general fund may have advanced some funds to do the project, but then the special revenue fund never reimbursed the general fund, so the fund is still existing in there with fund balance, or cash or possibly payable in there. It just has not come to a natural end." "It will take some research to determine what the original nature of what that fund was and why it was established," Allen said. Wright encouraged council to review the audit and feel free to ask any questions to either Allen or Cooke if the need arises. (France is threatened by) certain social science theories imported from America. -- French President Emmanuel Macron. The intellectual matrix from American universities (should not be imported). -- French education minister Over the past year, the world has been inundated with visions of shocking far-left rhetoric and activism in America. This is shocking to most in the world. Within the Western World, from after World War II until the past decade, America had been perceived as center-right based on who we are. Western European nations became less Christian, more politically liberal, and less capitalist than America during that time. Uniquely liberal France now sees the American radical leftism as a cultural threat, with top French leaders warning about the danger of Americas social science theories and intellectual matrix from U.S. universities. We have a serious problem that cannot be ignored. Its critically important to understand American conservatism and why it must become viable again if the nation is to survive. Aug. 6 and 9 mark the 72nd anniversary of the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The debate continues about the morality of dropping those weapons. Most of the opinions that one hears are expressed by people who did not live through those days. The United States was hit by a Japanese sneak attack at Pearl Harbor that killed more than 2,100 American sailors and virtually destroyed the Pacific fleet. The attack was a means to stop the United States from interfering with the Japanese intent to dominate the entire Asian Pacific rim under the guise of the "Great Asia Co-prosperity Sphere." As a result of that policy, the Japanese forces had run rampant over Korea and China, indiscriminately raping, torturing and killing civilians. When the U.S. struck back with the Doolittle Raid, those planes went to China, and the Chinese people saved most of the crews, who were eventually returned to U.S.-controlled territory. The penalty exacted by the Japanese for this embarrassment (there was little damage in Japan) was the systematic murdering of more than 250,000 Chinese civilians. The Japanese routinely killed any wounded troops they captured and turned the others into slave labor, killing many. This subscription will allow existing subscribers of The World to access all of our online content, including the E-Editions area. NOTE: To claim your access to the site, you will need to enter the Last Name and First Name that is tied to your subscription in this format: SMITH, JOHN If you need help with exactly how your specific name needs be entered, please email us at admin@countrymedia.net or call us at 1-541 266 6047. Today Partly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low near 70F. Winds light and variable. Tonight Partly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low near 70F. Winds light and variable. Tomorrow Partly cloudy early. Scattered thunderstorms developing in the afternoon. High 89F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%. Fort Payne, AL (35967) Today A few clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low near 70F. Winds light and variable.. Tonight A few clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low near 70F. Winds light and variable. In an interview with the Wyoming Tribune Eagle, the mother said shed reported the alleged sexual abuse to CPD in August 2020. The girls mother said she communicated monthly with a victim/witness coordinator with the DAs office about the cases status. At one point, she said she was informed of budget cuts that had left the DAs office shorthanded, but the staff member said that Manlove took these cases very seriously. In April, the mother said she was told that Manlove had been working on the case and would continue to, but other cases had interrupted her review of the case. Three months after she filed the report about her daughters alleged sexual abuse, the mother said, she was charged with neglect by the DAs office. The mother said that case was later dismissed, but because it was a juvenile case, and thus confidential, the mothers attorney at the time could not say whether the case had been dismissed. A Laramie County District Court clerk confirmed that juvenile cases are confidential. The girls mother expressed worry about the alleged perpetrator continuing to walk the streets, able to potentially victimize another child. She said she is currently exploring other avenues for prosecution of the case. In 1991 three Casper fellas took an enormous personal risk. Neil and Mick McMurry, along with John Martin, purchased three gas wells in the Sublette Countys Jonah Field. Attempts to produce in the area stretched back to 1939. All had failed. Nothing guaranteed that the tightly locked natural gas could be extracted this time either, but the McMurry Oil Company took the exploration risk against all odds. The Jonah Field and its neighbor, the Pinedale Anticline, became the largest gas fields in America, providing Wyoming with billions in tax revenue. In fact, over 15 years the Pinedale Anticline alone generated enough revenue in property taxes to fully fund the K-12 education of nearly 13,000 Wyoming students. By comparison, the average Wyoming homeowner pays enough property taxes over the same length of time to fund the education of one student from K through 3rd grade. This well-known Wyoming risk-and-reward story is important to remember right now as various groups try to make the case that, despite billions and billions of tax revenue generated for school children, emergency services, wildlife conservation, and so much more; somehow the federal government doesnt tax the natural gas and oil industry enough. The latest effort, parroted by a Washington DC think tank, wildly, but perhaps intentionally, misunderstands public lands energy development. But at the center of the project are the audio recordings of the chubascos. Originally, Jimenez thought a phone number people could call to listen to the sounds of the rain would work. The more we talked about it, we realized people wouldnt stay on the phone that long, said Jimenez with a laugh. Then we thought we could put it on a YouTube channel that you could listen to and people could experience a storm whenever they want, whether it is a drought or in the winter. That was the winner. Three minutes of quietly listening to a monsoon can be an eye-opener, said Jimenez. When we do that we notice things, birds, flies, all sorts of stuff about the environment around us. Just the exercise of it is a way to commune with the rain. Paying attention to the rain is especially important now, said Jimenez. Rain amounts have fallen because of global warming, said the Tucson native. Its been interesting remembering my storms as a child and hearing them now. Most people can attest that the severity and strength of storms have changed. When we listen to the rain, we become more aware of water issues. The charges filed by California Attorney General Rob Bonta came after the Riverside County district attorney declined to charge Sanchez criminally when a grand jury did not bring an indictment in September 2019. Riverside County District Attorney Mike Hestrin previously said Sanchez believed he had been shot in the head and that a gunman was on the loose in the store after he and his 1-year-old son were knocked to the ground in French's unprovoked assault. David Winslow, Sanchez's attorney, called his client's arrest a "political stunt that does absolutely nothing to protect the public. "The arrest of Sal Sanchez is a product of the politically motivated program by the California Attorney General to prosecute police officers," Winslow said in a statement Monday. Sal was not acting as a police officer when he was attacked. He was off duty acting as a father in self-defense and protecting his child. Bonta's office in July announced that state investigators would respond to police fatal shootings of unarmed civilians after lawmakers passed legislation last year amid civil unrest over the murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis officer. Some school officials acknowledge that a foolproof system is impossible. As with anything that potentially requires a certification, there is the possibility for an individual to falsify documentation, said Michael Uhlenkamp, a spokesman for the chancellor's office at California State University. The school system, which is the largest in the nation, oversees about 486,000 students each year on 23 campuses. Dr. Sarah Van Orman, the chief health officer at the University of Southern California and COVID-19 task force member for the American College Health Association, said college campuses are especially challenging environments to control the spread of COVID-19 since tens of thousands of students move into campus from all over the world. But even if students falsify their vaccination status, it may have limited impact, she said. I think that the numbers of students who would do that would be so very small that it wouldnt affect our kind of ability to get good community immunity, Orman said. In March, the concern over fake COVID-19 vaccination cards prompted the FBI to issue a joint statement with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services urging people not to buy, create or sell fabricated vaccine cards. In March, the concern over fake COVID-19 vaccination cards prompted the FBI to issue a joint statement with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services urging people not to buy, create or sell fabricated vaccine cards. In April, a bipartisan coalition of 47 state attorneys general sent a letter to the CEOs of Twitter, Shopify and eBay to take down ads or links selling the bogus cards. Many of the sites have blacklisted keywords related to fake cards, but places to buy the documents are still popping up on messaging apps, chat forums and the dark web. Sellers on websites such as Counterfeit Center, Jimmy Black Market, and Buy Express Documents list COVID-19 vaccine cards, certificates and passports for sale, some costing 400 Euros or about $473.49 US dollars. An advertisement on the website Buy Real Fake Passport reads vendors can produce fake vaccination cards by the thousands, if not tens of thousands, based on demand. It is hiding under our noses. If you want it, you can find it out, said Saoud Khalifah, founder and CEO of scam-detecting software Fakespot. If we are seeing signs where things like Lollapalooza and other festivals are getting fake cards to gain entrance, the trend is just going to continue into these universities. Its hard enough for a survivor of abuse to come forward with their truth, even under the best circumstances," she said. But here we have Brown survivors who are met with apathy and indifference, which makes a really hard situation even more traumatic. Cass Cliatt, the universitys senior vice president for communications, said Monday that the university is aware of the lawsuit but has not been formally served. She said in an email that Brown has taken a strategic and sustained approach to confronting sexual misconduct on campus, including recommendations from the universitys sexual assault task force released in 2015. Brown has made it an institutional priority to create an environment in which no incident of sexual violence is tolerated, and the experiences and perspective of students and others impacted by sexual violence have been instrumental in informing the actions weve taken, she said. In a joint statement, the four women named in the suit dismissed the schools recent efforts as begrudging, minor changes to policy and procedure that have failed to ameliorate the rampant public health crisis of sexual violence on campus. Five years ago: House Speaker Paul Ryan defeated Paul Nehlen, a longshot Republican challenger praised by Donald Trump, in a Wisconsin congressional primary. At the Rio Games, Michael Phelps earned the 20th and 21st Olympic gold medals of his career as he won the 200-meter butterfly and anchored the United States to victory in the 4x200 freestyle relay. Katie Ledecky earned her second gold in Rio by winning the 200-meter freestyle. The U.S. womens gymnastics team won gold for a second consecutive Olympics. One year ago: The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the United States reached 5 million, the highest of any country. Collin Morikawa closed with a 6-under-par 64 to win the PGA Championship in San Francisco, the first major golf tournament held without spectators. Todays Birthdays: Basketball Hall of Famer Bob Cousy is 93. Actor Cynthia Harris is 87. Tennis Hall of Famer Rod Laver is 83. Jazz musician Jack DeJohnette is 79. Comedian-director David Steinberg is 79. Actor Sam Elliott is 77. Singer Barbara Mason is 74. College Football Hall of Famer and former NFL player John Cappelletti is 69. College Football Hall of Famer and former NFL player Doug Williams is 66. Actor Melanie Griffith is 64. Actor Amanda Bearse is 63. Rapper Kurtis Blow is 62. Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., is 61. Hockey Hall of Famer Brett Hull is 57. TV host Hoda Kotb (HOH-duh KAHT-bee) is 57. Pro and College Football Hall of Famer Deion Sanders is 54. Actor Gillian Anderson is 53. Actor Eric Bana is 53. Producer-director McG (aka Joseph McGinty Nichol) is 53. NHL player-turned-coach Rod BrindAmour is 51. TV anchor Chris Cuomo is 51. Actor Thomas Lennon is 51. Rapper Mack 10 is 50. Actor Nikki Schieler Ziering is 50. Latin rock singer Juanes is 49. Actor Liz Vassey is 49. Actor Kevin McKidd is 48. Actor Rhona Mitra (ROH-nuh MEE-truh) is 46. Actor Texas Battle is 45. Actor Jessica Capshaw is 45. Actor Ashley Johnson is 38. Actor Anna Kendrick is 36. Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. When New York City-based artist and professor Dean Irby tells his colleagues hes going to teach in Oklahoma for the summer, some respond in disbelief. Returning for his third stint as acting instructor for the Oklahoma Summer Arts Institute (OSAI) attended this year by Madalyn Moon Woolman from Skiatook the veteran of stage and screen gave his answer to these big-city skeptics during a recent faculty presentation for students and staff. [OSAI] is one of the best intensive arts programs in the country bar none, he said. This summer, Woolman joined an elite group of 262 high school students from every corner of the state as they developed their individual talents at Oklahomas Official School of the Arts. Held this year at the University of Science & Arts of Oklahoma (Science & Arts) in Chickasha, Woolman was accepted through a competitive statewide audition process to study Photography in this unique and prestigious educational program, held July 10-25. I cant put into words how exciting it was to grow and develop my talents at OSAI. It was an amazing opportunity to learn in such a creative environment, surrounded by students who are practicing their own artistic disciplines, Woolman said. This summer will definitely be one that stays with me for a lifetime. Theyre amazing, he said. I really lucked out finding this group of kids. And they jelled together. They look good together. They seem like a crew. They seem like an old crew, so its good. Meet them? DPharaoh Woon-A-Tai. An Anishinaabeg actor from Toronto, Woon-A-Tai plays Bear Smallhill, the unofficial leader of the group. Bear has a nervous energy about him. He sometimes fumbles through situations, always toward good, but even with success he sometimes gets there in unorthodox ways. Paulina Alexis. A Nakota Sioux actress from the Alexis First Nation in central Alberta, Alexis plays Willie Jack (the name was inspired by the Billy Jack movies). Willie Jack is wise beyond her years. She marches to the beat of her own drum and is not bothered by what people think, always staying true to who she is. Shes the beating heart of the group and watches out for everyone. Devery Jacobs. A Mohawk actress from Kahnawake, Quebec. Jacobs plays Elora Danan. (Award yourself bonus points if you know where this name also appears in pop culture.) She is the moral center of the group. She isnt afraid to make hard decisions and always ensures the gang is cared for. We were out here at 7 a.m.! said Conner-Todd. We saw DeNiro leaving in his black SUV. He rolled his window down and waved at us and we got it on video. Cunningham said the pair are cooking up plans for a future "Killers of the Flower Moon"-related outing. Its so exciting for this to be happening in Tulsa. I hope the movie turns out great. Were planning on going to the premiere because you just know its going to be here somewhere, she said. Stephanie and John Shaw came all the way from Dennison, Texas, to see a different Hollywood actor C. Thomas Howell at a Saturday event in Tulsa. But since they were here, they figured why not see what they could see of the Scorsese film being made. So they made a trip through Pawhuska and then hung out in downtown Tulsa. Ive been an English teacher for almost 30 years and have taught 'The Outsiders,' so we really came for that, Stephanie Shaw confessed. But they were among the lucky ones in downtown Sunday morning. From their vantage point at Third Street and Cheyenne Avenue, alongside 15 or so others, they watched DiCaprio shuttled to set in full costume only about a third of a city block away. He has vaguely promised to step down after Belarus adopts a new constitution but kept quiet about when it might happen. On Monday, Lukashenko said it would happen very soon." The authorities have ramped up their crackdown in recent months, targeting independent journalists and democracy activists with raids and arrests and even diverting a plane to the capital of Minsk and arresting a dissident aboard. A total of 29 journalists are behind bars, awaiting trials or serving their sentences. More than 100 non-governmental organizations are facing closure. On Monday evening, Belarus' Supreme Court ruled to formally dissolve the Belarusian PEN Center, an association of writers led by Svetlana Alexievich, the winner of the 2015 Nobel Prize in literature and member of the opposition's Coordination Council. Lukashenko on Monday denied that there was any repression in Belarus, adding: To unleash repressions in Belarus is (the same as) to shoot myself. I know it well and I will never cross that line." School officials are doing the only thing they can, rolling out toothless back-to-school plans that encourage mask wearing. Some are using stronger language, like Tulsa Public Schools saying it expects mask wearing. Parents know this is a mess. Kids dont do things because its smart. Its how we end up with a dumb fad like the Tide pod challenge, fingerpaint on walls, self-made bangs and calls to the principals office. Most kids are going to wear a mask if it blends in with the school culture as something acceptable. Peer pressure is the time-proven answer for all teenage questions. With more than 703,000 Oklahoma public elementary and secondary school kids gathering to start school this month, its time to consider mask incentives. When asking my teens for ideas, I got an eye roll from one who said, Mom, thats a stupid column idea. You have no idea what school is like now. Clearly, I do not know how to motivate teens. But a suggestion from my other kid is TPS-specific. Ill wear a mask all day every day if I dont have to wear any uniforms or spirit shirts all the time. In case youve been living in a cage for the past several weeks, theyre filming a movie in Osage County and, on occasion, other local spots here and there. Killers of the Flower Moon, directed by Martin Scorsese and starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro, is the film adaptation of David Granns book (of the same name) about the Osage Reign of Terror. When Oklahoma was young, scores of Osage tribal members were killed and swindled by white criminals looking to get at their petroleum wealth. The William Hale conspiracy to kill an Osage family with guns, bombs and poison captured the nations attention in the 1920s and helped legitimize the FBI. All this was going on about the same time as the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, the continuing oppression of Jim Crow laws and the theft of land, oil and wealth from other tribes. Oklahoma in the 1920s was an ugly place where white men had a monopoly on power and used it to steal just about anything that wasnt nailed down, killing or discarding those who got in the way. Most of the bad guys got away with it. I finished the audio version of Granns book last week and, on a whim, decided to take a second look at the first movie about the Osage murders, the 1959 Jimmy Stewart vehicle, The FBI Story. Fertilizer prices have constantly soared from the beginning of this year and are forecast to jump further in the remaining months, concerning farmers and authorities in many rice farming places, heard a meeting organized by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development on Sunday. Authorities in several provinces in the Mekong Delta region, which is the largest rice farming area in Vietnam, have called for solutions for stabilizing fertilizer rates. Prices of domestically produced fertilizers have rocketed 24.3-83.7 percent, whereas those of imported products have soared 50-72.9 percent. According to the Plant Protection Department (PPD) under the agriculture ministry, prices of the main raw materials for fertilizer production have advanced sharply in the past seven months. Sulfur prices surged 233 percent to US$221 from $95 per metric ton, sulfuric acid jumped 232 percent, ammonia gas rose 220 percent, and apatite ore increased 7.7 percent. Rising oil prices and a shortage of empty containers may have led freight rates to escalate three to five times. Those factors are possibly the main reasons for fertilizers to have become more expensive over the past time, according to the PPD. The department also forecast that fertilizer rates will shoot up further in August and remain high for the remainder of this year. In no way can farmers stand such price spikes, said Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Tran Thanh Nam at Sundays meeting. The prices of animal feed have also skyrocketed, according to Nam. Meanwhile, agricultural products tend to get cheaper, according to deputy chairman of Soc Trang Province Duong Quoc Nam. Echoing Nam's stance, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Le Minh Hoan expressed his concern, fearing that farmers may shun production activities in the coming rice farming seasons. This jeopardizes national food security as well as local and national development, Hoan said. The minister requested the Ministry of Industry and Trade to come up with solutions for lowering fertilizer prices. Enterprises should consider making a commitment not to increase prices and provide adequate agricultural materials for farmers, Hoan suggested. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Vietnamese State President Nguyen Xuan Phuc has arrived in Laos for an official friendly visit at the invitation of his Lao counterpart Thongloun Sisoulith. The head of state, his spouse, and a delegation of high-ranking Vietnamese officials left Hanoi for Vientiane on Monday morning, the Vietnam News Agency reported. The visit, which takes place on August 9 and 10, is State President Phucs first overseas trip since his appointment on July 26. Following his arrival at Wattay International Airport, the Vietnamese leader was welcomed by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Planning and Investment of Laos Sonexay Siphandone, Vietnamese Ambassador to Lao Nguyen Ba Hung, and representatives from a number of Lao agencies and the Vietnamese community in the country. State President Phuc is scheduled to hold talks with Lao Party General Secretary and President Thongloun. The two leaders will witness the signing of many important cooperation documents in various fields. The Vietnamese state leader will meet with the prime minister, National Assembly chairperson, and a number of former Party and state leaders of Laos. He will deliver an important speech at the Lao National Assemblys first plenary session, and attend a ceremony to hand over the NA House a gift of the Party, State, and people of Vietnam to Laos. The visit is hoped to further deepen the two nations traditional friendship and special solidarity, as well as open up new prospects and goals in bilateral cooperation. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Leaders of Binh Duong Province in southern Vietnam on Sunday sent a request to the Ministry of Health asking for COVID-19 vaccines as many of its wards had to cancel vaccinations due to a serious shortage of doses. In the request, Binh Duong chairman Vo Van Minh said it is anticipated that local authorities will have to vaccinate over two million residents out of a 2.6 million-strong population this month and in September to ensure a sufficient number of active workers. Vaccinations are crucial in the cities of Di An, Thuan An, and Thu Dau Mot and Tan Uyen Town, which form an important economic zone in the south of the province and areas adjacent to Ho Chi Minh City, especially when they have recorded high rates of infections, Minh emphasized. Binh Duong has become the second leader in terms of infections, only after Ho Chi Minh City. However, when the inoculation progress has just been sped up with a target of 100,000 doses administered per day, several communes and wards in Binh Duong had to cancel their vaccination schedules due to a dearth of vaccines. The health ministry has allocated the province 544,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses, which is insufficient to immunize workers at nearly 30 local industrial parks, not to mention the whole citizenry. In comparison, other localities with fewer infections have received more vaccines than Binh Duong. The provincial Peoples Committee thus underscored in the request that more vaccines are urgently needed for workers in the province. Vietnam has given more than 9.4 million doses to its people, with over 945,800 citizens fully inoculated. The respective numbers in Binh Duong are over 131,700 and 11,000. The Ministry of Health reported 5,140 new domestic COVID-19 infections, including 2,349 cases in Ho Chi Minh City and 1,725 others in Binh Duong, on Monday morning, raising the national tally to 215,560 patients, with 71,497 recoveries and 3,397 deaths. Since the dreadful bout hit the country on April 27, Ho Chi Minh City and Binh Duong have accounted for 124,153 and 29,364 infections, respectively, out of the national caseload of 211,630 cases. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! The Ministry of Health recorded over 9,300 locally-acquired COVID-19 infections in Vietnam on Monday, the second-biggest daily count so far. Thirty-nine provinces and cities detected 9,323 domestic cases while another 17 infections were imported from abroad, the health ministry said. A total of 1,556 transmissions were found in the community whereas the rest were detected in isolated areas or centralized quarantine facilities. The health ministry had logged the largest daily rise of 9,684 locally-infected patients on Sunday. Ho Chi Minh City registered 3,991 of the latest local infections, up 93 patients from yesterday, Binh Duong Province 2,887, Dong Nai Province 538, Tay Ninh Province 290, Long An Province 287, Tien Giang Province 251, Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province 242, and Can Tho City 98. Since the fourth COVID-19 wave began in Vietnam on April 27, the country has documented 215,813 community transmissions in 62 out of its 63 provinces and cities. Ho Chi Minh City is taking the lead with 125,795 patients, followed by Binh Duong Province with 30,526, Long An Province with 10,402, Dong Nai Province with 8,457, Bac Giang Province with 5,740, Dong Thap Province with 4,045, Khanh Hoa Province with 3,399, Tien Giang Province 3,137, and Tay Ninh Province 2,712. By comparison, 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. The ministry announced 4,423 recoveries on Monday, bringing the total to 75,920 recovered patients. The death toll has surged to 3,757 after the health ministry reported 360 fatalities the same day, including 269 registered in Ho Chi Minh City. The Southeast Asian country has detected an accumulation of 217,383 domestic and 2,362 imported cases since the COVID-19 pandemic first hit it on January 23, 2020. Health workers gave 514,503 vaccine doses today. More than 9.4 million COVID-19 vaccine shots have been administered in Vietnam since the country rolled out vaccination on March 8, with almost 946,000 people having been fully vaccinated. The Vietnamese government expects to obtain 175 million shots of various vaccines, including 51 million Pfizer-BioNTech jabs, by early 2022. It set a target of immunizing two-thirds of a population of nearly 98 million people against COVID-19 by the first quarter of next year. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Emma Hamilton may have had lead roles in Mary: The Making of a Princess and Hyde & Seek but she isnt quite prepared for what may come if Sevens RFDS becomes a TV hit. But she got a taste of what may be in store when filming the series in Broken Hill. I know from working with Steve (Peacocke), how much he gets recognised, even in Broken Hill. Ive never had that problem mainly because I look different in nearly everything that Ive done. I havent been a lead in a huge show like this, so I dont really know what to expect, she tells TV Tonight. I was speaking to my sons daycare the other day, and one of the carers said they saw the ad on television. It was the first time anyones really recognised me, because I dont think they know of an actress! That was a bit exciting. Hamilton is Australian born and bred, but studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in the UK, later playing Brits and Americans in shows such as Mr. Selfridge, The Tudors, The Musketeers and Fearless. Coming home for Last Cab to Darwin in 2015 may have inadvertently prepared her for the role of Eliza, a British doctor escaping her past when she joins the Royal Flying Doctor Service. That was interesting because I was transported straight from London into the outback, which is very similar to what my character Eliza does. So that really helped me with Eliza because Id live that, she explains. Having a fish out of water story is a great way in Having a fish out of water story is a great way in, because we have a lot of very particular language in Australia that people overseas wont necessarily understand. Things like dongas, grey nomads, and the like. Having someone who is completely from another country coming into to that Outback setting, I think helps because the characters have to explain it to her, and hence the audience. Based on real-life stories this series by Endemol Shine Banks centres around the doctors, nurses, pilots and support staff of the RFDS and emergency retrievals across some of the most inhospitable places in the country. Despite its title, which was also used in the final season of Crawfords Flying Doctors series, there is no direct link nor remake involved. Everyones heard of that show. It has such a legacy Everyones heard of that show. It has such a legacy. I was reading the script thinking maybe it was something to do with that. But as soon as I started reading it, I realised it was a brand new conception of it and very, very different to the original. It really grabbed my attention and I thought it was wonderfully written. When I was offered the role, I thought, How much (medical) do I have to know? If it hadnt been for COVID, I would have gone and spent some time in a hospital. I was very lucky that the Melbourne branch of the RFDS welcomed me and gave me a tour, prior to hitting to Broken Hill. One of the flight nurses took me onto a plane and showed me how everything worked. I just peppered him with questions and he was really lovely. But the medical language and all of the procedures, I hadnt done before as as an actor. I was a little apprehensive. Because were representing a real organisation I wanted to get right. I wanted to look like I knew what I was doing. The ensemble cast features Rob Collins, Justine Clarke, Ash Ricardo, Kate Mulvany, Rodney Afif, Jack Scott, Ash Hodgkinson, Thomas Weatherall, Sofia Nolan and Stephen Peacocke who plays nurse Pete Emerson. Part of Hamiltons various auditions involved a chemistry test with Peacocke, which hints at what viewers can expect from episode one. Theres a bit of an immediate spark between them Eliza and Pete meet through work and theres a bit of an immediate spark between them things escalate, but as as so often happens in life, other things get in the way, she teases. I hope it finds an international audience. First and foremost, wed love Australian audiences to get behind it. But it would be wonderful to have some international interest as well. Indeed the series has already been sold to Channel 4 in the UK, PBS in the USA, TV4 in Sweden, Belgiums SBS, Talpa in the Netherlands and New Zealands TVNZ. But first it takes flight on Seven at 8:40pm Wednesday. What follows Confederate statues? 1 Mississippi city's fight Rogelio V. Solis/ap A figure of a Confederate officer, erected in 1913 in Greenwood, Miss., by the Varina Jefferson Davis Chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy, in Greenwood, Miss., sits on the lawn of the Leflore County Courthouse, July 14. Rogelio V. Solis/ap Photographed on July 14, this war memorial, erected in 1913 in Greenwood, Miss., by the Varina Jefferson Davis Chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy, sits on the lawn of the Leflore County Courthouse, as the countys tribute to the sons and daughters of the Southern Confederacy. For more than a century, one of Mississippis largest and most elaborate Confederate monuments has looked out over the lawn at the courthouse in the center of Greenwood. Its a Black-majority city with a rich civil rights history. Officials voted last year to remove the statue, but little progress has been made to that end. Rogelio V. Solis Photographed on July 14, 2021, the Confederate battle flag, etched on this war memorial, erected in 1913 in Greenwood, Miss., by the Varina Jefferson Davis Chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy, in Greenwood, Miss., sits on the lawn of the Leflore County Courthouse, as the American flag flies in the background. For more than a century, one of Mississippis largest and most elaborate Confederate monuments has looked out over the lawn at the courthouse in the center of Greenwood. Its a Black-majority city with a rich civil rights history. Officials voted last year to remove the statue, but little progress has been made to that end. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis) Rogelio V. Solis State Sen. David Jordan, D-Greenwood, speaks about the proposed memorial statue in Rail Spike Park, in Greenwood, Miss., recognizing Emmett Till, a 14-year-old African American teen who was beaten and killed in 1955, after he was accused of whistling at a white woman at her familys store in Money, Miss. Jordan, attended the trial of the two men accused of the murder when he was a student at a local college in 1955. An all white jury found the men not guilty of kidnapping and murder. For more than a century, one of Mississippis largest and most elaborate Confederate monuments has looked out over the lawn at the courthouse in the center of Greenwood. Its a Black-majority city with a rich civil rights history. Officials voted last year to remove the statue, but little progress has been made to that end. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis) Rogelio V. Solis/ap State Sen. David Jordan, D-Greenwood, gestures, July 14 toward a possible site for a memorial statue in Rail Spike Park, in Greenwood, Miss., recognizing Emmett Till, a 14-year-old African American teen who was beaten and killed in 1955, after he was accused of whistling at a white woman at her familys store. For more than a century, one of Mississippis largest and most elaborate Confederate monuments has looked out over the lawn at the courthouse in the center of Greenwood. Its a Black-majority city with a rich civil rights history. Officials voted last year to remove the statue, but little progress has been made to that end. GREENWOOD, Miss. For more than a century, one of Mississippis largest and most elaborate Confederate monuments has looked out over the lawn at the courthouse in the center of Greenwood, a Black-majority city with a history of civil rights protests and clashes. Protesters have demonstrated at the base of the towering pillar with six Confederate figures some residents demanding removal amid a racial reckoning across the country, others advocating for the statues protection as a piece of history. Now, after years of debate, a new statue will be erected in Greenwood one of Emmett Till, the Black 14-year-old who was brutally beaten and shot in 1955 by white men just 10 miles from the city. The likeness of Till, whose death is still under federal investigation, will be one of only a handful of statues of African Americans in Mississippi, where dozens of Confederate monuments still dot the landscape at courthouses, town squares and other prominent locations. Greenwood is one of hundreds of cities and towns nationwide grappling with painful, expensive questions: What should be done with these tributes to the Civil War and the Confederate soldiers who fought in it? And, what monuments should go up in their place to represent the community? Across Mississippi, multiple places have voted to remove monuments; the few that have followed through found it costly, with a $1 million bill at the University of Mississippi. In Charlottesville, Virginia, a larger-than-life figure of Gen. Robert E. Lee was recently carted away by truck nearly four years after a deadly, racist rally there. Dozens of Confederate statues fell across the country during the 2020 protests sparked by the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis many in liberal-leaning urban centers, while those in rural or conservative places stood. But far fewer cities have solidified plans for new tributes or monuments in their place. In Greenwood, as in many places, change has come slowly. The Leflore County Board of Supervisors voted more than a year ago, in June 2020, to remove the Confederate statue, erected in 1913 by the Varina Jefferson Davis Chapter United Daughters of the Confederacy. The board where four of five members are Black stipulated that the monument, whose most prominent figure is former Mississippi Gov. and Civil War Gen. Benjamin G. Humphreys, not be replaced by any piece honoring the civil rights movement or other county history. The vote followed a yearslong discussion about what to do with the monument after a Black public schoolteacher and his father, Troy Brown Jr. and Troy Brown Sr., began petitioning for removal in 2017. The county initially came up with an idea to leave the Confederate statue and build a civil rights monument one that would likely include Till on the courthouse lawn to create balance. But community members continued to push for removal. The countys Black board members voted 4-0 to remove the statue. The lone white member, Sam Abraham, did not attend the meeting. He later told the Greenwood Commonwealth newspaper he would have voted to keep the Confederate statue. Board member Reginald Moore voted to move the monument, saying it serves as a symbol of intimidation, of fear, of treason, domestic terrorism, slavery and murder. Member Robert Collins said the statue didnt bother him, but that if it caused pain for others, it should be removed. Collins was a young boy when Till was killed; he recalled the fear it ignited in the Black community and said its a story the community should not forget. But he was vocal in his opinion that another monument shouldnt replace it, regardless of its meaning or intent. The courthouse belongs to the people of Leflore County, he said. If were going to remove that monument, we shouldnt put no monument on the property of Leflore County. But still, the Confederate statue stands, the process slowed by bureaucracy, with no concrete plan for removal. Board members did not return calls from The Associated Press inquiring about an update. Mississippi Department of Archives and History spokesperson Michael Morris said county attorney Joyce Chiles reached out to their department for a consultation in November, but noted that the agency hasnt heard from her since. In April, Democratic state Sen. David Jordan of Greenwood reignited a conversation about a Till statue in the city of 13,500. Hes one of the last people alive locally who attended the trial for Tills killers. There are so many heroes that need to be recognized, Jordan said of the need for the cities to make plans for new monuments when Confederate ones are gone. Its about trying to get justice for so many good people that have been mistreated. When Till was killed, Jordan was just starting college as a freshman at a historically black college nearby. He and three friends pooled their money to buy enough gasoline at 25 cents a gallon to drive to the Sumner courthouse for the trial. Jordan remembers seeing the defendants drinking Coca-Cola in the sweltering courtroom and laughing with their wives and children clearly not fearing conviction. They were the heroes, the most respected people, Jordan, now 88, said. Many said that they did the right thing, killing him. They thought Emmett Till was out of place. Till was visiting relatives in Mississippi from his home in Chicago. He was accused of whistling at and making sexual advances on 21-year-old Carolyn Bryant at a grocery store. Her husband, Roy Bryant, and his half-brother J.W. Milam abducted Till from his great-uncles home at gunpoint. Tills brutalized body, weighted down with a cotton gin fan, was later pulled from the Tallahatchie River the same river that claimed the Union merchant ship The Star of the West during the Civil War 90 years earlier. The ship is memorialized on Greenwoods monument, with the pilot wheel etched into one side. Images of Tills mutilated body in his open casket gave witness to the depth of racial hatred in the Deep South and inspired civil rights campaigns. Bryant and Milam were acquitted, though they later confessed to the crime in a magazine interview. Both are now dead. Sen. Jordan said it would feel like poetic justice to erect the Till statue in front of the courthouse the very place where dogs were set on Black residents trying to register to vote, in a city where racist Citizens Councils maintained regional headquarters. If we can show that change can happen here, it can happen anywhere, Jordan said. But the county board wouldnt budge. Collins said in April that allowing the Till statue on the courthouse lawn would be a double standard. To move one statue and put another statue up, I wouldnt be representing all the people Im supposed to be representing if I did that, Collins, who is Black, said during a board meeting. Jordan was hurt by the decision, especially given that the Confederate statue also hadnt budged yet. I told them, let the Emmett Till statue be there for 100 years, and then you can move it, he said. Then, it would be balanced. But I dont understand double standard. What kind of double standard? Just give me equal time. Ultimately, late last month, the council voted unanimously in favor of erecting the Till statue, just not on the courthouse lawn. Instead, the statue will go up in a park half a mile away from the courthouse and the Confederate monument. The Till tribute will be funded, at least in part, with $150,000 from a bond bill from the state legislature, Jordan said, and he plans for the statue to stand at 9 feet tall, made of bronze. Hes also decided to be optimistic about the location. The park is by the railroad tracks that once separated where Black and white residents lived and worked in racially segregated Greenwood the Greenwood Jordan knew growing up. He said he hopes the statues presence there will unite the community. For now, residents on both sides of the issue are frustrated with officials lack of a plan. Melissa Earnest a white resident who grew up in Drew, 3 miles from the shed where Emmett Till was beaten before he was taken to the Tallahatchie River wants to see movement toward removal, and more monuments to civil rights figures whose stories have been ignored. Its a representation of progress, she said. Larry McCluney said he considers the statue a tribute to Confederate soldiers who died on the battlefield. Hes also in favor of the Till statue even at the courthouse as long as the Confederate statue stands. Its the same thing if I went out to the graveyard and knocked over one of your family members headstones, said McCluney, a history teacher and commander-in-chief of the Sons of Confederate Veterans, an organization for male descendants of Confederate veterans that spans 30,000 members. Thats how people feel about these things: You are removing the only thing I have that I can go to as a family member and remember my ancestors. Brown Sr., one of the residents who petitioned for removal, said Greenwood needs to show the world what it stands for. Im not saying we shouldnt talk about the Confederacy, but we definitely should not celebrate it in a sense that we have that statue looking over the town, as if it was something were proud of, Brown said. That young boys life thats a story worth being told. Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies. (1 Corinthians 6:19-20) Tyler, TX (75702) Today A few clouds with an isolated thunderstorm possible after midnight. Low 74F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 30%.. Tonight A few clouds with an isolated thunderstorm possible after midnight. Low 74F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 30%. By Dave Larsen Translating Russian texts to English is nothing new for Tatiana Liaugminas, who has taught Russian at the University of Dayton for more than 40 years. But her most recent project was personal translating recently discovered letters written by her late father, a Red Army soldier, from the front during World War II. Liaugminas, an adjunct instructor in the Department of Global Languages and Cultures, published a feature article about the letters in the May/June issue of Russian Life, a color bimonthly magazine of Russian culture. In the 12-page story, Liaugminas recounted how the packet of 11 letters and 12 postcards written 80 years ago by her Ukrainian father, Alexander Suchovy, to his first wife and son were found and subsequently sent to her in Dayton. The story included her translations of some of his cards and letters, along with family photos and postcards illustrated with battlefield images and slogans. Liaugminas said it was serendipity and sheer luck that the letters got to her. She received them in May 2020, after learning of their existence from her niece, Julia, in Kharkov, Ukraine. Julia is the daughter of Liaugminas half-brother Vasily, who died in 2019. His widow, Louisa, found the letters and didnt know what to do with them. This whole thing is absolutely incredible because I didnt know anything about these people, Liaugminas said. For years, my father never talked about that family, until he found them in 1970, because when he ended up outside of the Iron Curtain, that whole part of his life was completely cut off. There was no way for him to go back and he didnt want in any way to harm his son but, as it turned out, it was too late. Vasily was in fact harmed because it was known that (Alexander) had been a prisoner of war and he, of course, never returned. Returning to the Soviet Union was not an option for Red Army soldiers who survived the war as POWs. They were considered traitors, and were sent to Siberia or executed. Instead, Alexander remained in Germany, where he met and married a fellow Ukrainian refugee in 1944. Their daughter, Liaugminas, was born in 1945 as the war was winding down. The family ended up at a displaced persons camp in Germany. After that, we just meandered throughout the world, she said. We went to Belgium and then to French Morocco and then to France and then we came to the United States. Hence, I learned all these languages. Liaugminas was fluent in Russian, Ukrainian, French and English by the time she was an adolescent. Her family came to the U.S. in 1958 and settled in a Ukrainian neighborhood in Chicago. She attended the University of Illinois, where she earned a bachelors degree in French and Russian, with a minor in Spanish. She also holds a masters in French and Russian. She met her husband, who holds a doctorate in aeronautical engineering, when both were graduate students at Illinois. They came to Dayton in 1970, when he took a job at Wright-Patterson Air Force base. After learning about her fathers wartime correspondence, she asked Julia to scan and send copies of the letters, which described the chaos at the front and expressed his concern for his family. Reading them was emotional, surreal and at times felt voyeuristic like uncovering intimate details I shouldnt know she said. She had the actual letters shipped to the U.S. and translated them during the 2020 quarantine. She then reached out to Russian Life magazine editor and publisher Paul Richardson, for whom she previously had written articles. He immediately agreed to publish her story. The most amazing thing is not that I got them, but that they had survived 80 years, virtually intact, Liaugminas said. This is like gold. People are interested in these things, especially since I got them the day after the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II. The whole thing was just serendipity. Like God working a nod from my dad. In recent months, Liaugminas has been translating works by poet Anna Akhmatova for a Russian literature course she will teach during the 2021 fall semester. The course will be taught in English. She previously taught Russian poetry in St. Petersburg, Russia, on study abroad trips led by Russian history professor David Darrow. Tatiana has always had an ability to make Russian poetry meaningful to undergraduates at UD, Darrow said. The letters and other materials she has acquired her family archive as she characterizes it tell a story of hardship and sacrifice during and after the war that, unfortunately, is not uncommon. The history of the Red Army and its soldiers is in the early stages of unfolding as western historians have finally gotten access to needed archives and as family papers like these have come to life. For more information, visit the Department of Global Languages and Cultures Web site. The UN climate report lays out the looming risks to the world but it also ratchets up the political risks for the UK government. As delegates from across the globe arrive in Glasgow for the COP26 climate conference in November, expectation of achieving meaningful international commitments on emissions will run high. Getting there will mostly be about diplomacy and cajoling on the world stage. Hence why government officials were somewhat miffed at recent criticism of the dozens of foreign visits made by COP26 President Alok Sharma this year. "You cannot do the job on Zoom", said one. But with the eyes of the world on Glasgow, the UK's own record and intentions on climate action will come into full focus. So how is the country doing? Well at a first glance; so far so good. Carbon emissions have reduced by 45% since 1990. The issue is, that may be the easy bit. Reductions in the last three decades have been achieved behind closed doors through a move away from coal and towards renewables. To reach the next targets, changes will need to take place in people's homes, businesses and daily lives. A delayed heat and buildings strategy will be released next month spelling out how homes and offices can be decarbonised. That has stalled as ministers attempt to hammer out how best to incentivise families to make the switch and crucially, who pays. Boris Johnson admitted last month that at "10,000 a pop", new eco-friendly heat pumps were "a lot of money for ordinary people". "We've got to make sure that when we embark on this programme that we have a solution that is affordable and that works for people", the prime minister said. Concern is already sparking on the backbenches though. A "net zero scrutiny group" is currently being set up Conservative MP Craig Mackinlay who's warning against a "dash" towards "huge societal change" in an attempt to chest beat in Glasgow. Story continues There are also concerns about the impact of decarbonisation on lower income households and the electoral effect on the party's newly-won "red wall" seats. Political figures in those regions bristle at the somewhat stereotyped assessment that their voters are innately hostile to green policies though. "We get sick and tired of these stories that often come from southern MPs what voters here care about is that green investment is bringing jobs", said one person. But one northern Tory did say the government needed to bring the public with them more by spelling out a "clearer link" between the aspiration and where we are now. "There needs to be more carrot and less stick," said the MP. In some areas, that is already materialising amid a conscious effort to kill two political birds with one stone by focussing green tech investment on regions also earmarked for "levelling up". But decarbonisation works both ways. Ministers have found it tough to shelve a planned new coal mine in Cumbria as they try and strike a balance between jobs and the environment. Then there is the issue of electric cars. How can ministers incentivise people to ditch their diesels? Subscribe to ClimateCast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or Spreaker. How can they plug a looming hole in the public balance sheet as fuel duty and vehicle excise duty - both not paid by electric car drivers - shrink into absence? All this for a government also wrestling with how to pay for social care reform, NHS backlogs and education catch up. But amid all these difficult economic choices, the evidence suggests delaying or doing nothing would cost more in the long run. The government's independent economic forecaster, the Office for Budget Responsibility, said last month the cost of unmitigated climate change would cause debt to spiral to 290% of GDP by 2100 as the country is forced to adapt to a warming climate. The OBR also says that early action to curb emissions will cost less overall than a delayed response. So with the scientists, economists and politicians apparently in line on the need for the next decade to be decisive for the warming world, the stage is now set for Glasgow in November. A big moment for the UK. A bigger moment for the planet. Sky News has launched the first daily prime time news show dedicated to climate change. The Daily Climate Show is broadcast at 6.30pm and 9.30pm Monday to Friday on Sky News, the Sky News website and app, on YouTube and Twitter. Hosted by Anna Jones, it follows Sky News correspondents as they investigate how global warming is changing our landscape and how we all live our lives. The show also highlights solutions to the crisis and how small changes can make a big difference. Dr. Bibek Chand, assistant professor of political science and international affairs at the University of North Georgia (UNG), recently served as co-editor of the book "New Challenges and Opportunities in European-Asian Relations." Chand and Dr. Lukas Danner, a Fulbright-National Science Foundation Arctic Research Scholar at the University of Iceland and a research associate at Florida International University, gained inspiration for the book at a conference they attended about the subject in 2019 in Miami, Florida. Chand authored two chapters, including one by himself, in addition to writing the introduction and conclusion along with Danner. He said the recent step back of the United States from international commitments and the continued rise of China as a world power made the book timely when it was released in May. The publication explores the economic, political and security realities of these dynamics. "It offers a fresh perspective. It will add to the discussions about the European Union's relationships with Asian nations," Chand said. "The EU increasingly realizes it has to chart its own path of engaging these countries." As the community and economic development manager for Georgia Power, Rope Roberts knows the labor shortages businesses are experiencing and the job growth opportunities available to the workforce. According to the Georgia Department of Labor, the unemployment rate for the Georgia Mountains Area is 3.2% while the state is 4.4%. The Georgia Mountains area includes Banks, Dawson, Forsyth, Franklin, Habersham, Hall, Hart, Lumpkin, Rabun, Stephens, Towns, Union, and White counties. Combined with 447,288 job postings from January to July 2021, it means employers are having a hard time hiring. "We don't have enough people to fill the empty positions," he said. "We need people in the hospitality services, manufacturing and business sectors. I need every single student at the University of North Georgia (UNG) to finish their degrees and enter the workforce." With that awareness, Roberts commends UNG's investment in linking employers and job seekers through the Regional Education and Economic Development (REED) Summit. Introducing high school, technical college, and university students to various career paths available in their home communities and connecting them with employers is a goal of the REED Summit, Bobbi Larson, (UNG) director of economic development, said. Another is bringing awareness to the careers in a specific field and examining trends. UNG will showcase public sector careers at the summit on Sept. 9 in the Convocation Center on the Dahlonega Campus. Tickets are $25 for event floor seats. Seats in the bleachers will be free and open to UNG faculty, staff and students. To purchase tickets, visit https://go.ung.edu/reed-summit. Five University of North Georgia (UNG) alumni graduated from the Army War College or an Army War College Fellowship this summer, and one graduated from the Air War College. "UNG produces some of the best military officers, especially for the Army, in the nation. This is evidenced in the number of our graduates who are selected to attend the senior service colleges, the highest level of professional military education in our armed forces," Dr. Billy Wells, a retired Army colonel and UNG senior vice president for leadership and global engagement, said. "We are very proud of our six 2021 graduates." Col. Johnny Casiano, '98, Col. David Key, '98, Lt. Col. Jay Kaji, '00, and Lt. Col. Charles Wells, '00, attended the Army War College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, while Lt. Col. Tony Passero, '00, took part in an Army War College Fellowship at the University of Texas. Lt. Col. Damon Sheffield, '00, attended the Air War College in Montgomery, Alabama. Casiano, garrison commander at Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland, enjoyed the focus on the evolution of military strategy at the Army War College. He said UNG's Corps of Cadets was instrumental in his development. "I am the person I am today due to the mentorship from more senior cadets and the framework of leader development that exists at UNG," Casiano said. The Afghan government soldiers have eliminated over 570 militants of the Taliban radical movement (banned in Russia) in the past 24 hours, the defense ministry said on Monday. "579 Taliban terrorists were killed and 161 others were wounded as a result of ANDSF operations in Nangarhar, Khost, Logar, Paktia, Kandahar, Herat, Farah, Jowzjan, Samangan, Helmand, Takhar, Kunduz and Panjshir provinces during the last 24 hours," the Afghan ministry wrote on Twitter. The hostilities between the Afghan government and the Taliban have intensified as foreign troops began withdrawing from the country. The Taliban have since captured large rural territories and launched an offensive on cities. Turkey has brought under control all forest fires, except blazes in Milas and Koycegiz in the countrys south, Turkish minister of agriculture and forestry Bekir Pakdemirli said on Monday. "ForestHeroes continue their work with great devotion from land and air in Milas and Koycegiz," Pakdemirli said on Twitter. Earlier in the day, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, a native of Antalya, said 59 neighborhoods and 3,231 buildings were affected by the flames in the southern Antalya province. The Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) has sent 400 living containers to the region, Cavusoglu told reporters in Antalya's Manavgat district. He said 207 of them were already set up and 31 others will be installed in different neighborhoods on Monday. At least eight people have been killed, according to official figures, since fires started in southern and southwestern Turkey on July 28. New coronavirus variants could be named after star constellations once letters of the Greek alphabet are exhausted, a senior World Health Organization official has suggested. In an interview with the Telegraph Maria Van Kerkhove, the WHOs technical chief for Covid-19, said the UN health agency was already looking at new names for mutations amid fears there will be more concerning variants than the 24 letters of the Greek alphabet. That system was introduced in late May and so far 11 mutations have been named: four variants of concern, including delta and beta; four variants of interest, such as eta and lambda; plus epsilon, zeta and theta, thought to be of interest but since downgraded. But as the coronavirus continues to mutate, it is possible there will be more key strains than available letters. Dr Van Kerkhove said star constellations are the current frontrunner to follow the Greek alphabet, suggesting we could one day see variants known as Aries, Gemini or Orion. Several alternatives have already been dismissed, including Greek gods and goddesses partly due to concerns about pronunciation. We will possibly run out of the Greek alphabet, but were already looking at the next series of names, said Dr Van Kerkhove, who first requested a colloquial naming system last year to prevent variants being linked to places. Were actually considering star constellations, she added. We were going to go with Greek gods or goddesses, and I said please, please dont make me say that publicly. The next choice which wont affect the scientific names of Sars-Cov-2 variants could be announced relatively quickly. Currently the virus evolution working group and the WHOs legal team are double checking proposals to make sure we don't upset anyone with these names, Dr Van Kerkhove said. The epidemiologist added that a dangerous new variant is more likely to emerge in three instances. Georgia's prime minister Irakli Garibashvili received his Covid-19 vaccine dose on Sunday, opting for a Pfizer jab in Tbilisi while also urging his fellow citizens to vaccinate. The head of the government, who tested positive for the virus back in April, said his entire family had received their doses while also explaining the reason for opting for the Pfizer jab. Garibashvili told local reporters he and his spouse decided to compare their immune performance with vaccines from different companies. The PM's wife received a Sinopharm dose earlier. The prime minister also took the opportunity to again urge individuals to vaccinate, stressing jabs were "absolutely safe" and "rumours and lies released via various means" were "without grounds". Vaccination "protects us from death, and this argument has no counter-points", Garibashvili said in comments to the media, appealing to citizens to "protect ourselves and our families". So far 606,988 individuals have received jabs across Georgia, with the daily rate of doses administered standing at 23,231, Agenda.ge reported. Irans new President Ebrahim Raisi on Sunday named the chairman of a powerful state-owned foundation sanctioned by the United States as his first vice-president, the presidents official website said. Mohammad Mokhber, long rumoured by local media to be top pick for the position, has for years headed the foundation known as Setad, or the Execution of Imam Khomeinis order, in reference to the Islamic republics founder Ruhollah Khomeini, Euractiv reported. Mokhber was appointed to the position by the supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in 2007, following a string of official positions at the southwestern province of Khuzestan. The Setad and Mokhber were blacklisted by the U.S. Treasury in January. Iran reported over 500 daily Covid-19 deaths for the first time on Sunday, its health ministry announced, as new infections also hit a record high. Iran registered 39,619 new infections in the 24 hours to Sunday, taking the total since the pandemic started to 4,158,729, the ministry said. During that same period it recorded 542 deaths, taking the total number of fatalities to 94,015, it added. Iranian health officials have acknowledged that the Islamic republic's Covid figures underestimate the real toll. But Iran remains the Middle East country worst hit by the pandemic. Covid infections have been surging since late June, in what officials have warned is a "fifth wave" caused by the highly infectious Delta variant. Daily infections have hit several records over the past few weeks. The previous recorded high for fatalities was 496, registered on April 26, at the height of the Islamic republic's previous wave. Iran's state television said hospitals across the country were facing a "crisis" and described the health situation as bleak. "Although the vaccination pace has been accelerating, the observation of health protocols has dropped significantly," it said. Iran has pinned its hopes on vaccinations to help with the health crisis. But the innoculation campaign launced in February has progressed more slowly than authorities had planned, AFP reported. Israels prime minister Naftali Bennett said Sunday he holds the Lebanese government responsible for rocket fire launched from its territory, whether the Hezbollah militant group launched the weapons or not. Bennetts comments came days after one of the heaviest flareups in violence between Israel and Hezbollah in several years and indicated Israel could expand its response if the rocket fire continues. The country of Lebanon and the army of Lebanon have to take responsibility (for) what happens in its backyard, Bennett told his Cabinet. Over several days last week, militants in Lebanon launched a barrage of rockets into Israel, drawing rare Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon. On Friday, Hezbollah fired additional rockets toward Israel, and Israel responded with heavy artillery shelling, The AP reported. It is less important to us if its a Palestinian organization that fired, independent rebels, the state of Israel wont accept shooting on its land, Bennett said. Dont miscalculate by saying that Hezbollah is busy with Lebanons problems, Nasrallah said, adding that the firing of rockets was a clear message. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said on Monday that he may "very soon" be succeeded by another person in the presidential office. "I am rooted in this country and it is rooted in me. And I dont see how to live further - either to retire or do anything else. So far, I have no idea. But it doesnt mean that I am clinging to this office with all my might. No. Other people will come after me, and it will be very soon. But dont you sweat it [about when it happens]," he said at a meeting with journalists and public activists. "But dont indulge in making guesses when Lukashenko is going to step down. Very soon," RIA Novosti cited him as saying. According to the Belarusian president, the political shocks of a year ago demonstrated that currently there are 15-20 people who can be the countrys leader. "They are all in the public limelight, those who can be president," he noted, adding he is not going to run for president at the next elections and would not back anyone either. There are currently no fires that threaten any settlements in Turkey, the countrys agriculture and forestry minister Bekir Pakdemirli said on Sunday. Speaking to reporters in the Mugla province, Pakdemirli said: The overall situation regarding all forest fires in Mugla is getting better. He said 16 forest fires broke out in the coastal city and six aircraft, 39 helicopters, 630 sprinklers, 128 construction equipment, and 3,600 personnel joined efforts to douse the blazes. He assured people of reforestation of the areas consumed by the fires, adding that they will not be used for other purposes. Pakdemirli also said that Greece had a request for firefighting plane from Turkey. We are evaluating it. With the fading of forest fires in Turkey, if we can, we will provide it to Greece, Anadolu Agency reported. Turkey managed to put out 235 out of 240 wildfires in 47 provinces on the 12th day of a string of blazes raging across the country. Turkey's Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Bekir Pakdemirli announced that only five fires were still underway in Mugla, a southwestern province. The first major fires began on July 28 in the countrys south. Soon, others followed, and most were in the southern and southwestern provinces. In Mugla, home to popular vacation resort towns, wildfires threatened residential areas and prompted evacuations of hundreds. One person, trapped in the middle of fire while trying to help firefighters, was killed. Seven others, including firefighters, were killed in Manavgat, the site of the first big blaze in Antalya, which neighbors Mugla. Pakdemirli announced late Sunday via Twitter that fires were still burning in Muglas Koycegiz, Kavakldere, Milas, Yatagan and Karakoy districts. Soaring temperatures and low humidity, as well as strong winds, challenge the extinguishing efforts. More than 5,000 firefighters, aided by 15 water bomber planes, helicopters and hundreds of fire trucks, are struggling against flames that gutted vast swaths of forests across Mugla. Investigations are still underway over the cause of fires. A suspect was detained in Manavgat for setting a forest on fire last week while authorities had expressed suspicion of the PKK terrorist group's involvement, Daily Sabah reported. At least 12 members of a family who were fleeing the raging war in Afghanistan were killed by a landmine blast in the eastern Paktia province, local police confirmed on Sunday. The police command in Paktia said in a statement that the incident took place on Saturday night in the Sayed Karam district, which borders Pakistans Waziristan tribal belt. According to the statement, the Taliban had littered the main roads with landmines before fleeing the district, and a vehicle carrying an unfortunate family hit one of these mines. Noor Jan, one of the ill-fated familys relatives, told Anadolu Agency that three men, three women, and six children from his family were killed in the tragic incident, Anadolu Agency reported, Construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline is at its final stage, it will be completed in a matter of weeks, Russian ambassador to Germany Sergei Nechaev said in an interview published by the Izvestia newspaper on Monday. "We proceed from the fact that the German-American agreement will not affect the pace of construction and completion date of Nord Stream 2. Construction work is at the final stage, it will be completed in a matter of weeks," the ambassador said. Nechaev noted that the United States and Germany did not conclude an agreement on Nord Stream 2, it is a joint statement that is not a legally binding document. It does not bear any specific obligations for Russia, which did not participate in its preparation, Izvestia reported. Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov held a telephone conversation, according to the Azerbaijani MFA press service. During the phone talk, the ministers discussed the current situation on the Azerbaijani-Armenian border and issues related to the implementation of trilateral statements, including the activity of the trilateral working group on opening economic and transport ties in the region, the Azerbaijani ministry said. In addition, Bayramov and Lavrov exchanged views on issues on the agenda of bilateral cooperation, including within the framework of international organizations. Moreover, during the conversation, other issues of mutual interest were discussed. Securities investors experienced a memorable time in 2020 and H1 2021 when records were made. But the buy and make profit period is over. Hot and easy money no longer exists. At the trading session on July 28, marking the 21st anniversary of the first session, the stock market witnessed a cautious atmosphere, with low liquidity. The total trading value in the morning session of all three bourses was just VND8 trillion. The liquidity decreased in the context of the VN Index fall of 11-12 percent, from 1,420 points to 1,270. It is estimated that only VND15-17 trillion worth of securities are being traded each session instead of VND25-30 trillion as seen in the golden days in June and early July. However, Le Anh Tuan from Dragon Capital said though the liquidity has decreased sharply from the peak, the market has made great progress. He said at an online workshop on the prospects of the stock market in H2 2021 held by Dau Tu newspaper that liquidity still accounts for 80 percent of the capitalization value of the entire market and this is a reasonable level. The VND30 trillion level is insubstantial and wont exist for a long time. In fact, the correction is anticipated by many securities companies. Prior to that, the P/E soared by 19 times and the fourth pandemic wave led to lower predicted growth rates of businesses. Tuan cited two reasons behind the decrease in the market valuation and cash flow. Foreign investors net withdrawal is strong. The margin lending increased dramatically at companies. In terms of valuation, in 2021, with the profit growth rate of 35-40 percent, the P/E is 14-15x. In 2022, the figures are 22-25 percent and 11.5-12x. If compared with the market average P/E of 15-16x, the figures are still attractive. According to Le Quang Minh from Mirae Asset, when the VN Index falls to the 1,200 point area, this will be the time for investors to buy. Minh believes that if the pandemic is controlled by mid-August, the business results of listed enterprises wont be affected. Mirae Asset has revised the predicted profit growth rates of enterprises in H2 to reflect this, forecasting that the EPS growth rate this year would rise to 33.8 percent from 28 percent. If the EPS increases by 30 percent, P/E would decrease and will be the time to buy. Mirae Asset believes that economic performance will still be good, saying that the world considers Vietnams economy as a bright spot in Southeast Asia, especially in its openness, just after Hong Kong (China). The economic picture is good, thus helping Vietnam maintain growth momentum in the long term. For investors, long-term prospects are an important factor for consideration. Fields of interest Nguyen Thi Phuong Lam from Rong Viet Securities commented that the buy and make profit time, when every purchase would bring profit, is over. Investors need to become more selective in the time to come. According to Lam, at the end of June 2021, the P/E was 19.2x, or 19 percent higher than the 3-year average P/E (16.2x), but it was still lower than 2018, when the P/E was 22.2x. In the long term, cash flow is high thanks to peoples high investment demand. The number of new accounts keeps increasing with more than 100,000 accounts a month. After the latest correction campaign, many shares have become attractive, which is an opportunity for investors to buy. Some securities companies focus on enterprises which have not been affected badly by Covid-19 and can exist well in the context of social distancing. There are six groups of business fields recommended to securities investors, including IT, material, banking, securities, logistics and industrial zone real estate. The IT sector has great potential because the demand for digital transformation is high, not only among enterprises, but individuals as well. The demand for both hardware and software is high. The enterprises which provide materials may bear price shocks in the short term, but they will reach new peaks when everything returns to normal. Scarcity may occur because of the disruption of the supply chain. In this case, supply wil fall short to satisfy sharply increased demand and enterprises will benefit from this. As for the banking sector, the peak time is over, but it is still better than other business fields because it has not been hit hard by the pandemic. Commercial banks had good business results in Q2. Meanwhile, the increase in number of clients will give more opportunities to securities companies. Logistics firms can benefit from the typical characteristics of Vietnams economy and charge increases. Industrial zone developers with large land banks will have great advantages as more and more foreign and domestic investors will come to Vietnam. The enterprises which provide associated services, such as housing, transportation and cold storage, will also have great opportunities for development. Dang Thanh Tam, president of Kinh Bac Corporation, said the pandemic developments may cause big upheavals to businesses but he can see positive signs. Luong Bang PM Pham Minh Chinh raised proposals to effectively tackle challenges to maritime security while addressing the high-level open debate on Enhancing Maritime Security A Case for International Cooperation of the UNSC, held virtually on August 9. Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh. He highlighted comprehensive and adequate awareness of the significance of seas as well as possible threats to maritime security, saying it is necessary to promote responsibility and political resolve, reinforce trust, build closer and more effective cooperation mechanisms to ensure a maritime environment of peace and stability, and exploit maritime resources sustainably. Maritime security is a global issue, so it needs a global solution, he continued, suggesting setting up a network of mechanisms and initiatives on regional maritime security to be coordinated by the UN to increase the sharing of information and experience, and take joint actions to cope with common challenges in a timely manner. Policies, laws and behaviours of countries should be in accordance with international law, particularly the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (1982 UNCLOS), and activities that would complicate the situation and cause tensions should be averted, he said. Vietnam has worked to actively contribute to maintaining an environment of peace and security, as well as the ecology and sustainable development in the region and the world as well, the PM emphasised. He said Vietnam is resolved, together with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and China, to seriously, fully and effectively implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), and negotiate to build a substantive and effective Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) in accordance with international law and the 1982 UNCLOS. PM Chinhs attendance at the debate was made at the invitation of PM Narendra Modi of India that is holding the UNSCs rotating Presidency. This is the first time maritime security has been discussed as an exclusive agenda item at the UNSC. Participants expressed their concern over increasing threats to maritime security and safety, and shared their view on the need to strengthen international cooperation to cope with such challenges, observe international law, especially the 1982 UNCLOS, and promote regional and global initiatives to enhance maritime security. The UNSC adopted a presidential statement calling for stronger regional and international cooperation to address challenges to maritime security and safety, acknowledging the significance of the UNCLOS, and calling on the UN and the international community to further support countries to improve their capabilities and share experience in handling threats to maritime security./. Source: VNA President Nguyen Xuan Phuc on August 9 met with Lao Prime Minister Phankham Viphavanh; and visited and held separated meetings with former Party and State leaders of Laos. President Nguyen Xuan Phuc (L) and Lao Prime Minister Phankham Viphavanh (Photo: VNA) browser not support iframe. They include Khamtai Siphandone, former President of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party (LPRP) and former President of Laos; and former Party General Secretaries and former Presidents Choummaly Sayasone, and Bounnhang Vorachith. On the same day, President Phuc received Sinlavong Khutphaythoun, President of the Lao Front for National Construction Central Committee, and Khambay Damlath, President of the Laos Vietnam Friendship Association Central Committee. At these meetings, the current and former leaders of Laos stressed that President Phuc's selection of Laos for his first overseas visit in his new position showed that the Vietnamese Party and State, and the President himself have attached special importance to preserving, protecting and nurturing the great friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation between the two nations. President Phuc and the current and former leaders of Laos highly evaluated each other country's measures to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic in the past time. They expressed their delight at prompt mutual support between the two nations amid the pandemic. Agreeing on orientations for collaboration in the time to come, they highlighted the need to well coordinate with each other in the implementation of high-level agreements, the Agreement on Bilateral Cooperation for 2021-2025, and the Vietnam-Laos Cooperation Strategy for 2021-2030. They agreed to support the Vietnamese and Lao Governments in speeding up the implementation of important joint projects such as Vung Ang ports, Hanoi-Vientiane expressway, Vientiane-Vung Ang railway, Laos-Vietnam friendship park in Vientiane, Nongkhang airport, and hospitals in Laoss Houaphan and Xiangkhouang provinces. They agreed to strengthen Vietnam Laos collaboration at multilateral forums, particularly at the UN, ASEAN, and sub-regional cooperation mechanisms, to contribute to peace, stability, and development in the region and in the world. In the evening of August 9, General Secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party Central Committee and President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith and his spouse hosted a banquet in honour of President Nguyen Xuan Phuc, his wife and the Vietnamese delegation. Vietnamese, Lao ministries, commissions forge cooperation Vietnamese Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son and his Lao counterpart, Saleumxay Kommasith, agreed to enhance the bilateral cooperation during their meeting in Vientiane on August 9. The two sides will prepare for the Vietnam-Laos Solidarity and Friendship Year 2022 to celebrate the 60th founding anniversary of diplomatic ties and 45 years of the signing of the Vietnam-Lao Treaty of Amity and Cooperation. They shared the view that the two countries have fruitfully cooperated both bilaterally, and at regional and international forums, especially within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Vietnam and Laos, and other ASEAN member nations have made efforts in building the ASEAN Community that plays a central role in evolving regional mechanisms, while joining hands to combat COVID-19 and handle emerging issues. The ministers agreed to enhance coordination between agencies of the two ministries, and organise the sixth political consultation at the deputy foreign ministerial level at the end of this year. The two sides will also prepare for in-person political consultations and exchanges between the two ministries after the pandemic is put under control to discuss the bilateral cooperation specifically and pragmatically. They will also further exchange experience in different fields and promote economic diplomacy. The meeting took place within the framework of the official friendly visit to Laos by President Nguyen Xuan Phuc. The same day, Chairman of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee's Commission for External Relations Le Hoai Trung had a working session with Chairman of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party (LPRP) Central Committee's Commission for External Relations Thongsavanh Phomvihane. The officials briefed each other on the situation of each Party and country, and discussed regional and global issues of shared concern. They also looked at collaboration between the two Parties and countries, including coordination in organising visits by high-ranking leaders. They affirmed their determination to closely coordinate to effectively implement agreements reached by senior leaders of the two Parties and countries, as well as the cooperation agreement between the two commissions for 2021-2025, and working harder to promote the Vietnam-Laos relationship. Vietnam, Laos seek to beef up trade, industry and justice ties Vietnamese officials met in Vientiane on August 9 with their Lao counterparts to discuss ways to step up bilateral cooperation in industry, trade and justice as they were accompanying President Nguyen Xuan Phuc in his ongoing official visit to Laos. In the meeting between Vietnamese Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien and his Lao counterpart Khampheng Xaysompheng, both sides expressed their delight at the recovery of the two-way trade in the first half of 2021, laying solid foundation for lifting the trade growth to 10 percent this year as planned by the two governments. They agreed to accelerate talks to soon conclude a protocol amending the 2015 Vietnam-Laos trade agreement which is expected to be inked this year. They will also urge relevant agencies from both sides to fully implement the commitments of the bilateral border trade agreement. Dien emphasised the importance of the construction of an expressway connecting Hanoi and Vientiane, saying it would form a basis for his ministry to encourage and support more Vietnamese enterprises to invest in Laos to make the most of the two nations potential for cooperation. He later took the occasion to invite Lao Minister of Industry and Commerce Khampheng Xaysompheng to visit Vietnam at the earliest convenience and suggest the two countries hold a joint conference for cooperation in and development of industry and trade, and energy and mining in Vietnam. On the same day, Vietnamese Minister of Justice Le Thanh Long met with his Lao counterpart Phaivy Siboualipha, who thanked Long and his ministry for always assisting and sharing experience with Laos. Minister Long, for his part, proposed the two sides further deepen judicial ties via the periodic judicial conference between their border-sharing provinces and exchanges of delegations, documents and legal papers. He also asked his host to speed up the granting of Lao citizenship to eligible Vietnamese people under the bilateral agreement on settlement of free migration and to jointly launch talks on an agreement on mutual legal assistance in civil matters. Vietnamese State leader meets with Lao Vice Presidents Vietnamese President Nguyen Xuan Phuc on August 10 had meetings with Lao Vice Presidents Pany Yathotu and Bounthong Chithmany as part of his ongoing official friendship visit to the neighbouring country. At these meetings, President Phuc emphasised that the Party, State and people of Vietnam always attach great importance to and give the highest priority to consolidating and strengthening the traditional friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos, describing it an invaluable asset and a vital factor for the revolutionary cause of the two nations. The Vietnamese President suggested the two sides continue to coordinate and effectively implement the signed agreements, promoting cooperation in all fields and facilitating important cooperation projects. Vice Presidents Pany and Bounthong expressed their belief that the positive and practical outcomes of the Vietnamese leaders visit will contribute to further tightening the special ties between the two countries for the interest of their people. Earlier in the morning, President Phuc delivered an important speech at the first session of the 9th National Assembly of Laos, becoming the first foreign leader to do so at the new NA Building of Laos, 10 years after the speech of Party General Secretary and Chairman of the 11th NA of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong at the first session of the 7th NA of Laos in 2011. The Vietnamese leader underscored that political relations will continue to become a key pillar in the overall special ties between Vietnam and Laos in the future, in which, the cooperation between the two legislative bodies plays a significant role. The support of the two legislatures will serve as a firm legal foundation for the effective cooperation between the two Governments, Fronts, localities as well as social organisations, while helping encourage efforts and creativity of businesses and people of both nations, he said. Chairman of the Lao NA Saysomphone Phomvihane thanked President Phuc for delivering the speech, which manifests the close friendship, solidarity and brotherhood between the two countries. He affirmed that the two legislatures will exert every effort together to make contributions to the development of the great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between Laos and Vietnam. Also on August 10, President Phuc, General Secretary of the Lao Peoples Revolutionary Party and President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith and NA Chairman Saysomphone attended the inauguration and hand-over ceremony of the Lao NA Building, a gift presented by the Vietnamese Party, State and people to their Lao counterparts. The building was finished after nearly 38 months of construction. Vietnams Ministry of Construction was the projects main investor and Army Corps 11 of the Ministry of National Defence was the main constructor. Covering a total area of 23,400sq.m, including a construction area of about 7,100sq.m, the new building is built on the foundation of the old one at Thatluang Square in downtown Vientiane. It has one basement and five storeys. Addressing the ceremony, President Phuc reiterated Lao Party General Secretary and President Thonglouns assessment that the building has four best most modern, most harmonious in national identity, most solid, and having highest investment value. On the occasion, President Phuc presented first- and second-class Labour Orders to a number of incumbent and former leaders of the Lao NA who made outstanding contributions to the direction of the buildings construction. The top Lao leader also handed over a first-class Freedom Order to the Ministry of Construction, and two second-class Freedom Orders to the Project Management Board under the Ministry of Construction and Army Corps 11 under the Ministry of National Defence of Vietnam./. Vietnamese President Nguyen Xuan Phuc meets with Chairman of Lao NA Vietnamese President Nguyen Xuan Phuc met with Chairman of the Lao National Assembly Saysomphone Phomvihane on August 10. The President congratulated Saysomphone on being elected as Chairman of the Lao National Assembly and highly appreciated the results of the first session of the 9th National Assembly, especially the adoption of key leadership positions and development policies for the 2021-2025 period of Laos. At the meeting, Chairman Saysomphone warmly welcomed President Phuc on his official friendship visit to Laos, saying that the trip would contribute to further tightening the close relationship and special solidarity between the two countries, and expressed joy about the great and comprehensive achievements that the Vietnamese people have obtained in socio-economic development in recent years. The two leaders were pleased to see that despite impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, the cooperation between the two legislatures has still developed well with meetings and communications between senior leaders of the two agencies, share experience, coordinate to monitor agreements, and support each other at regional and international parliamentary forums. The Vietnamese President said he supported the National Assemblies of the two countries to strengthen coordination and supervision to contribute to the effective implementation of high-level agreements which have been signed and sharing experience, especially building and perfecting institutions, legal systems, and supreme supervision of activities of State agencies. The two legislatures should continue exchange experience, hold conferences and seminars in flexible forms and closely coordinate and support each other at regional and international parliamentary forums such as the International Parliamentary Union (IPU) and ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA) as well as collaborate harmoniously and effectively in international and regional issues for peace, stability, cooperation and development. President Phuc took the occasion to convey Vietnamese NA Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue's invitation to the Lao NA Chairman to pay an official visit to Vietnam. Vietnam, Laos seek to boost legislative cooperation Vice Chairman of the Vietnamese National Assembly (NA) Tran Thanh Man held talks with his Lao counterpart, Sounthone Xayachak, in Vientiane on August 10. The two officials briefed each other on the political and socio-economic situation in each country. Man, who has been accompanying President Nguyen Xuan Phuc and his wife on their official friendship visit to Laos, shared the Vietnamese NA's experience in coordinating with the Government in implementing the dual target of fighting COVID-19 and boosting economic development at the same time. They discussed specific measures to realise cooperation contents between the two sides in the time to come. The two officials also exchanged ideas on how to foster coordination at regional and international inter-parliamentary forums of which both sides are members, as well as in international and regional issues of shared concern such as those related to peace, security and stability. They also discussed ways to promote the role of the two legislatures in building the ASEAN Community. Both sides agreed to work closely together in organising activities to celebrate the 60th founding anniversary of Vietnam-Laos diplomatic ties and 45 years of the signing of the Vietnam-Laos Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in 2022. On the occasion, Man conveyed NA Chairman Vuong Dinh Hues best regards and invitation to visit Vietnam to Chairman of the Lao NA Saysomphone Phomvihane and other leaders of the Lao legislature. Man also invited Sounthone to visit Vietnam, and the invitation was accepted with pleasure./. Source: VNA Vietnamese President Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Lao Party General Secretary and President Thongloun Sisoulith promised to continue giving the highest priority to constantly consolidating and nurturing the great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos during their talks in Vientiane on August 9. At the talks between Vietnamese President Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Lao Party General Secretary and President Thongloun Sisoulith (Photo: VNA) Vietnamese President Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Lao Party General Secretary and President Thongloun Sisoulith promised to continue giving the highest priority to constantly consolidating and nurturing the great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos during their talks in Vientiane on August 9. The two sides informed each other about the situation of each Party and country, and discussed orientations and measures to continue developing the Vietnam-Laos great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation in a deep, effective and practical manner, and exchanged views on regional and international issues of mutual concern. The Lao leader stressed that President Phucs selection of Laos as the first country to visit in his new position showed that the Vietnamese Party and State, and President Phuc personally have attached special importance to preserving, protecting and nurturing the great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos. The two leaders affirmed that the Parties, States and people of the two nations have always given each other valuable and wholehearted support and assistance in the past struggle for national liberation and reunification and the current cause of nation protection and development. They expressed their delight at the fruitful development of the bilateral collaboration in recent years, discussed ways to support each other in dealing with difficulties caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, and agreed to jointly promote cooperation in all fields. They agreed to maintain the effective implementation of high-level agreements and the results achieved at the 43rd meeting of the Vietnam-Laos Intergovernmental Committee as well as the Agreement on Bilateral Cooperation for the 2021-2025 period and the Vietnam-Laos Cooperation Strategy for the 2021-2030 period, along with the outcomes achieved during the official friendly visit to Vietnam by the Lao leader in late June and this official friendly visit to Laos by President Phuc. Both sides highlighted the need to deepen bilateral political cooperation; coordinate closely in strategic issues related to security and development of each country; maintain high-level visits; and increase the exchange of information and experience in Party and political system building, socio-economic development, macroeconomic stability and international integration. They agreed to designate 2022 as the Year of Vietnam-Laos, Laos-Vietnam Friendship and Solidarity to celebrate the 60th founding anniversary of diplomatic ties and 45 years of the signing of the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation between the two countries. The two leaders also affirmed to maintain cooperation in defence and security to effectively deal with traditional and non-traditional security challenges. The two leaders consented agreed to coordinate closely at international and regional forums, continue to promote the central role of ASEAN and ASEAN-led mechanisms, strengthen coordination with Cambodia to implement the agreement between the three Prime Ministers on the Cambodia - Laos - Vietnam Development Triangle and implement the Master Plan on connecting the three economies by 2030, and closely coordinate in the Mekong sub-regional cooperation mechanisms. The two sides agreed to continue intensifying cooperation with each other and with relevant countries and international organisations for the sustainable and effective management and use of the Mekong Rivers water sources. Both host and guest emphasised the importance of maintaining peace, stability, security, safety and freedom of navigation and aviation in the East Sea; settling disputes through peaceful measures on the basis of international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS); working with relevant parties to promote the full and effective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) and soon achieve an effective and practical Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) in accordance with international law. After the talks, the two leaders witnessed the signing of 14 cooperation documents between the two countries ministries, sectors and enterprises in the fields of defence, security, drug prevention and control, search and rescue, electricity trading, and mineral exploration, exploitation and processing. On this occasion, Vietnam also presented a vocational training school in Khammuane province worth 5 million USD as a gift to Laos./. Source: VNA The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Vietnam and Vital Strategies on August 9 signed an agreement to continue supporting the Vietnamese Governments efforts to improve civil registration and vital statistics. The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Vietnam and Vital Strategies on August 9 signed an agreement for a second phase of work under the Data for Health Initiative, which is supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies and the Australia Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade to continue supporting the Vietnamese Governments efforts to improve civil registration and vital statistics. Vietnam joined the initiative in March 2020, and the second phase will be implemented from July 2021 to March 2023 by Vietnams Ministry of Justice in collaboration with relevant line ministries. Dr. Kelly Henning, Public Health Program Lead, Bloomberg Philanthropies said: We are pleased to continue in partnership with the government of Vietnam in their efforts to collect better public health data. Stronger civil registration and vital statistics systems provide better data to assist in decision making that will protect the health of the Vietnamese people. By continuing our partnership with UNFPA and the Vietnam government to improve CRVS systems, together we can ensure that every person is counted, said Jana Shih, Technical Advisor for Vietnam and Thailand, CRVS, at Vital Strategies. Registering births and deaths are key to unlocking rights and protections for individuals, as well as providing decision makers with data that can guide policies to improve quality of life for all. Strengthening the CRVS systems legal framework in Vietnam is a critical step toward meeting the UN Sustainable Development Goal targets of universal birth registration and 80 percent death registration by 2030. In the first phase, the programme supported quality improvements of birth and death registrations through strengthening CRVS governance, assessing CRVS system functioning, conducting the review of the CRVS legal framework, and designing the improvement framework on the registration of births and deaths and other vital statistics. The second phase of the programme will focus on further strengthening CRVS governance and the legal framework; applying digital solutions to improve CRVS processes and capacity development; and improving collaboration between relevant ministries in sharing CRVS data to be used in policymaking. The programme will also pilot an innovative model on the registration of births and deaths for nationwide scaling up. Nguyen Cong Khanh, Director of Civil Registration, Nationality and Attestation Department, Ministry of Justice emphasised the important role of the programmes second phase. "The signing of the second phase of the partnership between UNFPA and Vital Strategies to continue supporting the Ministry of Justice to successfully implement the National Action Programme on CRVS is necessary and significant. This partnership will contribute to improving the legal framework and CRVS business process in a more modern way; and promoting creative communication and inter-sectoral coordination at all levels. The linkage and sharing of data and statistics, especially on births and deaths among sectors will not only serve the policy making process by relevant ministries, sectors and localities, but also protect people's health and ensure other lawful rights and interests as stipulated by the law, he said. Vietnam has been implementing the National Action Programme (NAP) on CRVS for the period 2017-2024. Strengthening the CRVS process, as well as building and sustaining quality birth and death registration data including causes of death enables countries to confer and guarantee citizenship, plan and budget for effective national and subnational policies for health, social protection, education, population and human rights, and measure the impact of various public projects and programmes. UNFPA Representative Naomi Kitahara highlighted that the most important outcomes of the first phase were the increased capacity of civil servants involved in CRVS and the streamlining of birth and death notification and registration processes. She expressed belief that a well-functioning CRVS system will help ensure individuals social benefits including education, health care, property inheritance and the right to vote, among others. A streamlined registration mechanism across the life course is particularly important for women, creating a framework for addressing gender inequalities./. Source: VNA Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis said his country is willing to share 500,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses with Vietnam. Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (Photo: VNA) PM Babis made the above statement during his phone conversation with Vietnamese counterpart Pham Minh Chinh on Monday. Babis also announced that the Czech Republic has decided to gift 250,000 vaccine doses to Viet Nam. In reply, Pham expressed sincere thanks for the valuable gift, calling on the Czech Republic to help Viet Nam get access to other vaccine supply sources as much and as soon as possible. Pham also thanked the European country for assisting Viet Nam throughout the Viet Nam-EU free trade agreement negotiation process and appreciated the Czech Republic as the first EU country to ratify the Viet Nam-EU investment protection agreement. The two PMs agreed to step up cooperation in such priority areas like transport, education and training, defense-security among others while facilitating the launch of direct air route between the two countries. They expressed their pleasure at the close and effective ties between the two countries at multilateral forums and vowed to continue tightening multilateral collaboration. Regarding regional and international issues of shared concerns, both sides underlined the importance of ensuring security, safety and freedom of navigation in and overflight above the East Sea, and settling disputes through peaceful measures on the basis of international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea./. Source: VGP Biodiversity conservation projects and forest protection in the central highlands region, over the past two years, have been either delayed or suspended as travel and mass gathering activities are limited by COVID-19 prevention measures. Bui Van Tuan checks the population of primates at a park in central Vietnam. COVID-19 has negatively impacted biodiversity conservation projects in the region over the past two years. Photo courtesy of Bui Van Tuan Despite hosting online meetings and technical guide events, local rangers and conservationists have been unable to visit national parks and nature reserves to collect data and information from field studies among local communities in the region. Dr Ha Thang Long, head of the Frankfurt Zoological Society in Vietnam, who researches langurs, said a number of plans had to be put on hold and no progress reports on wildlife populations at assigned national parks and reserves had been completed. Field surveys and forest trips for the supervision of the grey-shanked douc langurs population one of the world's top 25 critically endangered primates, and on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUNC) Red List were scheduled between May and June of 2021 in Kon Tum Province, but the plan has yet to be carried out, he said. Wildlife protection awareness educational programmes among ethnic groups and communities living in buffer zones of the national parks and have also not gone ahead. Activities around wildlife awareness education for local communities at the Son Tra Nature Reserve-based Nature Dance in Da Nang have been cancelled, and the target of hosting 10,000 visitors in 2021 has failed due to social distancing orders through the first half this year, he explained. A grey-shanked douc langur (pygathrix cinerea) one of the world's 25 most critically endangered primates on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUNC) Red List -- is snapped in the community-based grey-shanked douc langurs conservation project in Quang Nam Province. Photo courtesy of Ai Tam Long, who is also the founder of the Centre for Biodiversity Conservation-GreenViet, said distancing orders in provinces in the region have blocked a lot of communication between conservationists and ethnic groups including collecting information about the primates population from indigenous communities. Only online discussions and meetings have been held or phone conversations or information has been communicated by email in connection with parks and reserves. Practical or technical support for wildlife tracking devices is yet to be taken. The One Million Tree Plantation, an urban project in Hanoi, Da Nang and HCM City has also come to a halt as social distancing orders have expanded in the three cities. The langur researcher said a report on the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the existence of wildlife species had yet to be released. He warned that illegal hunting and logging activities at some localities in the central highlands would increase because of the number of unemployed people returning from urban areas, and local communities living around reserves and parks suffered a loss in revenue from community-based tourism and farm produce as a result of the pandemic. Restrictions Rangers patrol the forest at Kon Chu Rang Nature Reserve in the central highlands Gia Lai Province. The coronavirus pandemic has limited jungle trips and travels for rangers and forest protection activities. Photo courtesy of Kon Chu Rang Nature Reserve Trinh Viet Ty, director of managing director of Kon Chu Rang Nature reserve in Gia Lai Province, said coronavirus interrupted regular patrol plans, field surveys among international experts and ethnic groups meeting. At least five NGO projects have been halted because foreign experts could not get to the site. Related seminars and workshops were also cancelled. Four out of 13 rangers were also home quarantined due to indirect contact with a COVID-19 infection. The remaining members of the reserve had their travel limited as social distancing orders expanded from district to district of Gia Lai Province, Ty explained. He said a wildlife supervision project and a forest protection and management project were delayed by one year, while financial funding for the other projects was still yet to be allocated. Only 30 per cent of the planned forest patrol has been carried out since early this year due to a manpower shortage. Now one ranger has to cover the job of two at deep jungle stations from 6km to 15km from the reserves administrative centre, he said. He blamed the coronavirus which has scared the ethnic Ba Na people who are now avoiding outsiders. The indigenous tribes had effectively locked themselves down to avoid SARS-COV-2 infections, he said. Barriers block the main gate of Kon Von 2 Village in KBang District in Gia Lai Province. The ethnic Ba Na group have closed all entrances to prevent COVID-19 from entering the villages. Photo courtesy of Kon Chu Rang Nature Reserve Two communities in particular Hlam Village in Son Lang Commune and Kon Von Village of Dak Rong Commune in KBang District have blocked their villages from outsiders. Village gates are blocked with fences. Strangers and people from other areas are prohibited from entering. Only resident villagers are allowed, he said, saying only 50 per cent of the reserves staff had been vaccinated. The director said 50-metre towers and drones had been used to continue monitoring the forest where possible along with biodiversity supervision smartphone apps. Biologist Bui Van Tuan said lockdown zones at some localities in the region forced his primates supervision plan to be extended to two years instead of six months. He said transport interruptions also delayed field trips into the jungle from two to three months. Long also said online meetings and digital applications were needed to promote communication in the case of pandemic interruptions that might occur in the future. Equipment and financial funding for biodiversity conservation projects should be a priority in the post coronavirus period, he added. Source: Vietnam News European Union funds biodiversity conservation project in central VN The European Union (EU) is funding a biodiversity protection and environmental sustainability project in central Da Nang City in 42 months from July 2020, to the end of December 2023, with total funding of 650,000 euros. Lawyer Vo Duc Duy, a Vietnamese national in the US, and his colleagues have expressed their wish to present 50,000 vials of Moderna COVID-19 vaccine to Ho Chi Minh City which is being hit hard by the pandemic. Vials of Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. The Committee for Overseas Vietnamese Affairs of HCM City has sent an official document to the municipal Peoples Committee, asking for its instructions regarding the offer. Chairman of the Committee for Overseas Vietnamese Affairs Phung Cong Dung said on August 9 that his committee will coordinate with the city's Department of Foreign Affairs, Department of Health and Department of Customs to receive the batch of vaccine following the instructions of the municipal Peoples Committee. Duy, chief of Sata Lawyers' branch in Vietnam, and his colleagues on August 3 sent a letter to HCM Citys leaders, expressing their wish to donate the vaccine to the city. Also on August 9, the Vietnamese association in Russias Voronezh city presented 50 million VND (2,100 USD) to the Vietnam Fatherland Front of HCM City to support the city's COVID-19 prevention and control fund, and more than 27 million VND to a charity kitchen launched by the womens association in Binh Tan district. The donations were channeled through the city's Committee for Overseas Vietnamese Affairs./. VNA Since July 22, HCM City has been allocated 2,595,490 vaccine doses by the Ministry of Health and has administered 2,108,186 doses. It is expected that by August 9, the city will use all the remaining vaccines. In the latest news, the city received an additional 600,000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine allocated by the Ministry of Health for its 6th round of vaccination on August 9. The municipal Department of Health said that on August 8, an additional 187,587 people were vaccinated, raising the total vaccinated people from July 22 to August 8 to 2,295,773 people. Ho Chi Minh City started the 6th round of vaccination on August 3. This is a special vaccination campaign for all people from 18 years old, which will last until the end of August with the support of the Government. HCM City Vice Chairman Duong Anh Duc said that in this round of vaccination, the city is using AstraZeneca, Moderna and Pfizer vaccines. Vaccination is on a voluntary basis. Ho Chi Minh City has about 7 million people aged 18 and over. The city has asked the Government and the Ministry of Health to provide it with 5.5 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine in August, so that it can complete the goal of vaccinating 70% of people over 18 years old. By August 9 morning, Ho Chi Minh City had a total of more than 124,000 infection cases, with 31,964 patients under treatment, including 1,213 critically ill patients who needed ventilators and 14 patients undergoing ECMO intervention. Tu Anh The Ho Chi Minh City Center for Disease Control (HCDC) reported that since the city was hit by the Covid-19 epidemic in late April, more than 62,106 Covid-19 patients have been discharged from hospital. At field hospital No. 1 in HCM City. Photo: HCDC. At field hospital No. 1, since June 26, a total of 11,700 Covid-19 patients have been admitted and more than 9,000 cases have been discharged. This is very good news for the medical staff at the hospital. Although the number of severe cases has increased, we still are trying to treat and handle them well. Hopefully, in the near future the number of patients discharged from the hospital will rise," said Dr. Nguyen Thanh Tam, head of the General Planning Department. The No. 1 field hospital for Covid-19 treatment went into operation on June 26, with 4,500 beds, located in the dormitory of the Center for Defense and Security Education. The hospital treats F0 cases on the 2nd floor according to the "5-storey tower" model. At Field hospital No. 12, over 1,264 people were discharged from the hospital between July 21-August 8. Dr Pham Dang Trong Tuong, director of the hospital, said it is expected that on August 9, about 100 people will be discharged. This hospital is based in the Thu Thiem resettlement area in Thu Duc city, receiving patients from July 21 with 2,385 cases. It is currently treating nearly 1,100 patients. According to the HCM City Center for Disease Control, by 6am on August 9, HCM City had recorded than 124,000 infected people. The municipal Department of Health has implemented a pilot program to shorten the treatment time for asymptomatic F0 cases at the hospital. F0 cases with RT-PCR test on day 10 with negative or positive results but with a low viral load will be quarantined at home if safe infection prevention conditions are ensured. F0 cases will take RT-PCR testing at home on days 14 and 21. Tu Anh The governors lawyers have promised what will likely be a drawn-out fight to stay in office, and few see him as willing to quit. My sense is from what Im hearing is hes still looking for ways to fight this and get his side of the story out, state Democratic party Chairman Jay Jacobs said in an interview with The AP. But Jacobs added: I just think that hes going to, at some point, see that the political support is just not anywhere near enough to even make an attempt worthwhile. Cuomo lawyer, Rita Glavin, told CNN on Saturday that he had no plans to resign. She called the attorney general's report shoddy" and biased and an ambush. Dozens of state lawmakers who were once hesitant to call for Cuomos resignation or impeachment told the AP in recent interviews that they were swayed by the heft of the report. I think the majority of us feel that the governor is not in a position to lead the state any longer, and thats not a temporary position, said Assembly member John McDonald, a Democrat whose district includes Albany. The state Assemblys judiciary committee planned to meet Monday to discuss when to conclude its monthslong investigation into whether there are grounds to impeach Cuomo. MOAB, Utah (AP) A woman who fainted and hit her head on a rock after stopping to rest in Utah's Arches National Park woke up to hear a familiar voice and wondered if she might be watching television. Minnie John of Oradell, New Jersey, then questioned whether she might know the woman who was with the doctor helping her, or if she was famous, according to a post on Facebook. Her sister the doctor asked me to guess and I told her I just hit my head, I cant remember. She said smiling Modern Family and I said of course!," John recounted about how she finally recognized Julie Bowen from her role on the long-running comedy series. In her Aug. 3 post, John said she had been on a bucket list trip to Arches and hiking to see Delicate Arch, a four-story sandstone arch perched on the rim of a deep red rock canyon, for an hour and a half when she could not go any farther. She told her husband and son to go ahead as she rested along the trail, her head in her hands. The Covid-19 pandemic's resurgence is now hospitalizing children across the country. Many parents and school administrators express concern over an alarming increase in children becoming infected with COVID and the protocols in place by Republicans to protect them. Opinion by James DiGeorgia, Disinformation about the pandemic is being spread by those who refuse to get vaccinated against Covid-19 and those who demonstrate against the need for adults and children to wear masks to prevent them from being infected with and spreading the virus. A friend of mine has repeated the mask and vaccine resistance, who indicated that just 1.5 percent of those sick are dying due to the coronavirus pandemic. The mortality rate of 1.5 percent, he thinks, is insufficient to warrant mandatory vaccinations and the wearing of protective gear. Even more alarming, he is echoing the belief being made on social media that still believes that while hydroxychloroquine is not a cure in itself for Covid-19, it can open up the membranes of human cells to other drugs, supplements, and key vitamins, making them more easily absorbed into the body. Further, he and others are buying into this ridiculous therapy believe this therapy is being hidden from the world. According to this disinformation This hydroxychloroquine therapy is literary being covered up by stealth and highly sophisticated racketeering operation that is so powerful they are stripping the internet of every mention of this incredibly cheap therapy that can cure Covid-19. The fact that he's right about politicians of both sides of the aisle in Congress taking via dark money contributions from pharmaceutical interest - is factually correct. Allows him to believe they are using their influence to hide an effective, low-cost cure for Covid-19 to guarantee the profits of the world's pharmaceutical companies. A little bit of truth is usually used to sell most conspiracy theories. My friend, like many Americans, believes an inexpensive but effective cure for Covid 19 exists and is being kept from the world. This is being done to protect the profits of pharmaceutical companies. Like many of these "true believers," my friend admits all of this is just another example of why the American system of government is irrevocably broken. The loss of faith in our system of governments that has endured through 244 years is being destroyed by the internet and streaming media's disinformation agents. These include the tin foil hatters, fame and notoriety seekers, profiteers, white supremacists, and at least three foreign powers (Russia, China, and North Korea) that are helping destabilize our Republic. This disinformation is steadily wearing down the common sense of millions to the point that most would generally howl in outrage if they were to learn that thousand of our 53.1 million children could become infected and statistically, 1.5% of those perish. The Delta variant is more transmissible than the viruses that cause MERS, SARS, Ebola, the common cold, seasonal flu, and smallpox and is as contagious as chickenpox. The danger of thousands of children dying is a real possibility now that schools open throughout the country. And so many politicians in power are still resisting schools' requirements. Notably, Florida's governor Rick DeSantis and Texas Governor Greg Abbott institute bans and do not push vaccination efforts. The resistance is shocking when the CDC is reporting the Covid-19 Delta variant is so virulent. Children make up 20% of all new COVID-19 cases. So, what happens when millions of kids interact in schools in schools? Nothing wakes up families more than the death of a child when the death could have been prevented. The backlash of politicians like Florida's governor Rick DeSantis and Texas Governor Greg Abbott is likely to be vicious. Why am I so sure, DeSantis and Abbott are imperiling their re-election chances in 2022, risking a ballot backlash, and their disinformation and rewriting of history come to the metro Austin Texas area exemplifies campaign season For a population of 2.4 million people, there are just six ICU beds and roughly 313 ventilators left available. Austin Public Health Medical Director Desmar Walkes called the situation a potential "catastrophe" and said, "The situation is critical" and "Our hospitals are severely stressed, and there is little we can do to alleviate their burden with the surging cases." Austin is at Stage 5 as of Aug. 5, the highest level of APH's COVID-risk-based guidelines, after hospital admissions increased six-fold and cases increased ten times in July. We are in a dire national emergency that is already breaking the ability of our nation's hospitals to manage. This is a dire national emergency, potentially the worst health crisis in U.S. history. Politicians like Gov. DeSantis and Gov. Abbott insist that the immigration crisis aggravates this health crisis at our country's border. It's not. The pandemic is fueled by disinformation and ignorance by politicians and those who want to destabilize our Republic. Bottom line: we have to be on a war footing in battling this virus and preventing a doomsday Alpha / Omega variant from mutating into existence. For a party that waves the flag and celebrates American greatness and strength, requiring every student and, for that matter, every American to do their part by taking one of the vaccines and wearing a mask doesn't seem too much to ask of genuine patriots. Carlson Provided the Totalitarian Hungarian leader a forum in the interview, which aired Thursday, to promote this ideology and attack his Western opponents. On Thursday, Fox News host Tucker Carlson attempted to whitewash the totalitarian history of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, touting the authoritarian leader's approach to politics as a model for the United States. Carlson had the arrogance to spend a whole week hopping about Hungary, a small landlocked nation in Eastern Europe, praising the controversial Prime Minister Viktor Orban's public works accomplishments. Carlson, broadcasting from Budapest, Hungary, has accused the United States media of inventing reports about Prime Minister Viktor Orban and his repressive, anti-democratic policies in the country. Many political scientists and watchdogs believe that Hungary has experienced democratic backsliding during Orban's tenure due to Orban's curtailing of press freedom, erosion of judicial independence, and undermining of multiparty democracy. Orban's attacks on the European Union while accepting its money and funneling it to his allies and family have also led to characterizations of Hungary as having experienced democratic backsliding. Furthermore, Freedom House is not the only organization that has expressed worries about Orban's leadership and policies, including the European Parliament. Plentiful evidence has been gathered by various human rights groups, democracy watchdogs, political scientists, and historians of the many ways by which Orban has strengthened his hold over Hungary's political system while preserving the appearance of democracy. As part of his attack on a democracy monitor to express worries about Hungary's eroding democratic institutions, the Hungarian Prime Minister depicted the United States as less free than the Central European country. When it comes to Americans, the answer is "difficult to accept," Carlson added, neglecting to note that Orban manipulated the elections. According to a report released in July, Orban was identified by Reporters Without Borders as one of the world's 37 "press freedom predators" earlier this year. Axelrod, who has advocated for white nationalist conspiracy theories on his program and has often attacked immigrants, supported the government's actions. "The government has made it nearly impossible to obtain asylum, interfered with independent media and academic freedom, and undermined the rights of women and LGBT people, including by obstructing the implementation of the Istanbul Convention on the prevention of violence against women," the statement reads. " The Fox News host, Tucker Carlson, describes Viktor Orban as a pro-family leader committed to protecting Hungary's borders. While acknowledging that his administration unlawfully returned migrants to Serbia last year, he neglected to mention that the European Union's highest court, the European Court of Justice, had determined that this had occurred. Prime Minister Viktor Orban of Hungary has made it clear that ethnonationalism is at the heart of his country's border policy. A 2018 address by Orban said, "We do not want our national culture, our national color, or our traditions to be mingled with those of foreigners." In the interview, which aired on Thursday, Carlson gave the Hungarian leader a chance to promote this viewpoint while criticizing his Western opponents, including President Donald Trump, on national television. 'You have a moral obligation to protect your nation,' says Orban, referring to his citizens. In his address, the Hungarian leader stated that "Western liberals" are critical of him because they fail to acknowledge a "conservative national alternative that is more successful in daily life" in Hungary. Carlyle Carlson did not respond to the statement. In his love for the Hungarian leader, he is not alone among right-wing opinion formers in the United States of America. Peter Kreko, executive director of the Budapest-based Political Capital Institute, stated that Hungary serves as a textbook example of how democratic institutions can be eroded and weakened, and in some cases destroyed, to the point where it becomes challenging to remove a leader, even through elections. Hungarian autocracy did not emerge out of anywhere as a warning to the United States; instead, it developed gradually via the gradual dismantling of institutions and safeguards in place. During Trump's administration, a similar systematic loss of checks and balances occurred, and it continues now with his attempts to delegitimize his electoral defeat in the 2020 presidential election. Another ECS Federal acquisition builds its health care offerings ASGN has added another piece to its federal business by purchasing a health care consulting and data analytics firm that it will fold into ECS Federal. Enterprise Resource Performance Inc. also brings to ECS services and experience in areas such as artificial intelligence and machine learning. ERPi will become part of the enterprise solutions business within ECS. Some of ERPi's customers include the Veterans Affairs Department, National Institutes of Health, Navy Bureau of Medicine and Surgery, Indian Health Services, Securities and Exchange Commission and Army. The company has supported health initiatives related to electronic health record modernization, post-COVID-19 care models, and improved access to provider and cost information. The acquisition of ERPi deepens ECS capabilities across a number of exciting solution areas and provides key contract vehicles that will bolster our current healthcare industry offerings, said ECS President George Wilson. ERPi was founded in 2001 in Fairfax, Virginia. Investment bank KippsDeSanto & Co. and the law firms Venable LLP and PilieroMazza PLLC were the advisers to ERPi, while ASGN retained Sullivan & Cromwell LLP. This is acquisition number three for ASGN and ECS in 10 months. In December, they acquired Integrated Solutions Management and then just last month bought IndraSoft. Financial terms of all three deals were not disclosed, but the size of ECS inside of ASGN continues to grow. In ASGN's last quarterly report, the company reported that ECS' revenue had grown 9.5 percent year-over-year and had $262.4 million in revenue for period. Those numbers did not include ISM or IndraSoft. It is on track to again surpass $1 billion in annual revenue, a goal ASGN set when it acquired ECS in 2018 for $775 million. At that time, ECS had about $586 million in annual revenue. ECS hit the $1 billion mark in 2020. ECS represents nearly 26 percent of ASGN's overall revenue, according to a slide deck from ASGN's investor presentation at a Baird-hosted conference in June. Thick smoke that held down winds and temperatures in the zone of the largest single wildfire in California history cleared Monday from scenic forestlands, allowing firefighting aircraft to rejoin the battle to contain the massive Dixie Fire. The newly clear skies will allow more than two dozen helicopters and two air tankers that have been grounded to fly again and make it safer for ground crews to maneuver. With this kind of weather, fire activity will pick up. But the good thing is we can get aircraft up, said fire spokesman Ryan Bain. Winds were not expected to reach the ferocious speeds that helped the blaze explode in size last week. But they were still a concern for firefighters working in unprecedented conditions to protect thousands of threatened homes. Fueled by powerful gusts and bone-dry vegetation, the fire incinerated much of the small community of Greenville last Wednesday and Thursday. At least 627 homes and other structures had been destroyed by Monday and another 14,000 buildings were still threatened in the northern Sierra Nevada. Damage reports are preliminary because assessment teams cant get into many areas, officials said. His common refrain during the 15-minute discussion is that he wants the board to be more involved. He suggests the county hire an engineer to study the district. An Iowa Drainage Law Manual lays out that: When a district is first established, the county board acts as the trustee for the district, but after the district is legally established, landowners in the area can call for a special election to elect trustees in the district who then take over administration. His biggest concern is that some of these issues are not getting addressed by the trustees, and so his concern is valid that if there is a group of trustees not doing their jobs, it is the responsibility of the county, Supervisor Linda Tjaden said. Tjaden hopes Vorhes meets with the trustees of the district, who own land within the area of the Union Township in Floyd County. But hasnt happened much in the past. Floyd County Auditor Gloria Carr, who said during the meeting that she hasnt gone over records with Vorhes, the most-recent official meeting of the trustees of Drainage District 2 was in September 2009. It was held to discuss who would have responsibility for making decisions about issues that arise in the district. In a unanimous vote, the group, which featured eight people with the last name Staudt, elected Mike Staudt as the chair. Helping garment workers get paid better doesnt have to mean paying more for your clothes. Karim said unnecessary middlemen drive up the price of clothing, and cutting them out can drop it. I was buying clothes that cost hundreds of dollars, and people in manufacturing get one-tenth of the price, Karim said. That really triggered me that there are improvements we can do in this space, especially in the supply chain. Dhakai is basically a shorter connection from small and mid-sized private label clothing brands to more than 500 verified and compliant clothing manufacturers, some of whom harvest rainwater, are LEED certified and pay living wages, said Karim. He says that saves brands at least 30% of sourcing costs while still giving more money to the factories. Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} Designers can also virtually tour factories and see what products they can make and at what quantities, as well as things like if they have solar power or day care facilities for their workers. This is a huge trend, Karim said. A majority of millennials and Gen Z are willing to pay more money if the product was sustained ethically. So far, few of those students have completed parent-taught courses, so its still too early for us to know if this is just a bubble or if its going to be sustained growth, Stonehocker said. In a typical year, Kirkwood Community College provides drivers ed to more than 600 students from the Cedar Rapids, Iowa City, Linn-Mar and College Community school districts. Program Developer Zach Johnson hasnt seen any change in enrollment for the classes starting the end of this month. Its just too early to tell if the law change will have an impact, he said, adding he doesnt expect to any change in enrollments before next summer. Bissell expects some parents will choose to be drivers ed instructors to save the $350 or more the lessons cost. However, she predicted 98% of parents will do what they should be doing taking responsibility for getting their kids ready for driver education. Most parents want the second set of eyes of a reputable driver education program for their children. Theres another reason parents would choose to have someone else be the drivers ed instructor, Bissell said. You have permission to edit this image. Edit Close Delivers Surat Basin Natural Gas Reserves Upgrade Brisbane, Aug 9, 2021 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Senex Energy Limited ( ASX:SXY ) ( FRA:UDB ) ( OTCMKTS:VPTOF ) today released its independently assessed1 estimates of reserves as at 30 June 2021, reporting a 24% increase in Surat Basin 1P gas reserves to 261 PJ and a 290% reserves replacement ratio (RRR) on 2P reserves of 767 PJ (up 4%). The uplift in reserves comes as Senex achieved a record 17.3 PJ of production in FY21 from its high-quality Atlas and Roma North operations and incorporates the award of ATP 2059, now part of the Atlas acreage.Highlights include:- Surat Basin 1P (proved) gas reserves up 51 PJ (24%) to 261 PJ- Surat Basin 2P (proved and probable) gas reserves up 28 PJ (4%) to 767 PJ- Surat Basin 3P (proved, probable and possible) gas reserves up 21 PJ (2%) to 1,016 PJ- 1P reserves replacement ratio of 440%; 2P reserves replacement ratio of 290%Senex Managing Director and CEO Ian Davies said Senex's Surat Basin reserves position follows the successful delivery of its transformational natural gas developments."Daily production now exceeds 52 TJ/day (19 PJ/year) with our near-term growth projects proceeding well towards our targeted five-fold growth in annual production to more than 60 PJe by the end of FY25."The first phase of our Roma North expansion has now been delivered with additional expansion projects nearing FID for both Roma North and Atlas, which will increase portfolio production to 36 PJ/year."Our low-risk, low-carbon and long-life expansion plans are underpinned by our resilient and material natural gas reserves base. With 767 PJ of 2P reserves and over 1,000 PJ of 3P reserves, we are well positioned to continue to grow our production profile and deliver significant and sustainable value for all our stakeholders," Mr Davies said.Senex's reserve upgrades in the Surat Basin have been driven by successful development drilling, including targeted appraisal activities, as well as the award of ATP 2059 increasing the area of the Atlas project by 32%. Daily production has increased 40% from 37 TJ/day (13.5 PJ/year) at the start of FY21 and now exceeds 52 TJ/day (19 PJ/year).Surat Basin 2P gas reserves of 767 PJ represent over 35 years of natural gas production at the current target annual production of around 20 PJ/year (56 TJ/day), providing material opportunities for gas production acceleration and expansion utilising Senex's hub-and-spoke infrastructure operating model. Surat Basin 1P reserves increased 24% to 261 PJ following successful project development and resource delineation.AtlasAtlas recorded a 46 PJ (15%) increase in 2P gas reserves to 270 PJ, largely attributable to the award of high-value acreage in ATP 2059 adjacent to, and extending, the Atlas development.Atlas 2P gas reserves of 270 PJ provide the opportunity to increase the target production rate of the project by 50% to 18 PJ/year, representing a reserves to production (R/P) ratio of 15 years.Roma NorthRoma North achieved a 2P reserve replacement ratio of 100%, notwithstanding a year of strong production performance with limited appraisal activity. Operational performance of the Roma North gas processing facility has been excellent, with the expansion project to increase capacity by 50% to 9 PJ/year in the final stages of commissioning.The Roma North area holds 2P gas reserves of 497 PJ and 3P gas reserves of 746 PJ. This large reserve base supports a master plan to ultimately expand production to 36 PJ/year, reflective of a 14 year 2P R/P ratio and a 20 year 3P R/P ratio, using Senex's proven hub-and-spoke infrastructure operating model.The commissioning of the expanded processing facility to 9 PJ/year represents the first phase of the wider Roma North development, and Senex is preparing to take FID for the second phase of expansion to 18 PJ/year in the coming months. Planning for the third phase of expansion has commenced, which is targeting annual Roma North production of 27 PJ/year. Each phase of expansion in the Roma North area provides valuable subsurface and production data, de-risking future expansion decisions.To view tables and figures, please visit:About Senex Energy Limited Senex Energy Ltd (ASX:SXY) (OTCMKTS:VPTOF) (FRA:UDB) is an established, rapidly growing and low-carbon Australian natural gas producer. Our long life Surat Basin assets contribute around 20 petajoules of natural gas per year into the east coast gas market to support our customers. Senex is focused on sustainably delivering balance sheet strength, resilient cashflows, growing dividends to support Australia's energy needs as it transitions to a lower carbon future. .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... An Aug. 4 Albuquerque Journal Editorial encouraged rapid distribution of funds that have been made available to support renters who were impacted by COVID-19 with paying both rent and utility payments owed. We could not agree more, especially considering that New Mexicos current eviction moratorium could be ended at any time, leaving thousands of New Mexico residents vulnerable to housing instability or even homelessness. Additionally, major utility providers have recently announced that cutoff notices will be issued in the coming weeks to households that are behind on payments. Fortunately, the state of New Mexico has a very active program to provide both rent and utility support to renters. To date over $22 million has been distributed by the Department of Finance and Administration to renters, landlords and utility providers across the state. The program is distributing support at a rate of $2.6 million each week. Notably, both Bernalillo and Dona Ana counties have distributed additional resources. This momentum has been built through a very conscientious effort involving both ongoing process improvements, grassroots outreach, and a large-scale advertising campaign. For example, nearly 60 individuals are now working to process applications, and we have hosted training sessions with dozens of not-for-profit organizations that serve as advocates and ambassadors across the state. Additionally, we have active partnerships with courts, utility providers, landlord and tenant associations, individual property managers, and the entire congressional delegation. In many regards, New Mexico is leading the nation in housing assistance. We were the first state to have an active pilot program for homeowner assistance. We were the first state to implement bulk payments to both landlords and utility companies in order to expedite support to residents. And we were one of the first states to implement a process allowing renters to provide self-certification who were unable to obtain the necessary documentation from landlords. All of these are now being used as models in other states. In light of these extensive efforts, many may ask why then arent application rates even higher? The fact of the matter is, it is a complex process balancing accessibility with documentation requirements and coordination with a vast array of individual landlords. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ First of all, our understanding of the need for rental assistance is continually evolving. A recent statewide public opinion survey discovered that many New Mexico residents may need other forms of assistance. According to 1,200 surveyed residents, during the pandemic, the majority prioritized housing expenses and were forced instead to deplete savings, access loans, or fall behind on other bills in order to stay housed. Furthermore, while the application process has been streamlined, there are some documentation requirements that may be cumbersome to applicants. Required documentation must balance getting support to the people who need it most while also protecting against possible fraud. As stewards of public dollars, we take seriously our responsibility to prevent fraud a goal shared by many, including the Journals Editorial Board in previous coverage. Striking this balance requires collaboration among landlords, utility providers and tenants. In short, New Mexicos system for getting rent and utility support to residents is accessible and effective. While we will continue to find innovative ways to reach and support applicants through this process, we encourage those needing help to apply today at renthelpnm.org or by calling 1-(833)-485-1334. .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... Suppose your alcoholic neighbor, after tormenting you all afternoon and half the night with the boozy barbecue in his backyard, rings your doorbell. Exhaling beer fumes and slurring his words, he asks to borrow your car. After thinking it over, you say, Sure, why not? and hand him your keys. Two blocks from your house he kills someone. Now hes facing criminal charges. Might you face civil liability? ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ Since at least 1984 in New Mexico the answer has been, Oh, you bet. Loaning your car to a person you know is intoxicated, who injures someone else, constitutes the tort of negligent entrustment of chattel. Thats a fine 18th century phrase that needs a little unpacking. Chattel means personal property, as opposed to real estate. A car is a chattel. And entrustment involves an act of trust. When you entrust your car to your neighbor, youre trusting him to bring it back. As you may have heard, the New Mexico Supreme Court recently ruled that gas stations can be sued for selling gasoline to intoxicated drivers. Bizarrely, the court slapped the old term negligent entrustment of chattel on this brand-new tort, which involves no act of trust. An accurate name would be negligent retail sale. The facts of the case were tragic. Andy Denny was very drunk the night he ran out of gas near Tohatchi, a hamlet north of Gallup. He walked to a Giant gas station to buy a gas can, only to learn the store was out. So he bought a gallon of water and poured out the water. The clerk allowed him to fill the jug with gas. He walked back to his car, then drove to the station and filled up. Then he drove off. Sometime later he drifted across a center line and slammed head-on into a car driven by Deacon Marcellino Morris Jr., killing him. Morris estate sued Giant Four Corners, Inc., the owner of the gas station. The suit proceeded in federal court. Federal judges, obliged to follow state law, asked the New Mexico Supreme Court to explain whether the sale of gasoline to intoxicated persons can give rise to tort liability in New Mexico. Three justices of our Supreme Court answered yes. A fourth, recently retired Justice Barbara Vigil, disagreed and wrote a long, thoughtful dissenting opinion. (There was no fifth vote, which is unusual.) Curiously, in all the 68 pages of the two opinions, no mention is made of the possibility that the Giant clerk could have called 911. Even in remote Tohatchi, theres a decent chance law enforcement could have intercepted Denny while he was trudging back to his car, or while he was filling up at the pump, or even afterward, if the clerk was able to provide a description or license number. But the Supreme Court held that responsibility to enforce the states DWI law lies not with the state, acting through its law enforcement officers, but with Giant, a private company. In the future, with this case on the books, gas station attendants will need to assess customers to determine their level of sobriety before ringing up a sale. A mistake in either direction could be costly. A gas station faces a possible lawsuit if the clerk wrongly believes a drunk customer is sober but also, in some circumstances, if the clerk wrongly believes a sober customer is drunk. For instance, some medical conditions might cause a person to slur words or sway. If we, standing in line behind such a person, ignorantly think theyve been drinking, no harm is done. But if the clerk makes the same mistake and refuses to sell, the station has violated New Mexicos anti-discrimination laws. In New Mexico, a person can down a drink or two without becoming legally intoxicated. That means a customer who smells of alcohol isnt necessarily too drunk to drive. And if theyre not too drunk to drive, according to the Supreme Courts logic, theyre not too drunk to buy gas. Police officers rely on field tests and breathalyzers to distinguish between drivers who have been drinking and drivers who are drunk. Clerks will have to guess. And if they guess wrong, if they refuse to sell to a person who isnt legally intoxicated, the consequences could be serious. A car left by the side of the road is subject to vandalism and theft. A person stranded on one of New Mexicos remote highways may face extreme heat or cold, and at any time of year is easy prey for criminals. The Supreme Court has created the conditions for significant foreseeable harm. Businesses have good reason to worry that the legal concept of negligent retail sale may soon be extended to the negligent refusal to sell. Retailers who arent happy about the new tort of negligent retail sale must look to the Legislature for a fix. Joel Jacobsen is an author who in 2015 retired from a 29-year legal career. If there are topics you would like to see covered in future columns, please write him at legal.column.tips@gmail.com .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... DENVER When Dzabahe was 11 years old, she went to her first government-run boarding school in rural Arizona around 1953. She left everything she knew on the Navajo reservation where she grew up.. You became an orphan on that day, she said. My life was a shamble because everything that I was, everything that I believed in, my language, everything, I learned I was doing it all wrong. At the school, she was told not to speak her Navajo language. Her Navajo clothing and moccasins were sent back home with her parents. Her hair was cut, something that is taboo in Navajo culture. And even though she didnt speak English or understand American customs, she was punished for not doing things the way the school wanted her to. I stood in a corner a million times until I was ready to faint, she recalled. And then the spanking and the harshness, and if youre being punished you couldnt eat dinner or breakfast or any meal. And then theres a lot of shame that came with it. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ Dzabahe was also given a new name: Bessie Smith, which she still uses today. Smiths parents sent her to the school after state officials came to the reservation and told families with children who were not in the school that they had to send them. Her father also realized that she would need an education even if that went against what was traditionally done in the Navajo culture. In May, 215 childrens bodies were discovered in a mass grave at an Indigenous Boarding school in Canada, prompting U.S. officials to look at the legacy of such schools in the U.S. We just want to make sure that families today get the information that theyve wanted for decades and decades, said Deb Haaland, secretary of the interior. And so were gonna work to identify every single boarding school in the country and absolutely find a way to make sure that we are assisting local communities that will involve a lot of tribal consultation, she said. Haaland, the first Native American cabinet secretary in U.S. history, visited Colorado in July and announced the new federal program but did not yet have a timeline. In Colorado, there are at least three Indian boarding schools, the Teller Indian School in Grand Junction, the Southern Ute Boarding School in Ignacio and a school that is now Fort Lewis College in Durango. The Teller Indian School, later known as the Teller Institute, opened in 1886. At the turn of the century, there were a couple hundred students enrolled in the school. It was one of more than 350 federally run schools in the nation to assimilate Native American children, according to the National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition. The schools were created out of the 1869 Indian Peace Policy, which was introduced by President Ulysses S. Grant to create permanent peace, through what he believed were non-violent alternatives. The boarding schools were intentionally created to assimilate children and eliminate Native cultures. The first was the Carlisle Indian Industrial School in Pennsylvania, which opened in 1879, and was a model for subsequent schools. While some Native families chose to send their children to boarding schools, many more were forcibly removed from their homes. By 1900, there were 20,000 Native children in boarding schools and by 1925, that number was more than 60,000. In 1926, nearly 83 percent of all Native children of schooling age were in boarding schools, according to the National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition. When children returned to their communities, they were unable to communicate with their loved ones and were sometimes ostracized by their own communities, said Southern Ute Indian Tribal Council Chairman Melvin J. Baker in a statement. This traumatic experience produced intergenerational trauma that continues to manifest itself in numerous ways throughout Indian country, such as abuse, such as substance abuse, as well as psychological and emotional disorders, which result in lower graduation rates, poverty and lower life expectancy. The Teller Institute closed in 1911 and was transferred to the state of Colorado, which turned the facility into a home for people with intellectual disabilities in the 1920s. Over time, the original school buildings were remodeled or torn down. A cemetery, if there was a marked one, was also lost to time. Archaeologist John Seebach, who works at Colorado Mesa University, has studied the Teller Institute and discovered death notices in archival newspaper clippings of 21 children who died while attending the school. We cant be sure that every single person who died and was buried was mentioned by the newspaper, he said. So there could be many more out there than we know of and in fact thats probably the case. The federal government kept records on students who attended the schools, but after the school closed the records were sent to Leavenworth, Kansas, where they were destroyed in a fire. Seebach plans to search for more information in federal records kept in Washington, D.C., but its not clear how many children might be buried on the grounds. In 2019, Seebach and a team of cadaver dogs explored part of the grounds of what is now the Grand Junction Regional Complex, still home to people with physical and intellectual disabilities. Seebach picked part of the grounds based on aerial photographs and his research into where the cemetery for children might be. He said the dogs picked up a scent but more research is needed. Earlier this year, the state started a Teller Institute Task Force. Seebach is on the task force with 8 other people, including tribal representatives and state officials. Its not an archeological site in a lot of ways, really what were doing is more akin to like crime scene investigation, said Holly Norton, the state archaeologist. And using my archeological training, not for science, but for helping to find these children and help return them in some fashion to their communities, and to their, to their tribes, I think is a really important part of what Im doing here. Once the task force has determined next steps, Norton said its likely they will conduct searches on the grounds of the complex to locate a cemetery and remains. Eleven people with disabilities still live at the Grand Junction Regional Complex. In 2016, state lawmakers decided it was too expensive to maintain, and passed two bills requiring the sale or transfer of the complex. Were approaching this in a very sensitive manner for everyone that is involved. Our goal here is to get our individuals that have intellectual and developmental disabilities relocated into a community and integrated into community because thats our first priority, said Yolanda Webb with the Colorado Department of Human Services who oversees the complex. And to work with our Native American partners that are part of this task force in really getting to some closure on that very painful history. Seebach argues that the sale or transfer of the land is in violation of the original agreement between Colorado and the federal government when the land was transferred to the state. The main stipulation was that the campuses would be maintained in perpetuity, Seebach said. I dont think theyre valid law because of a prior agreement at the federal level. Fort Lewis College in Durango was also the site of a federal boarding school, originally in Hesperus. When the state took over the land it had to meet two conditions: that the land would be used for an educational institution, and was to be maintained as an institution of learning to which Indian students will be admitted free of tuition and on an equality with white students in perpetuity, according to Fort Lewis College. Seebach said the same conditions would have applied to the Teller Institute. There was another boarding school in Ignacio on the Southern Ute reservation. The tribe is considering its options for preserving what remains of the school and memorializing the history of boarding schools. Its not yet clear what will happen to the land that was formerly the Teller Institute. In a statement, Chairman Baker said the lands future is best guided by the communities who were and continue to be affected by the U.S. governments ethnocide initiated during the Indian Boarding School era. In order to heal from the generational trauma, we must confront the past and shed light on the hidden cruelty, Baker said. Smith, now 79, said she learned over time how to talk about what she experienced at the federal boarding schools and how those experiences impacted the way she felt about herself and the world around her. She said she struggled while working, for example, to not question herself constantly. There is more emotional and psychological damage that we have been dealing with, she said. It is so strong that nobody can see it. It is so strong that many people dont even want to talk about it. But her struggle and pain isnt her whole story. After going through multiple schools in her teens, she left Arizona to attend Fort Lewis College. There she met her now husband and had children. Shes lived in Denver ever since where she worked as the director of patient admissions at the University of Colorado health science center. After retiring in 1994, she worked as a Navajo translator for the state, which she still does alongside making jewelry with her daughter. We want to focus on how we can wake up and get back on our feet, Smith said. .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... PHOENIX The state commission that will draw new congressional and legislative districts for use in elections during the coming decade is wrapping up a series of public hearings for Arizonans to provide input on how the districts should be drawn. The 15 listening tour hearings, which began July 23 in Florence and will end Monday in Mesa, have focused on how the Independent Redistricting Commission should heed its constitutional duty to respect communities of interest to the extent practicable. Many attending the hearings already conducted told the current commission where the speakers think the last one went wrong, the Arizona Capitol Times reported. At one hearing, Tempe resident Tracey Ireland said her community that is now part of Legislative District 27 identifies more with neighboring Legislative District 18, which has comparatively less areas that are in the city of Phoenix ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ We have different school boards, different city councils, different everything except for legislative leadership, Ireland said. The candidates are always going to be from South Phoenix; theyre never going to be from our community of interest. While turnout was better than expected for the first several hearings, commission Chair Erika Neuberg said during the commissions July 27 regular meeting she was concerned about voices not heard. For example, people that are remarkably satisfied with their districts, theyre probably not showing up, Neuberg said. She suggested that the commission consider doing more proactive work with soliciting information from county supervisors, city council members and others. Mapping consultant Doug Johnson that people attending the hearings were unlikely to be those happy with current districts but said more input is expected once grid maps are drafted. Grid maps are the precursors to draft maps that later evolve into final maps. The grid maps outline districts that are compact and have equal population but dont factor in other criteria. They are created with the goal to start the redistricting process from scratch, without regard to the current map. Its a useful starting point. But its a starting point that is a bit of a mess, obviously, by design, Johnson said. In addition to aiming for compactness and equal population, commissioners are also supposed to create districts that respect communities of interest; comply with the U.S. and state constitutions and the federal Voting Rights Act; use visible geographic features, city, town and county boundaries and undivided census tracts to draw lines; and are competitive. Actual mapping will begin after the commission receives detailed 2020 U.S. Census population data this month. The commission has set a tentative timeline that calls for adopting grid maps by Sept. 14 and draft maps by Oct. 27, with time after each for public input. Commissioners hope to approve final maps by Dec. 22. Once grid maps are adopted, the commission could hold another listening tour or just hear from the public at the commissions weekly meetings or online, Johnson said. He added that even if the commission doesnt hear from a particular community, that doesnt mean commissioners arent aware of it or wont factor it into their maps. Some groups are working to ensure more communities and their interests are heard. Kendra Alvarez, All On The Line Arizonas state director, said her organization is holding training sessions for people to attend ahead of the listening tour meetings. She said the sessions focus on teaching redistricting concepts so that people can advocate for their communities of interest effectively. All On The Line is an anti-gerrymandering organization funded by the National Redistricting Action Fund, an affiliate of the National Democratic Redistricting Committee. Alvarez said in addition to encouraging participation in the listening tour, her group will be watching how the commission builds on the public comment. Fair Maps Arizona is also encouraging people to testify, providing an outline of what to include and telling people to send their drafts to the organizations statewide director, Jay Wilson, who will help you finish it up and offer one-on-one assistance, according to the groups website. Fair Maps Arizona was founded by Republican Steve Gaynor, the Republican candidate in 2018 for Arizona secretary of state, to hold Arizonas elected leaders and the IRC accountable during this years redistricting. The commission is made up of two Democrats, two Republicans and one independent, Neuberg. The Independent Redistricting Commission was created by voters in 2000 to limit political influence by the Legislature in redrawing congressional and legislative district maps. The process is politically important because redrawn district lines can influence how many legislative and U.S. House seats each party can realistically win. Republicans generally liked the district maps drawn after the 2000 Census, while those done following the 2010 Census were regarded as more favorable to Democrats, prompting strong criticism from Republicans. The new maps should be in place for the 2022 elections. .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... DENVER When Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg donated $400 million to help fund election offices as they scrambled to deal with the coronavirus pandemic late last summer, he said he hoped he would never have to do it again. Republican legislatures are granting him that wish. At least eight GOP-controlled states have passed bans on donations to election offices this year as Republicans try to block outside funding of voting operations. The legislation often comes as part of Republican packages that also put new limits on how voters can cast ballots and impose new requirements on county or city-based election officials. The response is spurred by anger and suspicion on the right that Zuckerbergs money benefited Democrats in 2020. Conservatives have long accused the tech moguls social media platform of censoring right-wing voices as part of its campaign against misinformation. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ Zuckerbergs money was largely distributed through a nonpartisan foundation that had liberal roots. Conservative groups cite analyses that the money went disproportionately to Democratic-leaning counties in key states such as Florida and Pennsylvania. People saw that, and looked around, and they were increasingly concerned about why would you have a billionaire funding our elections through the backdoor, said Jessica Anderson, executive director of the conservative group Heritage Action, which has pushed the bans in several states. But many election officials say that effort is short-sighted and fueled by paranoia. Election offices, they argue, are chronically underfunded and now cannot benefit from donations that still flow to so many other branches of government, including police, schools and libraries. Furthermore, they say there is no sign of favoritism in the distribution of the grants from Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan. Elections are more expensive in populous urban areas, and especially more so last year, when states scrambled to shift to mail voting to deal with the pandemic. Metro areas had to buy expensive equipment to open and sort mail ballots, a task that smaller, more GOP-leaning counties could do by hand or with less gear. Also, Republican-leaning areas were already discouraged from accepting election grants due to conservative suspicion of Zuckerberg. The Republican attorney general of Louisiana last year ordered his states election offices to turn down grants from the nonprofit, the Center for Tech and Civic Life, which distributed $350 million of the Zuckerberg money. Every election department that applied, received funding, said CTCLs executive director, Tiana Epps-Johnson, adding that the distribution of the money reflects those who chose to apply. A spokesman for Zuckerberg declined to address the wave of new legislation. When our nations election infrastructure faced unprecedented challenges last year due to the pandemic, Mark and Priscilla stepped up to close a funding gap and granted $350 million to the Center for Tech and Civic Life, a nonpartisan, 501 (c)(3) organization, said Ben LaBolt. Mark made clear this was a unique effort to address the unprecedented challenge of the pandemic and his preference for elections to be publicly funded. The center distributed grants to 2,500 election offices nationwide, from Alaska to Florida. The money was spent in a wide variety of ways protective gear for poll workers, public education campaigns promoting new methods to vote during the pandemic, and new trucks to haul voting equipment. In northern Arizona, sprawling Coconino County used its $614,000 grant to hire more election workers, particularly Navajo speakers who could do outreach on a reservation, and set up drive-up sites for voters to drop off ballots, said county recorder Patty Hansen. She said it was the first time she had enough money to expand outreach to the entire county, which is among the biggest in land size in the country at 18,600 square miles but is sparsely populated. Because of the legislation passed and signed by the governor, we will never be able to get a grant like that ever again, she said. Theyre cutting off a funding source to be able to provide these additional requirements theyre putting on us. Election officials have long complained they were underfunded, but never more so than last year when they had to instantly revamp their entire operations at the peak of the pandemic. There was a huge shift to mail voting, while even in-person voting required new protective measures, and hazard pay for poll workers. Democrats pushed for an extra $2 billion for election offices in the initial coronavirus aid bill in April but only got $400 million. After a spring and summer of troubled primaries and partisan deadlock over more funding, Zuckerberg stepped in. He and Chan donated a total of $400 million to election offices $350 million in the form of grants to local offices that were distributed through CTCL. The selection of CTCL raised eyebrows among some conservatives because of the groups roots. Some of its founders, including Epps-Johnson, once were at the New Organizing Institute, which provided data and training to liberal activists Still, CTCL has become respected among election officials and includes a Republican, Pam Anderson, former elected clerk of a suburban Denver-area county, on its board. In an interview, she said the group was 100% nonpartisan. Other Republican election officials have also vouched for the impartiality of the program. I dont see why governments should be barred from trying to work with the private sector in securing grant funds, said Brian Mead, a Republican election director in Licking County, Ohio, outside Columbus, which received $77,000 from CTCL. If we can work with the private sector and secure funds where we save our taxpayers money, I think thats a good thing, Mead said. That did not mollify conservatives, especially after the initial grants went to major, Democratic-voting cities. In Pennsylvania, one of the central battlegrounds of the presidential election, Philadelphia, with an annual election budget of $12.3 million, received $10 million from CTCL. The conservative Foundation for Government Accountability found that in Pennsylvania, Democratic-voting counties received an average of $4.99 per voter, while Republican-voting ones got $1.12 per voter. In Florida, the differential was also dramatic, with one-third of the $18 million in total money going to Democratic-leaning Palm Beach County, and an additional $2.4 million for Miami-Dade County, which backed Democrat Joe Biden, albeit more narrowly than expected. Republican Donald Trump won the state. If Charles Koch was doing this, well, for many of these people the shoe would be on the other foot, said Hayden Dublois, a researcher at the Foundation for Government Accountability, referring to the conservative billionaire. In some states, including Georgia and Texas, the new laws require all donations to local election offices to be distributed by the secretary of state. In states such as Arizona, Kansas and Iowa, they are banned altogether. Anderson, the Republican CTCL board member, said that will do real damage. If you want to block this funding, then I want to ask if the legislators are funding elections? Anderson said. Because so many states dont. ___ Associated Press writers Felicia Fonseca in Flagstaff, Arizona, and Julie Carr Smyth in Columbus, Ohio, contributed to this report. .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ARKITSA, Greece Firefighters and residents battled into the night Monday for a seventh day against a massive fire on Greeces second-largest island as the nation endured what the prime minister described as a natural disaster of unprecedented proportions. Smoke and ash from Evia, a rugged island of forests and coves close to the Greek mainland, blocked out the sun and turned the sky orange. The fire, which began Aug. 3, is the most severe of hundreds in the past week across Greece, gobbling up pristine pine forests as well as homes and businesses and forcing hundreds to quickly evacuate by sea to save their lives. Greece has been baked by its worst heat wave in three decades, which sent temperatures up to 45 degrees Celsius (113 Fahrenheit) and turned its prized pine forests into bone-dry tinderboxes. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ In a televised nationwide address, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said the destruction in Evia and elsewhere blackens everyones hearts and pledged compensation for all affected, as well as a huge reforestation and regeneration effort. He also apologized for any weaknesses shown in addressing the emergency, a nod to criticism from some residents and officials who said Greeces firefighting efforts and equipment were woefully inadequate. These last few days have been among the hardest for our country in decades, Mitsotakis said. We are dealing with a natural disaster of unprecedented dimensions. With roads on the island cut off by the flames, residents and tourists fled to Evias beaches and jetties to be ferried to safety by a flotilla of ferries and boats. We were completely forsaken. There were no fire brigades, there were no vehicles, nothing! David Angelou, who had been in the seaside village of Pefki, said Sunday night after leaving by ferry to the mainland. You could feel the enormous heat, there was also a lot of smoke. You could see the sun, a red ball, and then, nothing else around, he said. Mitsotakis said Monday he fully understands the pain of those who lost homes or property, and the anger of those seeking airborne assistance without knowing whether the firefighting aircraft were operating elsewhere or whether conditions made it impossible for them to fly. But he urged Greeks to reflect not only on what was lost but also on what was saved in such an unprecedented natural disaster. Other big wildfires were still burning Monday in Greeces southern Peloponnese region. Over the past week, hundreds of homes and businesses have been destroyed or damaged, and at least 40,000 hectares (nearly 100,000 acres) have been burned. Power cuts on Monday affected at least 17,000 households. The causes of the blazes are as yet undetermined, though several people have been arrested for alleged arson. Greeces top prosecutor has ordered an investigation into whether the high number of fires could be linked to criminal activity. More than 20 countries in Europe and the Mideast have responded to Greeces call for help, sending planes, helicopters, vehicles and manpower. On Monday, Greeces Foreign Ministry tweeted that neighboring Turkey Greeces historic regional rival will be sending two firefighting planes because a top envoy said Turkeys wildfires are now under control. The ministry also said Russia would be sending two firefighting planes and two helicopters. Greek authorities, scarred by a deadly wildfire in 2018 near Athens that killed more than 100 people, have emphasized saving lives, issuing dozens of evacuation orders. The coast guard said 2,770 people had been evacuated by sea across the country between July 31 and Aug. 8. Some residents ignored the orders to try to save their villages, spraying homes with garden hoses and digging mini firebreaks. The villagers themselves, with the firefighters, are doing what they can to save their own and neighboring villages, said Yiannis Katsikoyiannis, a volunteer from Crete who came to Evia to help his father save his horse farm near Avgaria. If they had evacuated their villages, as the civil protection told them to, everything would have been burnt down perhaps even two days sooner, he said. Of course, they never saw any water-dropping aircraft. And of course now the conditions are wrong for them to fly, due to the smoke. On Monday, the flames raced across northern Evia, threatening yet more villages even as 600 firefighters struggled to tame the inferno, aided by emergency teams from Ukraine, Romania and Serbia, 5 helicopters and 5 water-dropping planes. One Greek volunteer firefighter died near Athens last week while four more were in the hospital Monday, two in critical condition with extensive burns. Wildfires were also burning in southern Italy, North Macedonia and Montenegro, where a large fire in the Malo Brdo district of the capital Podgorica was coming close to houses on Monday. In Italy, authorities urged the public to be careful with fire amid a heat wave forecast for this week, when many Italians take summer vacations. Firefighters for weeks have been battling blazes in Sardinia, Sicily and Calabria, and two have died. We have faced very difficult and dramatic days fighting fires, and the temperatures that are forecast require the utmost attention, said Fabrizio Curcio, head of Italys Civil Protection agency. We are asking the maximum collaboration and caution from citizens to avoid any behavior that can set off a fire and report immediately the smallest blaze. In North Macedonia, dozens of wildfires followed the worst heat wave in decades. At least eight were still burning Monday, mostly in remote areas where only helicopters and planes could be deployed. Thousands of acres of forest have been destroyed and authorities have arrested five suspected arsonists. ___ Becatoros reported from Athens, Greece. Associated Press journalists Nicolae Dumitrache in Pefki, Greece, Nicholas Paphitis in Kontias, Greece, Suzan Frazer in Ankara, Turkey, Konstantin Testorides in Skopje, North Macedonia, Colleen Barry in Milan, Italy, and Predrag Milic in Podgorica, Montenegro, contributed to this report. .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... Small businesses, school districts and government agencies in New Mexico should be on the alert for business email scams, which have resulted in losses of more than $1 million in the state during the first six months of this year, the FBI says. That number is likely even higher because not all victims report the crime, spokesman Frank Fisher says. Called business email compromise scams, these increasingly common schemes happen when employees receive an email that looks like it comes from a company or individual with whom they do business. The sender asks that funds be sent to an account that is different from the usual or otherwise alters the standard payment practices, the agency said in a news release. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ One county in the state recently lost nearly $500,000, although Fisher would not give details, saying the case is under investigation. A small private school district was kept from losing more than $55,000 through quick action by employees, the news release said. Earlier last month, the city of Albuquerque was poised to lose $1.9 million in a vendor fraud scheme, but the transaction was halted after it was flagged by a Wells Fargo bank employee. The FBI says 29 such incidents were reported in New Mexico between January and June of this year, most of them hitting businesses, Fisher said. One example of a bogus email, cited by the FBI, came as a Request from CEO to Chief Financial Officer. The subject line said, Immediate Wire Transfer, and the contents said, Please process a wire transfer payment in the amount of $250,000 and code to admin expenses by COB (close of business) today. Wiring instructions below. If you discover you are a victim of this, contact the relevant financial institution immediately to request a recall of funds, and let your employer know, the FBI says. File a complaint to the agencys Internet Crime Complaint Center at bec.ic3.gov. Here are the red flags, the FBI says: An unexplained urgency. Last-minute changes in regular communication platforms or email addresses. Requests for advanced payments when not previously required. Communications that are only in email and a refusal to talk by phone or online voice or video platforms. To avoid falling for a business email scam, make sure to verify any requested changes and other details using the contact information on file rather than relying on information the supposed vendor provided in the email. Nexus Brewery is not looking for delivery drivers, In fact, Nexus Brewery does not make deliveries. The local restaurant and brewery was named in a recent fake job scam that hit an unknown number of cellphone users recently. The text said the brewery would pay $1,500 a week to good and honest people who could make deliveries. It had a phone number to call, which surprise was not the legitimate Nexus Brewery phone number, owner Ken Carson said. He said one woman who got the text told him she had called the number given and was asked for her drivers license and Social Security numbers. At that point, she realized it was all bogus. I have no idea what kind of list they were using to send (the text) out to people, Carson said. We have no formal list. Contact Ellen Marks at emarks@abqjournal.com or 505-823-3842 if you are aware of what sounds like a scam. To report a scam to law enforcement, contact the New Mexico Consumer Protection Division toll-free at 1-888-255-9210 or file a complaint at www.nmag.gov/file-a-complaint.aspx. .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... Rio Ranchoan Max Wade starts his morning by live-streaming himself drinking coffee at sunrise, looking at the Sandia Mountains. Those livestreams, done under his TikTok name Cowboy Max, quickly garnered national and international interest, with people from around the globe captivated by Wades live videos showcasing the areas natural beauty and the Wades farm animals. Those livestreams quickly evolved into his own coffee brand, named Cowboy Max Coffee, which has been in business since April 23 and has an evolving online customer base. The New Mexico reach quickly expanded to include the entire United States, which in turn expanded to include Canada, Australia, Brazil, Taiwan and the Philippines. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ Wade, who owns Galloping Goats Pumpkin Patch in Rio Rancho, said COVID-19 restrictions halted the annual pumpkin patch event last year, so he had to find other avenues to make up for that economic blow. He logged on to TikTok and started recording videos, and his new business took off from there. Were drinking coffee every morning and realized we have several thousand people that are tuning in, Wade said. Its been very steady, very consistent ever since (the launch), and weve got people from all around the world that buy the coffee. Wade said the pandemic restrictions for overseas mailing have made it more expensive to ship his product outside of the U.S., prolonging the wait time until an international customer gets the coffee. He said he hopes that process will speed up once restrictions ease more, given how much that extra international recognitions leading to extra international demand. He also said anywhere from 5,000 to 25,000 people globally are tuning into his live shows on weekdays, and those individuals are intrigued by Rio Rancho as a result. In a working partnership with Wade, Oval Dogs Coffee in Rio Rancho roasts the coffee. Purchases still come from the locals, but Oval Dogs co-owner Daniel Sanchez said other sales have included shipping at least 15 to 20 pounds of coffee to customers in Australia, Canada and the Netherlands. Its probably doubled our sales, Sanchez said. I kind of knew it was going to come, but it was still a big shock to the system. Going forward, Wade said he and Sanchez are working to add organic tea and holiday coffee flavors to the inventory. Cowboy Max Coffee is available at cowboymaxcoffee.com. Wades TikTok account is at tiktok.com/@cowboymax. Instagram Movie The Drax the Destroyer of 'Guardians of the Galaxy' explains why the upcoming second installment of the 'Knives Out' franchise is better than the original movie. Aug 6, 2021 AceShowbiz - Dave Bautista has predicted that "Knives Out 2" will be even better than the original. The actor will star in Rian Johnson's murder mystery sequel and has suggested the Netflix movie will raise the bar with its "colourful" characters and thrilling story. Dave told People, "I really think it's going to be as good, if not better, than the first one. I'm always afraid to say that because I don't want anybody to get offended saying that we're going to be better, but I really do think this." "I think the characters are just so much more colourful. I think people are really going to dig this." The former WWE star will be joined in the upcoming movie by the returning Daniel Craig as Detective Benoit Blanc and new stars Edward Norton, Kate Hudson, and Leslie Odom Jr. And Dave revealed that his co-stars have left him "mesmerised," explaining, "The characters are just so great. They're so different." "Everybody's cast so well. I was working with a couple of my castmates and was mesmerised by their performances and just how well they've adapted into these characters. I think the characters in this are even more quirky than the first one." Leslie previously suggested that Rian wants to "up the ante" on the sequel, after the original movie proved to be a critical and commercial success. The star said, "I might have said too much already, but suspect everyone is what I can tell you." "It's going to be fun. I think that the first movie... the success was unexpected, the Oscar nomination certainly, and people really took to it. So we want to up the ante and deliver something exciting and surprising for the fans." WENN Music The much-anticipated studio album by Kanye West is officially scheduled to come out this coming Monday after it's delayed from the initial release date in July. Aug 8, 2021 AceShowbiz - Kanye West's album "Donda" is to be released on Monday (09Aug21). The hotly-anticipated album has been listed on Apple Music as available to be pre-ordered now, with a release date scheduled for just two days' time. Not much is known about Kanye's album but it will have 24 tracks and features collaborations from the likes of Jay-Z, Travis Scott, Kid Cudi, Playboi Carti, and the late Pop Smoke. However, fans don't hold out much hope that the LP will actually be released that day as it had an initial release date of 24 July 2020, but was pushed back time and time again. Kanye was very close to his mother Donda, who inspired his album name, before she passed away over a decade ago at the age of just 53 and, although he has accepted she's not here in person anymore, he's convinced she's still supporting him through the highs and lows of life in spirit. He said, "You know, she's here with us and she's guiding us." However, the "Bound 2" hitmaker does find it hard to accept that his mother isn't around to watch his four children - North, eight, Saint, five, Chicago, three, and Psalm, two - grow up and play. "This would have been the funnest time of her life to have those kids running around that house and being able to like go and buy them toys," he explained. Rumor has it, Kanye is also working on a sequel to "Watch the Throne" with Jay Z. Reddit/www.swanseawest.wales Celebrity Julie James from the Welsh Labour party has been appointed the new Minister of Climate Change after previously serving as Minister for Housing and Local Government. Aug 8, 2021 AceShowbiz - Electronic music legend Aphex Twin's sister, Julie James, has been named Wales' new Minister of Climate Change. The former environmental lawyer and chair of the Environment and Sustainability Committee's Common Fisheries Policy Task and Finish Group, is the sister of Richard James, better known as Aphex Twin. In a new interview, she calls her sibling "the Mozart of techno" and admits she's a big fan. "He writes beautiful jazz," Julie says. "He did a collaboration with Philip Glass, which is glorious, and a lot of his ambient stuff is lovely to listen to." She also revealed Aphex Twin's "Avril 14th" was played at their father's funeral. But he won't be showing up at any campaign rallies if his sister plans to run for a higher office. "I can't get him to do a gig," she laughs. Julie James previously served as Minister for Housing and Local Government. Talking about her new job, she admitted in a previous interview that Wales' goal to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050 was a "stretching an ambitious target" but it's not impossible. She told BBC, "It is possible to do it but it will mean all of us playing our part." "So, there will be some things that will need to change... but what we need to do is put the conditions in place so that people aren't sacrificing things in order to assist the climate." WENN/John Rainford Celebrity According to Daily Mail, the 55-year-old Oregon resident also warns Meghan's husband and Duke of Sussex Prince Harry in the trailer, saying, 'I think she's going to ruin your life.' Aug 9, 2021 AceShowbiz - Meghan Markle's family feud is brought all to the way to Australia. The Duchess of Sussex's half-brother Thomas Markle Jr. is among the cast of the new season of Australia's "Big Brother VIP" and appears to insult the royal in the show's first trailer. Published on Sunday, August 8 by Channel 7, the trailer teases "explosive" drama from the cast. In the new footage, Thomas says, "I'm Meghan Markle's brother." The 55-year-old Oregon resident adds, "I'm the biggest brother of them all." According to Daily Mail, Thomas then warns Meghan's husband Prince Harry. "I think she's going to ruin your life. She's very shallow," he notes. Later, the show announces in a voiceover that "have searched the country and around the world for the most fascinating stars, and I found them." Also among the cast are Omarosa Manigault Newman and Caitlyn Jenner. Instead of a house, the cast members of "Big Brother VIP" will live together in a hotel. It's not the first time for Thomas to speak badly of Meghan in public. Back in 2018, he wrote a letter to the Duke of Sussex in which he called his sister a "jaded, shallow, conceited woman that will make a joke of you and the royal family heritage." He also claimed in an interview with Daily Mail in the same year that "since Hollywood and being on that show ["Suits"] -- being a celebrity has changed her." The window fitter continued, "Maybe she feels like she is above everybody, maybe even more now. But if she wasnt with Prince Harry right now -- even if she was still on Suits right now -- she would have stopped what she was doing to go and visit [her father] and make sure he's OK." "I think [the family's ongoing feud] got ignored and swept under the carpet for so long," Thomas added. "It's a shame where it's ended up, especially between her and my father. She's capable of doing anything, she's just got to want to do it. If she was to make amends, by all means, she can do that. But she's got to want to do it." Thomas also believed that Kensington Palace should have supported their father, Thomas Markle Sr., ahead of the 2018 royal wedding which he eventually didn't attend. "They've dealt with this kind of stuff for a long time and why they did it this way, thats the big question," the reality star claimed. "They could have looked after my dad and he would have been happy. I don't think he deserves that kind of treatment from her. I think she owes him emotionally, as his daughter, to support him the way he supported her," he said. "To see all this go on in the media, from their relationship being so close and so tight-knit all her life to come to this, like, she doesnt want to deal with him. For what reasons, I don't know." Instagram Celebrity In a touching note accompanying throwback photos of the father-daughter duo, the former star of 'The Breakfast Club' considers herself 'very lucky' to have Bob Ringwald in her life. Aug 9, 2021 AceShowbiz - Molly Ringwald is still mourning the loss of his father Bob Ringwald. Nearly a week after his jazz musician dad passed away at the age of 80, the "The Breakfast Club" actress paid a heartfelt tribute. Making use of her Instagram account on Saturday, August 7, the 53-year-old actress shared a series of sweet photos that saw her and her dad Bob. Along with the throwback pictures, she wrote a moving caption that read, "It's with a heavy heart that my family says goodbye to my father. I consider myself very lucky to have had in my life as long as I did. Robert Scott Ringwald 1940-2021." Prior to sharing her Instagram post, Molly also paid a touching tribute to her dad in a poignant obituary she penned in The Sacramento Bee. "Robert Scott Ringwald, known to most as Bob, and to a lucky few as Dad and PopPop, died Tuesday," she wrote of her father, before recounting his remarkable life. "As a preteen, he attended the California School for the Blind in Berkeley." "After a couple of years, he returned home to Citrus Heights and graduated with the Class of 1960 at San Juan High School," Molly continued. "That same year, he married Adele Frembd, his wife of 60 years." Elsewhere in her obituary, Molly explained that "it was immediately clear that there was something wrong with [Bob's] vision, and he was considered legally blind as an infant, becoming totally blind as an adolescent." She said of her father, "Though he never wanted to be defined by his blindness, he couldn't help being an ambassador for changing the perception of what is possible to do while living with a disability." "Despite having been a performer for nearly his entire life, he was never comfortable having attention bestowed on him unless he was on stage with a piano," Molly added. "Nevertheless, Bob drew attention wherever he went. His natural charisma, authenticity and sense of humor made people fall in love with him and want to be around him." She continued, "His dignity, humor, strength of character and courage will always be remembered and cherished by everyone whose lives were touched by his." Honoring her father's bright spirit and personality, Molly shared, "Anyone who knew Bob also knew his mischievous streak, and his ever-present, slightly ribald sense of humor." She then wrote, "If you didn't sufficiently beg to get off of his email joke list, you would have received one just a couple of days before he died." Bob played in bands such as The BoonDockers, Sugar Willie and the Cubes and The Great Pacific Jazz Band. Aside from Molly, Bob is survived by his wife Adele, his sister Renee Angus, his two other children Beth Ringwald Carnes and Kelly Ringwald as well as six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. WENN/Adriana M. Barraza Celebrity Defending his decision to keep his words that he would never share a 'penny' with his mother, the 'Pulp Fiction' director reminds, 'There are consequences for your words as you deal with your children.' Aug 9, 2021 AceShowbiz - While many people would spoil their loved ones with their wealth, Quentin Tarantino is making sure his mother doesn't enjoy a share of his success. The filmmaker cuts his mom, Connie, off financially for discouraging his filmmaking ambition as a kid. Talking to "Billions" co-creator Brian Koppelman for his acclaimed podcast "The Moment", the "Kill Bill" helmer/writer admitted he struggled academically in school and his mother couldn't accept that. "My mom always had a hard time about my scholastic non-ability," so the 58-year-old claimed. So as he was persistent with his dream, he recalled, "She was b***hing at me about that. and then in the middle of her little tirade, she said, 'Oh, and by the way, this little 'writing career,' with the finger quotes and everything. This little 'writing career' that you're doing? That s**t is over!' " That prompted Tarantino to vow to never share a "penny" with his mother. He went on sharing, "And when she said that to me in that sarcastic way, I was in my head, and I go, 'OK, lady. When I become a successful writer, you will never see penny one from my success. There will be no house for you. There's no vacation for you, no Elvis Cadillac for mommy. You get nothing. Because you said that.' " When asked by Koppelman, "Did you stick to that?", the Academy Award-winning writer replied, "Yeah, yeah." He elaborated, "I helped her out with a jam with the IRS. But no house. No Cadillac, no house." The "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" director went on explaining his decision, "There are consequences for your words as you deal with your children, remember there are consequences for your sarcastic tone about what's meaningful to them." During the interview, Tarantino revealed he also got in trouble with his teachers, who "looked at it [writing screenplay] as a defiant act of rebellion that I'm doing this instead of my school work." Tarantino's mother would later marry musician Curtis Zastoupil, who encouraged his love for movies. After his mother divorced Zastoupil in 1973, and received a misdiagnosis of Hodgkin's lymphoma, a young Tarantino was sent to live with his grandparents in Tennessee. Instagram Celebrity After taking a biopsy as his dermatologist found a new 'irregular' mark on his face, 'The Wolverine' leading man opens up on his next step after the result comes back. Aug 9, 2021 AceShowbiz - Hugh Jackman is giving his fans and followers an update on his latest skin cancer scare. In a new social media post, the "The Wolverine" star revealed that his skin biopsy result came back "inconclusive." "Update on my biopsy: It's comeback 'inconclusive'. This means they didn't take enough. That said, the worst it can be is a Basel Cell Carcinoma (BCC)," the 52-year-old actor wrote alongside an Instagram video he shared on Sunday, August 8. As to what he's going to do next, he explained, "So when I'm done filming, I'll have it rechecked." The "X-Men: Days of Future Past" actor also used the chance to remind others to look after their health and get regular skin checks. "I know I'm repeating myself and will probably not stop please get skin checks and wear sunscreen. If by posting about this I remind one person to go see their dermatologist - I'm happy," he concluded. In the short video, Hugh first said, "Thank you everyone for your incredible support. I got so much support for the biopsy I just had." The Australian native added, "It actually came back inconclusive which means they didn't take enough because I am about to start filming so we didn't want to go too deep." "The Greatest Showman" actor also stated that his doctors were relaxed about the procedure with them not fearing anything life threatening. "They are not worried if anything it is a Basel Cell Carcinoma which is not threatening but needs to be taken care of," he told the viewers. He then revealed that he was going to get another biopsy after filming, and promised to update fans after the procedure. His latest video came a few days after Hugh divulged that he had to undergo a new biopsy after his dermatologists found a new "irregular" mark on his face. At the time, he shared, "I just went to see Lisa and Trevor, my amazing dermatologists and doctors. And they saw something that was a little irregular so they took a biopsy, getting it checked." "So if you see a shot of me with this [Band-Aid] on, do not freak out. Thank you for your concern," Hugh assured his fans. He then promised, "I'll let you know what's going on but they think it's probably fine." Instagram Celebrity When sharing her grief on social media, the 'Poppin' ' raptress vows that she 'will give up everything just to have 1 more conversation with von shid even a hug.' Aug 9, 2021 AceShowbiz - Asian Doll (Asian Da Brat) is still mourning the death of King Von. Nearly nine months after the "Hellccats & Trackhawks" spitter died, the "Poppin' " raptress shared her grief on social media and admitted to feeling "hurt and lost." Making use of Twitter on Saturday, August 7, the 24-year-old penned, "Bro I will give up everything just to have 1 more conversation with von shid even a hug." She then asked in another tweet, "Ever felt like you wanna die?" "Extremely hurt & lost," the Dallas native further noted in a follow-up post. "Nothing has ever broken me but this right here breaking me into pieces. I hope one day I stop feeling like this... This S**t breaking me down. !" Asian Doll is still mourning the death of King Von. This was not the first time Doll expressed her emotions in the wake of her ex-boyfriend's death. Hours after the Chicago MC was killed in an Atlanta shooting in November 2020, she let out a series of heartbreaking posts on Twitter. "I wanna die 2 s**t it feel like I'm dead already," the self-proclaimed Queen Von wrote at that time. "I'll never be the same I just hope you visit me in all my dreams I just wanna sleep so I can picture us again I just wanna close my eyes & never open then again Von I'm gone [broken heart emoji]... My heart is gone I'm just a empty soul in a human body I rather die then to feel this pain I CANT TAKE IT IM NOT STRONG ENOUGH VON." Later in February this year, Doll claimed to be Von's soulmate. "I'm the love of VON life DONT involve me in S**t," she declared on Twitter. "I don't see S**t I don't care." She also revealed that she's "on a mission" and "nobody stopping this s**t fasho." The "First Off" femcee, whose real name is Misharron Jermeisha Allen, even got several tattoos as tributes to Von. "I got Von tatted 4 times today I'm finna make it 5," she tweeted in March. "cause y'all ain't nevaaaaa just take my boy like that." Instagram Celebrity Joining the bathing debate among celebrities, the 'Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle' actor shares that he showers three times a day because he works out 'twice' daily. Aug 9, 2021 AceShowbiz - Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson has weighed in on the bathing debate among celebrities. Joining the latest discourse, the "Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle" actor declared that he is the "opposite" of "not washing themselves" celebrities. "Nope, I'm the opposite of a 'not washing themselves' celeb," the 49-year-old actor tweeted on Friday, August 6. Detailing his shower routine, the "Jungle Cruise" star wrote, "Shower (cold) when I roll outta bed to get my day rollin'. Shower (warm) after my workout before work. Shower (hot) after I get home from work." He then concluded his post, "Face wash, body wash, exfoliate and I sing (off key) in the shower." Dwayne Johnson confirmed that he showers himself three times a day. Shortly after Dwayne shared that he always takes a cold shower in the morning, a Twitter user questioned the reason why he does that. The former WWE star then explained, "To clarify, the morning shower is cold-ish. Not 'WTF am I doing' cold, but 'ok this is chilly water and I'm really awake now ready to kick start my day' cold. Give it a shot." Meanwhile, after another user found that showering three times a day is "weirder than not showering," Dwayne explained, "Nothing weird about this, my friend." The Luke Hobbs depicter in "Fast and Furious" film series added, "I work out twice a day and then I go to work for 12+ hours. I shower 3xs. Easy to understand." Dwayne Johnson explained further about his shower habits. The bathing conversation first started after Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher revealed on "Armchair Expert" podcast that they don't wash their two children every day. "I didn't have hot water growing up as a child, so I didn't shower much anyway," the "Friends with Benefits" actress explained to co-hosts Dax Shepard and Monica Padman. "But when I had children, I also didn't wash them every day. I wasn't that parent that bathed my newborns - ever." In other news, Jake Gyllenhaal shared that he doesn't wash himself regularly. "I always am baffled that loofahs come from nature. They feel like they've been made in a factory but, in fact, it's just not true. Since I was young, it's amazed me," the "Nightcrawler" actor told Vanity Fair on Thursday. He went on to explain, "More and more I find bathing to be less necessary, at times." "I do believe, because Elvis Costello is wonderful, that good manners and bad breath get you nowhere," Jake continued. The "Brokeback Mountain" actor added, "So I do that. But I do also think that there's a whole world of not bathing that is also really helpful for skin maintenance, and we naturally clean ourselves." WENN/Instagram Celebrity Making an appearance at the Radford Motors gathering at the Lyon Air Museum in Santa Ana, California, the 'Bridget Jones's Baby' actress and her beau look elegant in matching black outfits. Aug 9, 2021 AceShowbiz - Renee Zellweger and Ant Anstead have taken their relationship to the next level. During the Radford Motors gathering in Santa Ana, California, the new couple was spotted enjoying each other's company as they attended their first public event together as a couple. On Saturday, August 7, Ant was accompanied by his Oscar-winning lady love to a gala event held by Radford Motors at the Lyon Air Museum. Offering a glimpse at the event, the "Wheeler Dealers" alum shared some photos on his Instagram Stories. In the snaps, the lovebirds were all smiles as they posed with their friends including "The Real Housewives of Orange County" alum Lydia McLaughlin and her husband Doug. For the night outing, Renee looked elegant in a flowy black gown that she paired with matching pumps. In the meantime, the "Ant Anstead Master Mechanic" star sported a dapper black-and-white tuxedo. Renee Zellweger and Ant Anstead posed alongside 'RHOC' alum Lydia McLaughlin and her husband Doug. Of their relationship, it seemed like things were getting serious between the two. Back in late July, Renee was reportedly "moving things" into Ant's home because she already felt "safe" with him. At the time, a source spilled to Us Weekly, "Renee is already moving things into Ant's house. He adores her and makes her feel safe." "Renee has met his youngest and [he] loves her too," the source offered more details. "Renee is so great with kids and it warms Ant's heart to see her be so good with [him]." Renee and Ant sparked romance rumors in late June, just days after he finalized his divorce from Christina Haack (Christina El Moussa). The "Bridget Jones's Baby" actress met the car expert while filming an episode of his upcoming Discovery+ series "Celebrity IOU Joyride". Since then, the twosome was spotted spending time together and even caught sharing some kisses. Weighing in on the budding relationship was Ant's close pal and "Wheeler Dealers" co-star Mike Brewer. "I think Renee has found her Prince Charming and Ant has found a real woman in Renee," he claimed. "He's got a woman who cares about him, and he cares about her. They are both wonderful people and they deserve this happiness." "They just clicked, and the timing was right. They wanted to keep it private at first. When you're in a new relationship, you don't know if it will work or not so you're not sure if you should tell your friends or share it with your family," Mike explained. "But Renee is comfortable now with them being seen together, shopping at Home Depot (U.S. home supply store) or just doing the ordinary things other couples do." WENN/TNYF Celebrity The reality TV star takes to her Instagram account to share a picture of her rocking the black bondage-style Balenciaga outfit while attending the event, which takes place at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Aug 9, 2021 AceShowbiz - Kim Kardashian gives her 100 percent in supporting estranged husband Kanye West and she makes it known to the public. The "Keeping Up with the Kardashians" alum continued to match the rapper at his "Donda" listening party by wearing all-black outfit, completed with full black face mask. The reality TV star took to her Instagram account on Friday, August 5 to share a picture of her rocking the black bondage-style Balenciaga outfit while attending the event, which took place the day before at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. It included over-the-knee heeled boots, skintight pants, a long-sleeve top and a full face mask over her head. In her post, Kim also attached a picture of the "Jesus Is King" artist in similar a face mask and Balenciaga ensemble. The rapper, however, completed his style with a bulletproof vest that has the name of his forthcoming album, "Donda", at the back. Kim and Kanye's children were also seen donning black outfits for the event. "#DONDA #BALENCIAGA," Kim simply captioned the post. This is not the first time for the SKIMS founder to wear coordinated outfit with Kanye for "Donda" event. The 40-year-old reality TV star previously wore a red latex look to the 44-year-old rapper's first show in late July. At the time, Kanye rocked a puffy red coat and pants to the event. Kim filed for divorce from Kanye earlier this month with Kim citing differences in lifestyle as the reason of their separation. "Kanye is in complete work mode right now," an insider recently said of the artist. "He doesn't want to leave Atlanta until his music is completed." Meanwhile, Kim and their four kids traveled from Los Angeles to Atlanta so they can spend time with their dad. "It's very important to her that the kids spend as much time as possible with Kanye," the source added. "Kim is trying to be supportive. She is focused on co-parenting. Nothing has changed otherwise. They are still moving forward with the divorce." WENN/Ivan Nikolov/Dennis Van T Celebrity In response to the news of the 'Curb Your Enthusiasm' actor getting cut from the bash, fans quickly make jokes about how it may be an inspiration for a future episode of the hit HBO comedy. Aug 9, 2021 AceShowbiz - Larry David was among those who got cut from Barack Obama's 60th birthday celebration at Martha's Vineyard on Saturday, August 7. The event, which initially had 475 guests, was downsized to include "only family and close friends" only because the rise of the Delta variant throughout the U.S. New York Times reported that the "Curb Your Enthusiasm" was among the more notable names who were uninvited. In response to the news, fans quickly made jokes about how it might be an inspiration for a future episode of the hit HBO comedy. "I can't wait to watch this episode of curb," one fan tweeted. "Larry David being uninvited to Obama's birthday party sounds like it was ripped straight from a Curb script. lol," another Twitter user added. Someone else similarly wrote, "Larry David was uninvited from Obama's 60th birthday party. That's literally a Curb episode right there." Also getting excited, a person said, "This is the most Larry David thing ever, lol I hope we get an episode from this." Larry was not the only prominent figure who was removed from the guest list. David Letterman and Conan O'Brien were also cut from the event. Meanwhile, the likes of Jay-Z, Beyonce Knowles, Chrissy Teigen, John Legend and more were spotted attending the bash at Obama's mansion. Obama's spokesperson, Hanna Hankins, announced the decision to remove some of the guests due to safety issues. On Wednesday, August 4, Hankins said, "This outdoor event was planned months ago in accordance with all public health guidelines and with covid safeguards in place." "Due to the new spread of the Delta variant over the past week, the President and Mrs. Obama have decided to significantly scale back the event to include only family and close friends," the statement continued. "He's appreciative of others sending their birthday wishes from afar and looks forward to seeing people soon." GLENN COUNTY, Calif. - Two people from Washington died in a crash on Interstate-5 outside of Willows, California Highway Patrol said. The crash happened around 6:05 a.m. on Sunday just north of County Rd. 39. CHP said it received a report of a vehicle crashed into a pole. When CHP arrived on the scene, the officer found a single vehicle, a Nissan Sentra, crashed into a tree and on its left side. The officer tried to contact the people inside but they were not responding. 62-year-old Glenda Seth Pickering of Longview, Wash. and a 56-year-old woman from Kelso, Wash. who has not been identified were pronounced dead at the scene. NEW YORK (AP) One of Jeffrey Epstein's longtime accusers has sued Prince Andrew, saying he sexually assaulted her when she was 17. Lawyers for Virginia Giuffre filed the lawsuit Monday in Manhattan federal court. According to the lawsuit, the prince abused Giuffre on multiple occasions when she was under the age of 18. It says that on one occasion, the prince sexually abused her in London at the home of Ghislaine Maxwell when Epstein, Maxwell and Prince Andrew forced her to have sexual intercourse with the prince against her will. In late 2019, Prince Andrew told BBC Newsnight that he never had sex with Giuffre. Be prepared for hot temperatures, elevated fire danger and impacted air quality on the way for this week. Dry weather is projected to persist across northern California, and temperatures will rise through the middle of this week as high pressure approaches the West Coast from the Pacific. Skies are clear to mostly clear of clouds over northern California for the start of your Monday, but smoke from our active wildfires continues to blanket portions of our region. Air quality is starting out in the hazardous range in areas closest to the Dixie Fire, in the moderate to unhealthy range in the valley, and in the very unhealthy range in Trinity County to start the day. Temperatures are starting out in the 60's to 70's in the valley and foothills, and in the 40's to 50's in the mountains Monday morning. Winds are mostly light and out of the northeast early today, but will shift to become out of the south or southwest to around 10mph this afternoon. Wind gusts are not expected to be very strong through the day, with most areas projected to have gusts under 20mph. Humidity is projected to dip into the 13 to 24 percent range in the valley. High temperatures will climb into the upper 90's to lower triple digits in the valley, mid 80's to mid 90's in the foothills, 80's to lower 90's in the Sierra, and mid to upper 90's in the northern Mountains on Monday afternoon. High pressure will continue to build towards the West Coast from the Pacific over the next several days. This will resuilt in very dry condiitons, and hotter temperatures on the way through the rest of this week. All valley areas are expected to climb into the triple digits on Tuesday, while most mountain and foothill areas top out in the upper 80's to mid 90's. Air quality is expected to get a little better for our Tuesday as south winds push a lot of our wildfire smoke to the north. Temperatures in the 103 to 108 degree range are expected in the valley from Wednesday through Friday, while mountain and foothill areas top out in the 90's to lower triple digits. There will be periods where monsoonal moisture will track north towards northern California during the middle of this week, but the latest models are keeping the active weather to our south. There will be a slightly better chance for scattered mountain showers and thunderstorms late this week and this weekend. Temperatures will stay well above average through your upcoming weekend, and most of our region will stay bone dry. This isn't good news for our fire danger, but the lack of any substantial wind events is positive. FACES CANADA, a beauty brand with a Canadian heritage spanning over 40 years with beauty products enriched with potent natural ingredients which are good for your skin and free from harmful chemicals, celebrated this lipstick day with a #LeaveAMark campaign on social media. The campaign debuted on 29th July with a participation of 350 influencers reaching across the length and breadth of the country. The #LeaveAMark Campaign was about celebrating womens accomplishments and their efforts that have made a difference. In turn, leaving iconic memories along a hard-worn journey and creating a community that can empower as well as inspires women and men from different walks of life. Top influencers like Mrunal Panchal, Aashi Wadhwa, Ashi Khanna , and Jaspreet Kaur were the flag bearers of the campaign along with a plethora of strong inspiring voices with their interpretation of the #LeaveAMark activity. This campaign has garnered over 2 million views and 2000+ engagements. #LeaveAMark campaign witnessed around 400 consumer entries for the contest spanning across cities like Goa, Mumbai, Vizag, Chennai, Mysore, Kolkata, Delhi, Orissa, Ahmedabad, and many more. The 5 most inspiring stories from the campaign won makeup hampers worth up to Rs.50,000 with their stories amplified on the brand page. Sharing a few words on the campaign Ms. Devkey Advani, Creative Director of FACES CANADA says The kind of confidence make-up gives us allows us to feel powerful, confident & ready to take on the world. Our goal is to create a movement based on this confidence, that encourages women and men to share their inspiring stories of how they left a mark in different areas of their lives & help uplift one another Flipkart, India's homegrown e-commerce marketplace, and Indian Institute of Management, Sambalpur, the hand-crafted IIM, one of the most promising and dynamic management institutions among the new generation IIMs of the country, today announced a partnership to support and promote small businesses, artisans and weavers by leveraging technology, e-commerce platform and market insights. An MoU to cement this partnership will be signed in the next few weeks. Through this partnership, announced on National Handloom Day, IIM Sambalpur and Flipkart will leverage their deep expertise and knowledge to create an operational framework to support under-served communities by helping them build capacity and enhance market reach. Flipkart executives will actively participate in this program by sharing operational know-how, market and consumer insights. The company will also explore opportunities to enable pan-India market access for products created by these entrepreneurs, MSMEs and artisans through its marketplace. Commenting on the development, Prof Mahadeo Prasad Jaiswal, Director, IIM Sambalpur, said, Our partnership with Flipkart and the e-commerce industry will help strengthen the spirit of entrepreneurship by creating opportunities to leverage technology and accelerate growth for small businesses and artisans. By combining institutional learning and practical industry experience, we aim to provide entrepreneurs best practices and deeper insight on how to leverage e-commerce for their growth. We are hopeful that weavers, artisans and farmers will leverage this opportunity to showcase their skills and high-quality traditional heritage products to a national consumer base and reach new heights and recognition. Mr. Rajneesh Kumar, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer, Flipkart Group, said, As a homegrown company, we aspire to leverage locally developed world-class technology to create a positive impact in the lives of countless entrepreneurs and underserved communities from across India leading to inclusive economic growth. Our teams expertise, technology, learnings and insights serving a pan-India market will come very handy for MSMEs, artisans and the Indian handicraft industry through this partnership with IIM Sambalpur. At Flipkart, we believe that entrepreneurship is essential to creating more local jobs across the ecosystem and are committed to growing an inclusive digital e-commerce ecosystem. The collaboration extends Flipkarts sustained partnerships with academic institutions and serves as a testimony to its commitment towards India and its continuous support for entrepreneurs and the start-up ecosystem. Under the Flipkart Samarth initiative, the company has partnered with several states across the country, including Odisha. Our partnership with Odisha State Governments State Institute for Development of Arts & Crafts (SIDAC) is helping onboard renowned Odia brands such as Boyanika, Utkalika and Sambalpuri Bastralaya, among others, on our e-commerce marketplace. With the help of Flipkart, handloom and handicraft artisans living in remote Odisha are now able to market their products to consumers across India better. Ipsos India has roped in Deepak H to lead Ipsos Strategy3 with immediate effect. Strategy3 is the business consulting arm of Ipsos. He will report to Amit Adarkar, CEO, Ipsos India. Deepak H moves from i2i Research LLP, a Bengaluru based research & advisory firm which he founded and held the positions of Founder & CEO. His earlier stints were with Bliss Chocolate Pvt Ltd (Smoor chocolates) and for a large part with Feedback Business Consulting Private Limited. He comes with 16 years of work experience largely in the areas of Business Advisory and Corporate Finance. He has held senior level positions displaying a strong track record of achieving organizational objectives. An alumnus of SP Jain Institute of Management and Research, he also has a B.E. degree in Chemical Engineering from Visvesvaraya Technological University. Strategy3 is our business and growth advisory firm and it is our key area of focus this fiscal. Especially during this time when clients are geared to achieving organic growth and strategic edge in the competitive marketplace. Riding on the 3 lenses of being Strategy Led, Research Driven and Activation Focused, Strategy3 will handhold clients in navigating the challenges. Deepak H is best placed to lead the function and we are bullish about growing our consulting arm backed with our cutting-edge research capabilities, said Amit Adarkar, CEO, Ipsos India. It will be our endeavor to help clients build, grow and compete and Strategy3 will be the enabler, added Adarkar. I am excited to be a part of the Ipsos India team, which is on a growth trajectory. Strategy3 has tremendous opportunity to add value to our existing clients & will focus on solving specific problems related to market, business, consumers & channel, using a data led approach, said Deepak H, Head of Ipsos Strategy3, India. NDTV and CoinSwitch Kuber today announced a strategic partnership to launch comprehensive and best-in-class content in the Crypto currency space. This partnership will see NDTV launch exclusive crypto destinations on gadgets360.com, Indias #1 tech portal, ndtvprofit.com and ndtvindia.in. A brand new show every alternate weekend on NDTV 24X7 and NDTV India will be a key part of this cross-platform expansion As crypto currencies become mainstream and more people start evaluating this asset class the need for credible and accurate information is more relevant than ever. And this is the gap this partnership seeks to address with NDTVs credibility and trust combined with CoinSwitch Kubers domain expertise and robust trading platform. The content will be available across all NDTV platforms including its massive social media communities. Ashish Singhal, Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer, CoinSwitch Kuber, said, Crypto has seen exponential growth over the last decade, and the sentiment is only getting stronger. Everyday lakhs of users are becoming first-time crypto investors, both from metros as well as the remotest corners of the country. As Indias leading crypto investment platform, it is our responsibility to provide users access to relevant information regarding this asset class. NDTV being one of Indias leading media houses will help us get our message across to everyone - from beginners to seasoned investors. Talking about the partnership, Suparna Singh, Head - NDTV Convergence, said, All of us at NDTV are excited about this terrific new partnership with Coinswitch Kuber. Crypto currency is a big and complex space to explore and we will report on it with the rigor and credibility that NDTV is known for. Our digital and on-air teams will work together to bring the latest crypto currency news and trends to an Indian audience. Young Indians are so invested in this space - and we look forward to giving them all the information theyre looking for, as also to engaging a broader audience that may not know much about this area but wants simple explainers and a clear picture of what has become a whole new way of trading Samsonite, the world's leading luggage brand, today announced the launch of the revolutionary EVOA Tech luggage collection. Building on the advances of its earlier EVOA range, this line of next-generation travel suitcases is custom built to intelligently interact with its proprietors. The addition of multiple cutting-edge features is ideally suited to empower the smart travellers of today, offering the ultimate combination of efficiency, flexibility, and security. For over 110 years, the Samsonite name has stood as an enduring symbol of quality in the travel landscape. We pride ourselves on anticipating every need of the frequent world traveller, while also paving the way for the future of the industry through the introduction of ground-breaking new advancements and technologies, said Jai Krishnan, CEO of Samsonite South Asia Pvt Ltd., commenting on the launch. The EVOA Tech collection is the perfect encapsulation of this forward-thinking philosophy. Its blend of innovation, functionality, and aesthetic appeal set a new benchmark for the industry, making it the ideal travel companion for the sophisticated modern globetrotter. The EVOA Tech maintains all the original features of the EVOA range, while adding unique features that further enhance the premium travel experience. Available exclusively in a brushed black colour scheme with copper accenting, this iconic and minimalist look is made to suit any travel style. In order to ensure the security of a travellers belongings, the EVOA Tech offers a wide array of security features: a 3-in-1 Smart lock, TSA approved fingerprint lock allowing for efficient one-touch opening, anti-theft zipper with magnetic zipper puller, and 3-digit dial lock and USB port. Quality of life features meld with practicality through built in luggage scale, the Aero-TracTM suspension wheel system, interior smart and wet pickets, expandability for check-in sizes, and a brushed finishing for added durability. Samsonites partnership with Panasonic also sees the inclusion of the Seekit Bluetooth Tracker, enabling customers to tag and track their luggage for a seamless experience. Key Features Fingerprint lock and TSA combination lock The 3-in-1 Smart Lock offers 2 ways to open and lock the luggage conveniently, either using your recorded fingerprint, or ordinary TSA combination dial password. Function is well protected by protection cap, consumers could always close the protection cap after usage. With fingerprint locks, never worry about forgetting dial password. Only defined fingerprints are permitted with security and sharing usage. Up to 10 fingerprints can be recorded The luggage can still be opened with the set dial password Fingerprint lock is a user-friendly mechanism. Key functions are (1) record fingerprint (2) open the lock (3) delete fingerprint TSA combination dial lock as usual mechanism to (1) set password (2) reset The first fingerprint acts as administrator and is used to control or delete all other fingerprints. Other fingerprints can only select their own record as an additional security measure Integrated weighing scale carry handle Allows for the measurement of luggage weight through the built-in device Shows the weight of luggage piece in Kilograms (kg) Designed to be user-friendly. Switch on lift-up est. 2 seconds show weight Simply raise the side carry handle and put it down. The weight will be displayed on the screen (without sound) Easy button to reverse display direction, convenient for reading Samsonite with Seekit Bluetooth Tracker by Panasonic Samsonite With SeekitTM Bluetooth Tracker by Panasonic boasts up to 11 different functions based on Bluetooth 5.0. Innovative features include the Separation Indicator so that customers know when the luggage is around and get notified as soon as it is separated. With Bi-directional Tracking feature, not only does the Seekit helps customers find their luggage, but their phone too by just double pressing the button on the tracker. Proximity guidance guides customers towards their baggage whereas Find your luggage helps them identify their Samsonite luggage easily by tapping the buzz button on their app. The Seekit device also comes with a Selfie Button that allow users to click their best selfies while on travel. Moreover, by pressing the button on Seekit thrice customers can send an SOS Alert to up to 3 contacts with their GPS location. Additionally, Panasonic is providing in app language support in Japanese, Chinese, English, Korean for better customer experience and adoption. Swiss Agency for Therapeutic Products Bern, 09.08.2021 - Swissmedic has carefully examined the application from Moderna Switzerland GmbH for the indication extension and has extended the temporary authorisation for the Spikevax COVID-19 vaccines from Moderna for the prevention of the coronavirus disease in adolescents aged 12 to 17. Swissmedic reviewed the application submitted on 11 June 2021 for the indication extension in an accelerated rolling procedure. The results of an ongoing study in 3,732 children aged 12 to 17 were submitted and subjected to review. In the age group studied, and with the dosage remaining the same as for adults, the vaccine produced a similar immune response (level of antibodies against SARS-CoV-2) in this study compared to young adults aged 18 to 25 years. The side effects most frequently experienced by the children aged 12 to 17 were also similar to those in persons aged 18 and over. In the clinical trial, this vaccine showed an efficacy against symptomatic disease (at least one symptom and positive PCR test) of about 93% in the investigated age group from 14 days after dose 2. The side effects usually lasted between one and three days, and may be more pronounced after the second dose. As for persons aged 18 and over, the vaccine must be administered in two doses given 4 weeks apart. Address for enquiries Swissmedic Media Unit +41 58 462 02 76 media@swissmedic.ch Publisher Swiss Agency for Therapeutic Products http://www.swissmedic.ch/?lang=2 In short order, we have been put under mask requirements, physical distancing requirements, quarantining of healthy people, business closures, lockdowns, required testing (or lose your job, or be denied services), contact tracing (how long will it take for literally every American to be put on someones listI predict that could be accomplished in less than 2 weeks), and soon dissenters will be victims of knocks on their doors, removal to quarantine centers and/or re-education camps, forced vaccinations while being held down, and prison time, followed by suicides and unexplained deaths. Americans should find it shocking, frightening, and intolerable that acting on our God-given fundamental rights as human beings has now been deemed illegal behavior and can result in being charged with a crime in a growing number of situations and locations. Stop and think about that for a few minutes. That which prior to 2020 were considered basic human rights, including the rights to breathe, smile at others, communicate, entertain, move about, congregate, shop, conduct business, seek care and services, and go to church, have instantaneously been labeled dangerous behaviors if done in a free, unregulated, and unimpeded manner, deemed worthy of fines, ostracization, shaming, social isolation, forced quarantine, closures, lockdowns, lawsuits, and no doubt very soon, prison time and re-education camps. Perhaps this is why nearly half of U.S. states have released thousands of prisoners before their sentences were completed, including those who have committed violent crimesto make room for those who will refuse to comply with rights-stripping, unconstitutional, life-destroying edicts made and enforced by those abusing their positions of power. In the event you havent noticed, things are getting worse, not better. And I am not talking about Covid-19, whatever that is or isnt (no way for us to know, as we have been lied to from the get-go). I am talking about the state of our God-given rights, many of which our U.S. Constitution was created to protect, rights that include: the right to breathe freely, minus dangerous impediments; the right to communicate and socialize with others, minus facial covering and physical distancing requirements; the right to move about freely, including frequenting businesses of our choosing, minus finding businesses forcibly closed, and minus absurd shopping and walking around town rules; the right to conduct business, minus being deemed non-essential, minus being restricted in scope and ability to conduct business, and minus being coerced to enforce dangerous and absurd requirements of employees and customers; the right to assemble, minus ridiculous and arbitrary physical distancing and maximum number restrictions, and minus the forced covering of the majority of ones face; the right to seek medical, dental, and eye care, minus temperature checks, facial masking, and in some cases, Covid-19 testing requirements (with the nasal swab testing causing harm and damage to some of those being tested that way); the right to practice ones religion, and to congregate and fellowship with others, minus rules and requirements which prevent one from doing so; and the right to pursue life, liberty, and happiness, minus unwarranted, unconstitutional, and unacceptable government interference. I went grocery shopping this past Saturday, first time in 30 days. I find seeing my fellow humans masked, including young children, to be soul-stripping, and I come home angry and depressed. For some reason, I thought I would not be the only unmasked person at this stage of the insanity, but I was wrong. The store was more crowded than I had seen it to date, and yet, I saw no other shopper, or employee, not wearing a masknearly 6 months into this global machination. Our country is being run by a real-life mafia, comprised of a small group who has assumed a powerful form of global authority. These mafia heads have many minions who populate the pharmaceutical industry and government leadership and regulatory positions. These mafia underlings then have their many minions which include elected officials, university and education system officials, the mainstream media, and public health officials. And as of late, this despotic mafia has succeeded in enlisting citizens to police one another, both voluntarily and for pay, via snitch lines, social media shaming, contact tracers, informants who report violations, and non-police enforcers of mask wearing and physical distancing. We are seeing evidence of this mafia, and associated mafia-style consequences, in many places: businesses, schools, and churches being forced to close without having committed any violations; business owners fearful of allowing anyone into their establishments who is not wearing a mask, even when the person meets one of the many legal exemptions (given that the requirements themselves are not legal, there is no justification to have to legally exempt oneself), knowing they may face financially devastating fines and/or forced closure; college faculty, staff, and students being required to submit to regular Covid-19 testing, temperature checks, mask wearing, physical distancing, and contact tracing, and for those in the very large UC system, the requirement of an influenza vaccine by 11-1-20 has now been added, with refusal resulting in being fired and being denied enrollment; those needing/wanting surgery are being required to submit to Covid-19 testing, with refusal resulting in no treatment; those needing/wanting medical, dental, or eye care are now being required to submit to temperature checks and masking requirements, with refusal resulting in no service; those frequenting many businesses are being required to sign in for future contact tracing purposes, with refusal resulting in being told to leave; all with no viable opt out, even if a legal exemption exists, for fear the mafia and its many minions will penalize and/or annihilate persons and businesses not falling into line and enforcing their edicts. Todays exemptions will soon be on tomorrows no longer accepted list. Should you need proof of that, just look at the history of vaccine mandates. The noose on freedom and personal liberties is tightening, and in many areas, has already been cinched. For those who think it is no big deal to comply with the ever-increasing rules, requirements, and mandates, or that it is somehow virtuous, I urge you to reconsider and take a look at where all of this is headed, and what it means for your future, and the future of your children and grandchildren. The progression of increasing, illegal, and unconstitutional requirements has been rapid, and backed by force. It is not going to stop. Next up will be proof of Covid-19 status, with required periodic and repeated testing, to enter any public or private business (as though there is even one reliable test, for something that has yet to be clearly identified, for something that has yet to be proven to be contagious, and for something that has yet to be proven to be prevented or halted by mask wearing or physical distancing), mandatory signing in wherever you go for contact tracing purposes, proof of Covid-19 vaccination (with proof of additional vaccines in short order), and in the very near future, the requirement of some type of chipping that can be scanned prior to entering any public or private business or entity, to ensure full compliance with the mafias demands. Comply, or be deniedor worse. It is not wise or virtuous to condone or support that which eliminates the most basic rights of human beings. It is not wise or virtuous to willingly give up our God-given, Constitutionally-guaranteed rights and freedoms, in exchange for tyranny, threats, and torture. It is not wise or virtuous to accept mafia dominance over our lives, the lives of our children and grandchildren, or the lives of others. None of what I have written prohibits anyone from doing that which they believe protects their health, or the health of their children. If someone believes that masks are protective, not harmful, prevent the transmission of viruses, and/or believe that they or their children are particularly vulnerable for some reason, they are free to wear a mask. If their mask works as they believe it does, it should not matter to them whether or not anyone else is wearing a mask. The same argument holds true for vaccination. If someone wants to permit a vaccine for themselves or their child, they are free to do so. If they believe that a vaccine is protective for them or their child, it should make no difference to them whether or not anyone else is vaccinated. And therein lies the truthwhen individuals and parents are free to make their own health-related decisions, that is how and when individuals, children, communities, and society at large thrive. When something is effective, it is continued, or repeated if/when necessary. When something is ineffective, or harmful, it is discontinued, not repeated, and something else may be tried in the future. No one has a more vested and sincere interest in an individual or child being healthy and well than the individual or parent. No one has a better firsthand account of the results of health-related decisions than the individual or parent, and therefore, it is their experiences and their decisions that matter most. No one will be more accountable and personally responsible for individual and parental health-related decisions than the individual and parent, and therefore, such accountability and personal responsibility are the most natural and effective motivators for beneficial and effective decisions to be made, or adjusted as needed, and for harmful and ineffective decisions to be completely avoided, or never repeated. We do not need elected officials legislating and dictating our health-related decisions, nor do we need public and global health officials pronouncing and enforcing what they deem is and isnt healthy for us and our families, especially given their terrible track records, their conflicts of interest, and the many lawsuits against and criminal convictions of the companies who bribe, buy, influence, and control them. What we need is health and medical choice freedom, paired with rock-solid parental rights. What we need is the free flow of information so that people can make fully informed decisions. The censorship of anything and everything that challenges or disproves the mafias propaganda must be stopped. Perhaps most importantly, we need those who comprise the mafia described above, and their many minions, behind bars. We need to be the change we want to see. Continued compliance will lead to increasing tyranny. We need to act individually and collectively. Connect with like-minded people in your area and get involved with Dr. Pam Poppers Make Americans Free Again and Peggy Halls The Healthy American. Become a member of the Weston A Price Foundation, which provides excellent health-related information as well as action items related to protecting and regaining rights and freedoms. Refusing to comply today is the path to regaining our rights and freedoms tomorrow. Laura Hayes writes and speaks about the importance of healthcare/medical choice freedom and parental rights. She has been outspoken for many years regarding the urgent need to immediately: ban vaccine mandates; enact a moratorium on each and every vaccine, as not one has been tested or approved properly or ethically; repeal the 1986 Act; and fully restore individual and parental rights with regard to healthcare and medical decision making. You can read more of her work at the Age of Autism Exclusives. Winter wheat harvest is ramping up in the southwestern region of the state, while spring crops are turning golden, with many maturing quicker under the July heat. Spring wheat harvest has also begun in western regions. Haying is winding down with most hay fields bringing in about 40 percent of normal. Rain continues to be variable and light within counties with some regions receiving slight rain the last week of July and the first week of August. According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, the area of exceptional drought in the state shrunk from 12 percent to 8 percent to start the month, due to light rainfall falling in pockets. The National Weather Service said this past July ranked in the top five of warmest Julys in recorded history for North Dakota. But the high heat wave in the 90s tempered down into the 80s across the state as August began, with winds strong and skies gray from fires in the western part of the U.S. Heidi Marxen, Hettinger County Extension agent, started her new position in May, taking over for Duane Marxen, who retired in the spring after a long service to southwestern producers. Combines have been out cutting winter wheat in the county, and the spring wheat is turning, Marxen said. I am hearing reports on the winter wheat coming in at 40-50 bushels per acre. Marxen said the area received slight rain the last week in July, which should help the sunflowers, soybeans, corn and canola. With the high heat recently, the crops are sitting idle, waiting on moisture. Some of the corn is starting to tassle, depending on variety, she said. Canola has finished flowering and looks good. We are doing better here compared to many parts of the state with our crops, due to better moisture, she said. Marching into the dog days of summer, drought is still very much the center of conversation across Montana. The entire state is now experiencing some level of drought with 80 percent of Montana in extreme or exceptional drought. According to the latest U.S. Drought Monitor maps, Beaverhead, Madison, Fergus, Petroleum, Phillips and Valley counties all have reached D4 classifications. Hot and windy conditions across the state continue to deplete soil moisture. According to the Mountain Regional Field Office of the National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA, for the week ending July 30, topsoil moisture conditions were rated at 2 percent adequate-to-surplus compared to 54 percent the previous year. Subsoil moisture conditions show a similar trend coming in at 3 percent adequate-to-surplus compared to 62 percent the previous year. Harvesting of small grains is well underway. Winter wheat harvest is just over half done at 52 percent complete, well ahead of last year, which had 19 percent of the crop harvested at this time. According to the latest NASS report, 2 percent of this years winter wheat crop is rated good-to-excellent. Spring wheat harvest seems to be getting an early jump this year. Nineteen percent of the crop is already harvested compared to one percent last year at this time. Barley harvest has also gotten underway with 13 percent of the crop harvested, well ahead of the five-year average, which notes usually seven percent of the crop is harvested by now. Harvesting of durum has also begun early this year with five percent of the crop already processed. Caged: 20 Days Captive In Nigeria The true story of three-man documentary team, in Nigeria to film the Igbo Jews, who were abducted by the Nigerian government and held in cages for weeks. Comment on this Video https://www.aish.com/jw/s/When-My-World-Imploded-Facing-Ghosts-in-Bavaria-.html Trudy Naumann Dreyer was 7 when she and her family fled Germany in 1939. A German baron protected their property. The art deco armoire in Gary Dreyers home in Knoxville, Tennessee, whispers secrets from an earlier time and place. The heavy burl wood piece traveled from Germany to the United States after World War II. It survived the Holocaust intact and unscarred unlike its owners. Garys mother, Trudy Naumann Dreyer, grew up in Unsleben, a small town in Northern Bavaria. Her father and uncles owned a grain and feed business, supplying the farmers of the area with feed for their livestock. An only child, Trudy finished first grade before her world imploded. Trudy Naumann Dreyer speaking to a group of high school students. Antisemitism had come out of hiding. We got along with our neighbors pretty well, but then things began to change, recalls Trudy, an 89-year-old retired schoolteacher. I had a new scooter and suddenly it was gone. Somebody stole it. The Nazis came through and ravaged the synagogue. They took out all the prayer books and Torah and had a big bonfire in town in 1938. We got along with our neighbors pretty well, but then things began to change. They rounded up all the Jewish men and took them to jail. We didnt know what was going on, what was going to happen. My father was dragged out of the house and badly beaten. He had scars on his back for the rest of his life. The women werent bothered. One distant uncle went into a barn and hanged himself. The Nazis took her father by force to Dachau, a Bavarian concentration camp near Unsleben. The family feared they might never see him again. Rocks Shatter a Peaceful Sleep Trudy shared a bedroom with her grandmother. One night, rocks flew through the bedroom window and the falling glass cut her grandmothers legs. This became known as Kristallnacht, the Night of Broken Glass, when Nazis vandalized Jewish homes, schools and businesses and torched synagogues across Germany on Nov. 9-10, 1938. Trudys parents, Nathan and Thekla Naumann, had applied for a visa and made arrangements to leave the country for America. Their visa came through while Nathan was in Dachau, and he was released in 1939. The Baron's castle in Unsleben, Bavaria We were very fortunate to get out. If we hadnt had our visa already to leave, we wouldnt have gotten out, marvels Trudy. She was 7 when the family left Germany and sailed for a month on the Orinoco to Cuba, where they spent a year in a poor Havana ghetto until there were allowed into the United States. Other relatives had scattered to Brazil and South Africa, and all were safe. When the Naumanns' quota number finally came up, they took a ship from Havana to Miami and then a bus to New York. An uncle already lived there and housed Trudy and her parents to help them get on their feet. My fathers first job was as a dishwasher at the 1939 Worlds Fair in Queens, she recalls. We didnt speak much English at the time. When the Worlds Fair ended, he became a tool and dye maker. My mother cleaned houses for many years. We got an apartment in a Catholic neighborhood. The Return of the Armoire Meanwhile, the Naumanns were reunited with some of their prized possessions, like the art deco armoire. A German baron from Bavaria had protected their property and that of some other Jews and returned it after the war. "In these feudal areas," notes Gary Dreyer, "they werent necessarily Nazi sympathizers. The armoire returned from Germany In her new life as an American, Trudy met a fellow New Yorker who would become her husband. Peter Dreyers career managing radio stations took them all over the United States, eventually settling the family in Knoxville. Widowed in 1998, Trudy has two sons and five grandchildren, several of whom accompanied her and 36 other relatives to Unsleben when she returned for her first visit since fleeing Europe in World War II. Confronting Old Ghosts Her first cousin Fred Naumanns genealogy research had sparked contacts with several residents of Unsleben. Soon the mayor invited Fred and his extended family back to Germany. Some of the townspeople balked at the invitation, but the mayor and his supporters prevailed and arranged ceremonies to honor the Naumanns. The fact that I was with all my relatives made me feel comfortable," Trudy says. "I dont think I would have gone alone. My going back was about curiosity people who were living in our house, what Unsleben was like now. The older Germans wanted to forget the Holocaust. The younger Germans wanted to atone for it. It was a traumatic past, she acknowledges. But the older generation of Germans didnt come out. I felt safe. My family from across the U.S., France, Israel and Belgium surrounded me, and many years had passed. Her son Gary agreed that the older Germans seemed to want to forget the war and the Holocaust. The younger Germans wanted to atone for it. He hadnt wanted to go to a place his mother and grandparents never talked about. But once there, he found a sense of purpose. For instance, he met many members of his mothers tribe for the first time. He also enjoyed witnessing her and her cousins reactions as events unfolded on the trip. They met the hospitable couple who now live in Trudy and her parents house, where vague memories included big cherry and apple trees in the yard. They went to the school, where students were learning about the Holocaust. Trudy with her two sons, daughter-in-law and two of her grandchildren. Says Trudy: I felt it was something the generations needed to know, that it happened. When you read in a textbook, its ancient history. I was part of it. I think its important for people to know genocide happened. It was against the Jews. A lot of Jews died, and not only Jews. There were a lot of others killed. This is part of their history. It could happen again. THIBODAUX, La. (AP) A 20-year-old man was shot in the head and died while he and a 15-year-old boy were playing with a gun that they thought was unloaded, a Louisiana sheriff's office said Friday. Lake Charles, LA (70615) Today A few passing clouds, otherwise generally clear. Low 74F. Winds light and variable.. Tonight A few passing clouds, otherwise generally clear. Low 74F. Winds light and variable. The Biden family's lucrative financial relationships with the Chinese are undeniable, but now it appears that the Renaissance man, Hunter Biden, toast of the art world, has even taken a leaf from the Deng Xioaping playbook on graft. In the 1980s, Deng Xiaoping was the chief foreign and domestic policy maker and paramount leader of the Chinese Communist Party. He held sway well into the 1990s. Deng's secret sauce was a ladleful of authoritarian communism with a dash of capitalism shaken in by privileged gang members. Deng's own family set the example, with his kids educated in the ritziest schools and waited on by servants in opulent settings. Kids: He had five of them, though he engineered the "One-Child Policy" for his comrades. Daughter Xiao Rong was personal assistant to her ailing dad, who was mostly deaf. She would convey his garbled speech to listeners. Alas, Deng and his children were sometimes chided for "trading on their family connections[.] ... In keeping with the traditional Chinese strategy of spreading the risk, Deng's offspring have diversified into politics, business and the arts[.] ... 'Politics is always uncertain, and to have the various sons and daughters split into various economic sectors is a way of protecting the family,' explained one longtime China analyst. 'Whoever does well has obligations to the rest of the family.'" Daughter Deng Lin became a wildly successful artist, amazingly developing her skills after work on a farm and in a soy sauce factory. One buyer, a real estate mogul from abroad, bought five of her pieces and then found himself able to build a shopping mall in Beijing. "Foreign investors seemed anxious to curry favor" with Deng Lin (and family); as journalist Jan Wong says, "[c]ynics charged that Deng Lin's paintings provided a genteel cover for influence peddling" (Red China Blues, Anchor Books, 1996, 371). Sound familiar? Biden revealed how his artistic temperament reaches across barriers recently on the Nota Bene podcast: when asked how he responded to skeptics about the pricing of his paintings, he said, "Other than f--- 'em? ... [S]ometimes it has nothing to do with anything other than, you know, the moment." This quote also manifests his scrupulous dedication to avoiding even the appearance of grifting for the Big Man, promising the public that buyers' identities would be kept secret. Yet he is said to be "looking forward" to mingling with interested buyers at events scheduled in New York and L.A. This in spite of Jen Psaki's assurances that buyers would remain anonymous: "He is attending gallery events that had been prior planned and announced. That is different than meeting with prospective buyers[.] ... The selling of his art will all happen through the gallerists and the names of individuals will be kept confidential. We will not be aware of, neither will he be aware," she smirked. Yet Richard Painter, chief George W. Bush ethics lawyer, tweeted, "Bottom line: Secrecy never works in ethics." Now we've learned that Biden's art agent also has deep ties to China, according to Eric Mack, writing for Newsmax: Amid the ongoing controversy of first-time artist Hunter Biden potentially selling paintings for as much as $500,000 with Georges Berges Gallery, the gallerist's deep ties to China have resurfaced. Berges not only told Resident in 2015 his 'plan is to be the lead guy in China,' but he told Quest magazine in 2014 he traveled to China 'three or four times a year' and he had a 'solid group of about 25 collectors, most of them overseas.' That was seven years ago. After attending a Deng Lin one-woman show in Beijing, Wong confessed that the artwork "reminded me of nothing more than giant eyeballs and fishbones. But others apparently loved them. I could hardly fight my way through the thicket of congratulatory bouquets, potted plants, and floral stands from art lovers such as the Shenzhen Taxation Bureau" (Red China Blues, 372). My examination of Hunter Biden's oeuvre reminds me of those splashes of paint the machine at the state fair churns out for three bucks a pop. But then, art is so subjective. The foreign emoluments clause of the U.S. Constitution may confine the Chinese government to the background of Hunter Biden's painted landscape. Litigation failed against Pres. Trump for maintaining his prior business while in office, but just for future reference it did result in quite a broad definition of emoluments. The D.C. and Maryland attorneys general stoutly asserted in January that the case "will serve as precedent that will help stop anyone else from using the presidency or other federal office for personal financial gain[.]" No word on how that precedent might apply here, but Walter Shaub, an ethics chief for Obama, said the situation was "the perfect mechanism for funneling bribes[.] ... They have outsourced government ethics to an art dealer." Shaub took to Twitter to call for the White House to urge canceling of the sale, or for buyers' names to be made public rather than being shrouded in the smug mystery anticipated by Psaki. Hunter Biden's art may look as though his left hand doesn't know what his right hand is doing, but we can't rest easy about influence-peddling a la Deng Lin until Shaub's recommendations are followed, or else Congress approves all aspects of the sale under Article 1, Section 9, Clause 8 of the Constitution. And that's a whole other can o' Not Gonna Happen. Christina Guest is the pen name of a civil rights attorney and author in the Midwest. Image via Wikimedia Commons, Public Domain. To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here. If you dont think vaccines are one of the great achievements of Western Civilization, just take a walk through a 19th-century cemetery and witness the reality of the human condition before them. However, the COVID vaccine is not a traditional vaccine. It is, instead, a huge experiment that can have major negative consequences and that our institutions are nevertheless trying to make mandatory. In the pre-ethicist days of 1796, Edwin Jenner inoculated 8-year-old James Phipps with cowpox on his hunch that milkmaids seldom suffered the scourge of smallpox that had plagued man since antiquity. Later he inoculated the boy with actual smallpox, and his hunch was vindicated. From then on, vaccinations have been a godsend, although not without some notable exceptions including the Cutter Incident, where 200,000 children received the live poliovirus. Unfortunately, the new mRNA vaccines may prove another notable exception. Its not that mRNA vaccines are inherently bad. Theyre not. In fact, they are an extraordinary achievement in molecular biology. However, if not for mass censorship, it would be stunningly clear that the COVID vaccines have been causing an unacceptable level of adverse reactions, especially for a virus with a death rate of only .5%. Theres a reason why new vaccine approval usually takes a decade or more. The immune system is complicated, highly variable between individuals, and in delicate balance. Immunocompromised individuals can succumb to any microbe, but equally devastating is an overactive immune system that can cause autoimmune diseases, including deadly Guillain-Barre Syndrome which the FDA just quietly posted to their website is associated with the Janssen vaccine. It should be no surprise that vaccines can engender adverse reactions as they alter that delicate balance by design. Thats why rigorous testing is essential for any vaccine, and even then, every individual must weigh the risks versus benefits, just as they would for any approved medical treatment. But the COVID vaccines are not approved, and there are specific laws governing unapproved vaccines, requiring: Appropriate conditions designed to ensure individuals ... are informed (II) ... benefits and risks of such use ... (III) option to accept or refuse administration of the product, of the consequences, if any, of refusing ... The argument that the law sanctions mandated consequences for refusal is meritless. An option to refuse is no such option if the consequence requires the sacrifice of your firstborn. Whenever a statute has seemingly conflicting language, courts are required to interpret in a way that makes them compatible, not contradictory. Here, the consequences must be read to be the medical consequences from not taking the experimental treatment, not arbitrary consequences that public or private actors impose that undermine your right to refuse. Fauci has been busy not informing Americans of their options. Instead, he states there should be more vaccine mandates and anyone objecting is dangerous and extreme. And while the world is reporting stunning benefits from ivermectin -- Ivermectin obliterates 97 percent of Delhi cases -- any mention of it in America is branded misinformation. Jen Psaki, who knows nothing of federal law or the First Amendment, admits the government is conspiring with social media to censor speech: were flagging problematic posts for Facebook that spread disinformation and the White House has proposed robust enforcement strategies. Theyre doing a pretty good job because Satoshi Omura, Nobel Prize winner for his work on Ivermectin, was censored from YouTube for daring to discuss his work. Whats worse is that these vaccines are not just experimental; mRNA vaccines are a radical departure from traditional vaccines. Any vaccine rushed to market with Emergency Use Authorization would be called experimental; the COVID vaccines truly need a more alarming designation, say, super experimental? The mechanisms of an ordinary vaccine are relatively simple. A virus is attenuated so it can no longer cause disease but your immune system still mounts a response. Upon injection, the bodys professional antigen-presenting cells (APCs) engulf the attenuated virus, chew it up, and present fragments (antigens) on the MHCII-complex on the cell membrane. No ordinary tissue is involved, just the APCs. When your bodys helper T-cells recognize the antigen, a complex cascade of immune interactions activates B-cells to make neutralizing antibodies highly specific to the antigen. Some of both the B and T-cells convert to memory cells, so the next time the same virus is encountered, the response can be much stronger and quicker. In contrast, there is nothing simple about the super experimental mRNA vaccines. Instead of an attenuated virus, the new vaccines wrap mRNA-1273 (a modified version of the viruss own genetic instructions for manufacturing spike protein, the protein responsible for viral entry into the cell) with phospholipids, which self-assemble into a nanoparticle (mRNA-LNP) with the ability to enter the cell. Importantly, the mRNA-LNP is designed to preferentially target APCs. Once inside, the mRNA uses the cells own machinery to manufacture spike protein. The APC chews up the spike protein and presents it just like before. What could go wrong? Targeting mRNA-LNP to APCs is in its infancy. Most of the testing has been done in vitro, but studies have found little correlation with in vivo results. An in vivo study showed this targeting to be only 66% effective, so a full third of the mRNA-LNP is winding up in ordinary tissue. The consequences are very significant as the immune response in an ordinary cell is completely different from an APC. When an ordinary cell is infected, it similarly translates the mRNA into spike protein, chops it up, but displays it on the MHCI-complex. MHCI, unlike MHCII, binds and activates cytotoxic T-cells (T C ) which release chemicals to destroy the cell. Additionally, the antigen on the MHCI binds to antibodies, circulating after the first shot, which triggers the complement system to destabilize the cell membrane until osmotic pressure causes it to burst. The result is thousands of spike proteins manufactured inside spill out free to invade other cells. Once inside, the cell will do the same, chop it up, present it, and await T C and complement-induced death more tissue damage. Studies have shown that the spike protein itself has neurotoxic effects outside of the cell as well as causing clotting in the bloodstream. Using the spike protein for the antigen is what one researcher calls the big mistake. There is evidence the spike protein not only crosses the blood-brain barrier but is also preferentially absorbed by ACE2 expressive tissue including the heart, kidneys, ovaries, and arteries. In a traditional vaccine, the dose is the dose but, here, the dose is dependent on highly variable cellular uptake of the mRNA-LNP, translation mechanisms from mRNA to protein, and the lifetime of the mRNA-LNP. Ordinary mRNA has a half-life of only a few minutes in the cell, and in that time the mRNA can make 10 to 100 spike proteins. But mRNA-1273 has been significantly modified to persist in the body 8-10 hours and have a 10-fold increase in translatability. Depending upon the individual, the dose of manufactured spike protein can be enormous. It should be no wonder CDCs VAERS site reports over 1000 cases of myocarditis, 600 miscarriages, 15,000 allergic reactions, and 5,000 deaths. What is a wonder is why the government is illegally colluding with Big Tech to suppress any word of this from getting out. These problems are not insurmountable and will no doubt be improved. A change as simple as modifying the mRNA to express only a portion of the spike protein could dramatically reduce adverse reactions. Yet, even now, for older age groups where the disease is far more lethal, they still offer benefits that can outweigh the risks. However, for healthy children and young adults, as well as the COVID recovered, where there is nearly no risk of death and only a minuscule chance of hospitalization, promoting these super experimental and potentially deadly vaccines in their current form is profoundly ill-advised. Huck Davenport is a pseudonym. IMAGE: Vaccination. Pxfuel. To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here. As we grow up, age and mature, we come to think that there are some that we can count on to call it straight. We can count on umpires to be neutral arbitrators of the strike zone. We thought we could rely on the Supreme Court to judge all laws, all ideas, all thoughts, all regulations, and all speech according to the U.S. Constitution. We thought scientists would pursue the truth. I don't think we were being Pollyannaish, nor looking for rainbows, not ever acting as if we live in Mayberry. But at a certain age, we came to expect and appreciate certain political bodies, certain government agencies, and specific non-profits to judge all and everything according to the Constitution and rule of law. Even if we did not agree with them on a specific matter; we knew where they were coming from. We thought they would always be pure in their motivation. We thought they came at us straight and true. But not anymore. Over the last 5 years, and especially the last 18 months it has become clear that many of these people are just dirty political fronts. They're not noble, they're not non-partisan, and they're not nice... at all. These groups that we had held in high esteem because we felt that they would always call it straight, regardless of the politics, have let America down. They have destroyed Americans' sense of fair play and neutrality. They are just as corrupt and bias as the politicians of whom we never trusted. But we thought these guys would keep Washington, D.C on the straight road, out of the Mao ditch and Stalin embankment. They failed, and thus our nation's capital is now failing. It is as if no one in DC goes by the U.S. Constitution anymore. They openly ignore the written laws. They allow things they know are unconstitutional. Once they were held in high regard, maybe not revered, but they certainly had been grudgingly respected. Not anymore. United States Military The leadership of the United States military has become a huge disappointment, and are now probably acting outside the Constitution. We had always been taught, and it always seemed, that the military leadership stayed out of politics. They did not engage in partisan issues. They remain under the Commander-In-Chief according to the Constitution. But it has become very obvious from the first day President Trump was sworn in that they worked behind the scenes to destroy him. General Milley is much more interested in being "woke" to BLM and Antifa, than winning wars. Milley himself apologized and said he was wrong when he condemned the BLM/Antifa attempted burning of the oldest church in Washington DC. It appears leadership in the military would rather get the applause of the Washington Post and New York Times than the regard of their own men and women in uniform. The military doesnt guard our southern border from invasion, but then thinks it's totally cool to allow themselves to be used to move illegal immigrants throughout the heartland in America General Milley, rather than reading books on 1619, might want to read books on the fall of the Roman Empire and maybe see if he thinks there's a rational nexus of that time period to today. ACLU We had always thought the American Civil Liberties Union was liberal... but pure. We had always believed they were on the Left side of the spectrum, but noble in their pursuits. Not anymore. It has become painfully clear that the ACLU is just another appendage of the Progressive Deep State. All of the pure and noble values that the ACLU had pushed since 1945, after WW II, they are now ignoring. The ACLU sits back quietly as books are banished; they do not speak up as publishers of conservative content are banned from social media and not a peep from them as journalists and members of the press are surveiled, spied on, and shadowed. Charles Schultz (of Peanuts) is canceled, and the ACLU says nothing. To Kill A Mockingbird is taken out of our schools, and the ACLU is mute. Conservatives are shouted off of the stage in our universities and the ACLU looks away. American citizens are being forced to take an experimental vaccine, and the ACLU is silent. Now the ACLU says the Second Amendment is... wait for this... racist. The ACLU has not said one word as 1/6 trespassers are sitting in solitary confinement in DC jails for half a year. Intelligence Agencies From the FBI, to the CIA, to the NSA, our intelligence agencies are no longer neutral. They no longer adhere to the Constitution and federal law. They are used by the Progressive Deep State to punish the political adversaries of the Deep State. They operate outside the law and outside the Constitution. From them spying on candidate Trump in 2015, to undermining President Trump for 4 years, our intelligence agencies are operating outside the Constitution. Entrapment is illegal. More and more the leadership looks like something out of 1930s Germany, 1950s Soviet Union, or China today. They wiretap President Trump, they spy on Tucker Carlson, and the entrap General Flynn. They send a dozen heavily armed men in the middle of the night to arrest Roger Stone. FBI agents actually "took a knee" in allegiance to the BLM during last summer's violent riots. Today, our intelligence agencies make Joe McCarthy look like a civil libertarian. They are dangerously corrupt, and this is extremely scary. Supreme Court Either the Supreme Court members are cowards, or theyre compromised or corrupt. That is the only way to explain how the Supreme Court could have turned its back on election fraud and felonies before the November 2020 election, after the election, before the inauguration, and still today. They is no way of explaining what the Supreme Court is not doing, is not ruling, is not "being" the Supreme Court without using the words... cowards, corrupt, or compromised. With all of the forensic audits going on in "Purple States' that are showing election fraud did occur, and President Trump most likely won, the Supreme Court will eventually need to make "The Decision" regarding Election 2020. The very real problem here is that about half of America no longer trusts and respects the Supreme Court. CDC Trust the Science. Trust the Science. Trust the Science. No more, no more, no more. It has become painfully clear that the CDC is no longer a purely medical institution, no longer above the fray, and no longer "just" scientists and doctors. Apparently, some within the Center for Disease Control appear to either be woefully incompetent or corrupt bureaucrats that we can no longer trust, no longer take at their words. The corruption and/or incompetence of the CDC is on national display. And now the CDC is "requesting" moms and dads who have been fully vaccinated, to now wear masks inside their own home around their own children! Because of all of this, half of America is not listening anymore. The CDC still refuses to say the China virus came from a military lab in Wuhan, China. Why? These 5 entities have shockingly let us down. We cannot give them a blank check of acquiescence anymore. This is a pivotal and volatile time. If we did not trust politicians, we thought we could trust them. But no more, unfortunately. When cement columns and steel girders crumble; buildings go down. When the Constitution is no longer followed by our leadership, the Democratic Republic goes down. And now it begins to get dangerous and wobbly. Citizens begin to take matters in their own hands. Read your history books about other once-democratic countries; it happens again, and again, and again It's on these institutions to regain the trust of half of the American people. It is on them. And it needs to be very very soon. Image credit: LisaAttractLove Pixabay license To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here. Neither Congress, nor President Biden, nor even the U.S. Navy has registered interest in the following alarming developments in the Gulf of Arabia, first reported by Israeli intelligence. On Tuesday, August 3, at least six ships off the coast of the UAE in the Gulf of Oman suddenly announced via their Automatic Identification System trackers, nearly simultaneously, that they were "not under command." In other words, they had lost power and could no longer control their steering. Shortly afterward, Britain's maritime trade agency reported a "potential hijack" unfolding off the UAE coast. One of the stricken ships, the Asphalt Princess tanker, was boarded by operatives suspected of being Iranian troops, seized and towed into Iranian waters, and then released the following day. This was not the first attack against a tanker off the UAE in the Gulf of Oman. Iran apparently used one or more armed drones to carry out a deadly tanker attack the previous Thursday against the Mercer Street in those same waters. Iran's foreign ministry said the reports of "incidents" involving "several ships near the UAE coast on Tuesday" were "suspicious" and warned against any attempts to create a "false atmosphere" against Tehran. Yet on August 5, Iran's navy commander, Rear Admiral Alireza Tangsiri, announced, "Today in the strategic region of Strait of Hormuz a control system is dominant so any vessel that enters and exits the strait, it is fully monitored with intelligence superiority and there is full smart dominance in place in the Strait of Hormuz." Admiral Tangsiri added that as soon as a "wrong move" is made, even accidentally, the offending vessel "will receive serious warning, and they should abide. Otherwise, they will face rigid and powerful reaction. Full security is prevalent along all water borders of Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz due to vigilant and powerful presence of brave IRGC Navy forces." TASS reproduced Tangsiri's statement that same day, quoting Tangsiri saying, "The region's Muslim countries maintain the security of the Persian Gulf, and there is no place for foreign forces." One additional factor may be that two weeks earlier in July, Iran opened its first oil export terminal located outside the Strait of Hormuz, near Jask Port on the Gulf of Oman. So Iran is no longer dependent upon the strait for its own shipping. The wording of Tangsiri's statement is highly significant. Note that he mentions a "control system" that "fully monitors" any vessel that enters and exits the Gulf of Oman. This control system features "superior intelligence" and provides "smart dominance" in the Strait of Hormuz. It begins to sound as if cyber-activity is involved. An international authority on cyber-security, Control Systems' cyber-security threat analyst Joseph M. Weiss, made a compelling argument regarding an earlier incident when another ship, the Ever Given, ran aground in the Suez Canal. A gusty sandstorm was underway along the Suez Canal on Tuesday, March 23. Supposedly, an "unexpected gust of wind" blew the enormously heavy, 1,300-foot-long, 194-foot-wide vessel off course. Weiss posits that a cyber-attack could have caused the vessel to lose power and suddenly go off-course so as to fully block the canal. He maintains that it is significant that no other vessel behind the Ever Given ran into similar problems at the time. Could the Ever Given have been a "test run" for some new cyber-attack system developed by a hostile nation that was then shared with Iran? The "usual suspects" would be China and Russia, both of which have been generous with technological assistance to Iran in the past and whose destabilizing influence in Iran is well known. According to Weiss's findings, before the Ever Given turned and became lodged, it was seen to be traversing the Suez Canal in an erratic path rather than a straight line; its wake was winding. Also, its speed was varying, speeding up, then slowing down. Just before it became lodged, it lost all power despite its three backup power generators. Especially, Weiss wonders, after losing power, why did the ship effectively make a left turn into the bank of the canal, rather than continuing in the forward direction? One attractive target for Iran to delay with the canal blockage was the French carrier FS Charles de Gaulle, headed for the canal at the time after a week of exercises with her strike group in the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman. Weiss's working control system incident database covers over 30 maritime control-system cyber-incidents including loss of propulsion and ships going off course. According to Weiss, there have been numerous cases in which ships' GPS systems have been hacked particularly by Russia, China, and Iran. He also mentions a series of crashes between U.S. Navy ships and civilian ships at sea in 2017 that were blamed at the time upon the Navy ships. He wonders whether, had cyber-investigations of the civilian ships been conducted, they would have revealed that cyber-attacks were the actual cause of the collisions. According to Weiss, the computer networks on commercial ships typically lack firewalls or other cyber-security measures. The electronic chart-display and information systems (ECDIS) used on cargo/container ships are particularly vulnerable. Compromising the ECDIS could cause false readings to the crew, leading the ship to run aground. Also, the programmable logic controllers (PLCs) that control the rudders on commercial ships can be remotely accessed. Weiss has logged actual cases in which navigation communication systems have been hacked to gain access to propulsion, steering, and other controls. The Ever Given incident has drawn attention to the vulnerabilities of the world's four shipping chokepoints. Besides the Suez Canal, these include the Panama Canal, the Malacca Strait, and the Strait of Hormuz. In fact, the interference with shipping in the Gulf of Oman has occurred while the U.S. Navy is preoccupied with growing Chinese aggression along the equally important shipping passage, the strategic Malacca Strait. China has stepped up its naval incursions into the Indian Ocean region (IOR), establishing overseas bases in the IOR and colluding with Pakistan to build up its own maritime power in a bid to block India's access to the sea. Accordingly, after completing their operational deployment in the South China Sea with the USS Ronald Reagan carrier strike group, last month, the USS Nimitz carrier strike group traversed the Malacca Strait, the main shipping channel between the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean, to conduct PASSEX, a short-passage joint exercise with Indian warships, near the Andaman and Nicobar archipelago. The U.S. Navy is presently concentrating on its "Malabar Series," with plans underway for a much larger joint exercise with India to be held later this year. The United States and its Navy have been the traditional guarantors of the freedom of the seas for the world's commercial vessels. Yet the U.S. Navy has neither the ships nor the manpower to properly patrol the world's key shipping chokepoints. Congress's Defense Committees directed the Navy to provide a detailed proposal for warships in the FY 2023 budget. It is the only indication of any actions by Congress or any other branch of our government to address the Navy's combat mission to patrol the high seas. Apparently, beyond a requirement for the Navy to trim its budget so that as many as fifteen ships may eventually face decommissioning, the Biden administration is much too busy investigating Tucker Carlson and flooding the country with illegal migrants to bother. Lynn Corum is a translator who studies developments in the Russian press that affect America's national interests. She has been researching and writing on Putin's stated plans since 2009 and is a world expert on Project Russia, the Kremlin's published state ideology. Image via U.S. Central Command. To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here. Don Sucher, of Aberdeen, Washington, has a shop dedicated to Star Wars and a prominently displayed sign saying, "If you are born with a dick, you are not a chick." Nathan Kennedy, who now calls himself Tiesa Meskis, is a city council member who thinks he is a woman. Armed with this delusion, he confronted Sucher in the store, clearly expecting Sucher to back down. Instead, the diminutive Vietnam vet, although dwarfed by the towering Meskis, gave Meskis a reality check. The video is a wonderful counter to the embarrassing groveling in which leftists and RINOs engage when a woke warrior confronts them. At one level, the video is uninspiring, filled as it is with obscenities, as well as cross-talk that's hard to understand. Sucher doesn't engage in deep philosophical analysis or talk about the erroneous foundations of the whole transgender madness. What makes the video so appealing is seeing someone absolutely refuse to buckle down to wokeness. Sucher doesn't apologize, and he doesn't explain. It's apparent that, when Meskis first walked into the shop, Sucher made an effort to hide the sign so as not to offend Meskis directly. However, Meskis clearly wanted to discuss the sign and, based upon how most people respond to an angry so-called "transgender," expected Sucher to back down. Sucher did not. To Meskis's shocked surprise, Sucher explained that, when it comes to the sign, "everybody loves it...they take pictures of it. They post it... Nine out of ten customers love it." All that Meskis could say when confronted by Sucher's statement about his own business was "It's b-------." Sucher refused to cower. "No, what you're spouting is b-------." Meskis responded with a retreat to fantasy. "No, it's not [BS]. Trans women are women, sir." After a few more go-rounds about the BS meter, Meskis again reiterated that he is, in fact, a woman, using himself as the authority. "I'm telling you right now, as a trans woman, trans women are women." Sucher knew the answer to that one. "Well, I'm telling you as a man, that's b-------." Not tactful or scholarly, but still correct. Sucher added something that sums up how we've gotten into a world in which Americans are being forced to accept that 2+2=5 and that people who say they are the opposite sex are, in fact, the opposite sex. "You know what?" Sucher asked rhetorically. "Nobody confronts your ass. That's the problem." Eventually, Meskis made his way out of the shop, hollering, "Trans women are women," as if repeating a nonsense statement makes it true. Meskis also said he's living his life the way he wants to live it. And once again, Sucher has the right response. "Just don't live it around me." Once on the street, Meskis did what all leftists do: he tried to claim that Sucher, who's at least 25% smaller than Meskis and has a bad leg, was intimidating him. Sucher cut through that line of argument with a blunt question: "Do you have a d---?" Suddenly, Meskis became coy. "You don't get to ask that," he insisted. When Meskis called Sucher a bigot, Sucher again has the perfect comeback: "I don't care." Once you say that, you've completely cut off that line of attack. These people are nuts. Men are men and women are women. Adults who play make believe can say whatever they want, doesnt make it true pic.twitter.com/liX5QCnvrO ELIJAH SCHAFFER (@ElijahSchaffer) August 6, 2021 When the media came seeking Sucher, he again stuck to his guns. "I don't care what they do, but don't come in here and complain to me about stuff. I have free speech." He then reiterated that, as Ben Shapiro is wont to say, facts don't care about your feelings: I don't give a [expletive] about feelings anymore. I went to Vietnam to fight for all this [expletive]. Do you think I care about some [expletive] feeling? Absolutely not! Naturally, Meskis, after saying Sucher has the right to say what he wants to say, promptly announced a plan to picket the store, trying to destroy Sucher's business. That's how leftists operate. "If you are born with a dick, you are not a chick" An elderly business owner in Aberdeen, WA was confronted by trans councilwoman Tiesa Meskis (@valasule) over a sign she found offensive. She & an antifa group have announced a direct action outside the shop on 7 Aug at 10 am. pic.twitter.com/2Ukbjs2jAN Andy Ngo (@MrAndyNgo) August 6, 2021 Antifa sent out an announcement about the attack on Sucher's store, only to back off once it became apparent Sucher's supporters would outnumber them: Update: The antifa group that called for a direct action against the Star Wars Shop in Aberdeen, Wash. has canceled the event after they learned that they could be outnumbered by counter-protesters. The owner of the shop put up a sign saying that people w/penises aren't women. pic.twitter.com/51HRvVNYrn Andy Ngo (@MrAndyNgo) August 7, 2021 And that's another lesson learned from Sucher's willingness to fight back: these leftists are bullies who will retreat if people stand up to them. Image: Don Sucher won't back down. Twitter screen grab. To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here. Of all the hypocrisy leftists have dished out lately, the hardest to stomach is the hypocrisy of their stance on COVID. Leftists trumpet their concern for the economy, while their lockdowns lead to massive job loss. The leftists howled at President Trump's comment about s-hole countries, but their COVID policies are increasing poverty in Africa. Leftists claim to be against discrimination but want to segregate the unvaccinated, a move that lawyers are recommending against. The final straw is the opening of the border and letting in thousands of illegal aliens, many of whom are COVID-positive while rebuking citizens for not cowering in their homes behind masks. Florida governor Ron DeSantis is having none of it. This week, he berated Joe Biden for opening the border and importing COVID from around the world. There were cheers and applause as Governor DeSantis announced at a press conference that he didn't want to hear a blip about COVID until Biden did his job and secured the border. Governor DeSantis makes an excellent point. He signed an executive order banning vaccination mandates and vaccination passports. He banned school mask mandates. He was one of the first governors to lift his state's lockdown. Governor DeSantis's unregulated approach has resulted in Florida enjoying a flourishing economy and lower COVID numbers than California or New York, two states with some of the strictest COVID regulations in the country. One would think Ron DeSantis would be regarded as a hero for doing so well with his state during the pandemic, but one would be wrong. Governor DeSantis has been harshly criticized for months for his policies. It doesn't matter how well Florida is doing; all that matters is that he is not toeing the administration's line on COVID. However, COVID is not a woke virus attacking only conservatives, nor is it carried only by people who voted for Donald Trump. This virus has caused a pandemic, which is, by definition, a disease prevalent around the world. Only the liberal left of the United States could possibly think that letting in thousands of illegal aliens carrying COVID is less harmful than Governor DeSantis's sensible policies to restrict the harm lockdowns and mask mandates have caused. Pandra Selivanov is the author of The Pardon, a story of forgiveness based on the thief on the cross in the Bible. Image: Ron DeSantis by Gage Skidmore. CC BY-SA 2.0. To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here. As word got out that 700+ COVID super-shedders were adjusting party hats in preparation for the "44-at-60" ass-kissing-fest on Martha's Vineyard, to quiet critics, Obama announced he was "scaling back" the Obamapalooza to include just "close family and friends." For regular folks like you and me, the words "close family and friends," usually means Grandma, the kids, and a boxed Duncan Hines birthday cake. But not for Shelley and Barry. As seaplanes full of victims of institutional and structural racism descended on Martha's Vineyard, "scaled back" became the most disingenuous parsing of words since "It depends on what the meaning of the word 'is' is." In fairness to Obama, considering his ingrained tendency to fabricate, maybe to him, "scaled down" meant 499 guests, instead of 500, and 199 non-English-speaking servers in place of 200. Concerning Obama's birthday party plan to expose "friends and family," to close quarters filled with spike protein, White House press secretary Jen Psaki told press reporters, "I would note first that former president Obama has been a huge advocate of individuals getting vaccinated." Based on Psaki's explanation, it sounds as if Obama believes that vocal support of mRNA gene therapy doubles as COVID protection at large gatherings. And, if good intentions have credibility, someone should inform Fauci the Infallible, because based on his recent PSA updates, after the sexagenarian super-shedder is over, Springsteen and Spielberg have the potential to infect all of New Jersey and the Hamptons. Even still, after massive party set-up, Obama's 30-acre/$12,000,000 summer shack put the Ark of the Covenant's resting place to shame. Dance floors, boat landings, decks, and catering stations were complete with propane-driven trays to keep food like Kenyan githeri warm. From the looks of aerial photographs, apart from resembling a viral biodome, everybody who's anybody in the Alinsky circle of government community organizers was there. The honed down list included racially oppressed guests and Marxist/communist sympathizers that would make Lenin, Stalin, and Hitler's upper echelon proud and may be why Obama's Jewish neighbor, comedian Larry David, was treated like Netanyahu. Unfortunately, the former president's deceased "typical white grandmother," brother Malik, COVID-spooked Oprah, and senile Uncle Joe did not show up at the gala. As a result, party planning focused primarily on "close friends" like Tom and Rita Hanks and narcissistic bully/attention whore Chrissy Teigen. Chrissy's fondest Obama memory is having sex in the bathroom at a DNC "Obama thing." Attending the party with Chrissy are her Instagram-weary kids and whipped-into-a-cream-puff husband, John Legend. Billionaire Jay-Z, Queen Beyonce, and Don Cheadle, all institutional and structural racism victims, attended the "small affair." Como, Italy lake houseowners and taxi boat fans George and Amal Clooney jet-setted in, as did environmentalist John Kerry, who touched down in a private jet. To accommodate the distinct tastes of such a diverse group of billionaires, in place of pansies, for this "intimate" affair, purple sweet peas, cream rhododendrons, and large circular light fixtures dazzled the Obama Tent of Meeting. The purple sweet peas likely symbolized Obama's love of all things androgynous and, for lack of a rainbow theme, placated the LGBTxyz guests. Additional, well thought out details included a stage and high-tech accessories set up to ensure that if photoshopped pictures of Obama's birth in Hawaii showed up in the lineup, the spiritual experience would be rivaled only by a retreat weekend, attending to newborns at Bohemian Grove. Notwithstanding the aftermath of COVID breakthrough cases, specific oxalate toxicity, and napkins full of spit-out canapes, non-GMO vegetarian cuisine swapped out for Michelle's favorite, Wagyu beef. According to Bloomberg News, the bash's meat-free menu was reportedly "curated" by musician Questlove. In homage to the former FLOTUS's school lunch program, feeding stations offered "Spam Musubi made with plant-based faux-beef and faux-pork and Eat Just's plant-based eggs ... [and] Cheesesteak Eggrolls made with Impossible 'beef' and 'cheese sauce,' from Perfect Day Inc." In addition, to honor Barack Hussein Obama's deeply revered Middle Eastern heritage, Martha's Vineyard's Nancy's Restaurant catered a portion of the affair. The restaurant Nancy is not the same as the mask-free Nancy who suggested arresting House of Representatives members for following her example. This Nancy, famous for heavily influenced Middle Eastern cuisine, provided gyro plates, grape leaves, and falafels. As for Valerie Jarrett and Hillary Clinton, both of whom prefer to slurp raw oysters and suck on giant squid, "oyster shuckers provide[d] the best of the cape's fresh shellfish." Last but not least, in keeping with the Obama's "do as I say, not as I do," tradition, to safeguard gun control advocates and Second Amendment detractors, a new, red area was added to a blue zone: extending the no-fly zone... centered over the Obama property. Drones that stray into a blue zone will be prompted and their flight limited by default. Any drone flying in a red zone the highest level of restriction can be commandeered and brought down over land or sea. As a no-fly zone shielded Obama's guests from harm to ensure the safety of the American people, Dr. Fauci continued to advocate for hypodermic needles filled with graphene, polyethylene glycol, genetically modified chimpanzee adenovirus, aborted fetus parts, and spike protein. For "we the little people," the words "scaled back" do not mean hundreds of unmasked billionaire superstars flashing useless vaccine passports. Nor does it mean suppressing public criticism by paying a COVID coordinator to oversee the splattering of infectious sweat droplets on a temporary dance floor. But Barack Obama defines things differently. In Obama's mind, the uninvited peons who drink from a separate economic water fountain are without a clue when recognizing the clever parsing of words. Therefore, if condemned for hypocrisy and lying, Obama can always fall back on the time-tested excuse that "it depends on what the meaning of the words 'scaled back' and 'close' are." For Obama, economic and racial segregation is acceptable if it means Eddie Vedder gets to lead a well moneyed congregation in a worshipful serenade to his greatness. As the "s--- show" of SUVs left the party, once again, the pontificating charlatan managed to situate himself at the top of the heap of self-serving elite frauds who make merry with abandon while exploiting a virus that controls anyone other than those on Obama's guest list. Jeannie hosts a blog at www.jeannieology.us Image: Pixabay For the past 18 months, fewer people have been louder than America's celebrities when it comes to insisting that "the little people" wear masks. Showing once again that celebrities believe themselves to be above those rules, it appears that for many, if not most, of the attendees at Obama's 60th birthday bash, there wasn't a mask to be seen. Tom Hanks has no respect for people wearing masks. His exact words are, "If you can't wear a mask and wash your hands and social distance, I've got no respect for you, man." George Clooney drops F-bombs at people who don't wear masks. Bruce Springsteen has campaigned for the masses to mask up. Beyonce's idea of wearing a mask to the Grammys was to anchor it on her nose with her sunglasses, certainly not what Dr. Fauci would recommend, as even the most minimal protection from a mask is nonexistent when it's dangling from the bridge of your nose. These are just four of the delightful celebrities who attended Barack Obama's "scaled back" 60th birthday party. There were approximately 496 additional people gathered for the occasion at his Martha's Vineyard mansion. Erykah Badu was kind enough to post a clip of the party, showing Obama and his closest friends dancing in close proximity sans masks. That seems strange since Obama has also urged people to wear masks. I was under the impression that five hundred people gathered in close proximity was a super-spreader event. Church services, Trump rallies, and birthday parties for less luminous individuals are labeled as super-spreader events. Perhaps Obama's 60th birthday party was too woke to be attacked by COVID or the latest monster, the delta variant of COVID, much like a BLM riot...er, sorry, BLM peaceful protest. It does seem hard to take, though, when the rich and famous are allowed to gather by the hundreds to celebrate a friend's birthday while the little people are expected to wear masks and avoid crowds. UPDATE from Andrea Widburg: One of the things that always strikes me about Obama, and that is on full display with this birthday celebration, is that he runs with a really trashy crowd. This is a man who, because of his eight-year presidency, could surround himself with interesting people people with knowledge, character, and ideas. Instead, he prefers hanging around with the most superficial, and often deeply weird and distasteful, people America has to offer. It says a lot about our former president, doesn't it? Pandra Selivanov is the author of The Pardon, a story of forgiveness based on the thief on the cross in the Bible. Image: Photo from Obama's birthday party. (One of the deleted D.J. photos.) To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here. "You always know the mark of a coward. A coward hides behind freedom. A brave person stands in front of freedom and defends it for others." Henry Rollins We all know that the Democrats fight dirty; always have, always will. The Republicans, on the other hand, just sit back and let them lie, cheat, and steal as if it would be rude to call them out for their crimes. They seem to delight in being known as the polite party. As a result, the left is plowing them under with glee. Leftists impeached President Trump twice over nothing, less than nothing. And now, as Biden is transforming the country and its demographics before the world's eyes by encouraging migrants from all over the world to illegally enter the U.S. over the southern border, the Republicans are as usual sitting back and doing nothing. Never mind that while the administration demands American citizens be vaxxed and masked, these migrants endure no such mandates. Some are spreading COVID, and all are welcomed. Then they are either crammed into overcrowded tents and cages or escorted to buses or planes to be transported into cities in the interior. This, without Biden officials either asking or alerting the governors of the states into which these illegal crossers are deposited. This is an obvious national security nightmare as thousands of those entering the country are criminals of the worst kinds. If this is not an impeachable offense, what is? But for a few legitimate representatives of their constituents, the rest of the Republicans just sit back on their imaginary laurels, take the money, go to the parties, and spend their time being careful not to engender any bad press at the New York Times or the Washington Post. They have done precisely nothing to defend the political prisoners, the unarmed "trespassers" of Jan. 6, who are being sorely abused while the Antifa thugs and BLM terrorists who destroyed city after city over the past summer have not been charged with any crimes. The Democrats openly supported those riots, no matter how much damage was done to countless small businesses, many of them minority-owned. Kamala Harris raised money for their bail, which, thanks to Soros-placed DAs, was rarely even needed. Now we have before us the most reckless spending bill ever brought before Congress, illegitimately called an "infrastructure" bill, and seventeen hare-brained Republican senators are voting for it. Most likely those Republican senators supporting this absurd 2,700-page infrastructure bill that no one has read will have been paid for their votes $50 million to Utah, $1 billion to the Appalachian Commission that Joe Manchin's wife now heads, $150 million to the Mississippi Delta Regional Authority, etc. These shameless Republicans are greedy as well; they sell out the American people with such ease. We all know that the Democrats are only about power, never people. This vote proves that those Republicans who pretend to be "for the people" are nothing of the kind. Here they are, treacherous RINOs all: Roy Blunt (Mo.), Richard Burr (N.C.), Shelley Moore Capito (W.Va.), Bill Cassidy (La.), Susan Collins (Maine), Kevin Cramer (N.D.), Mike Crapo (S.C.), Lindsey Graham (S.C.), John Hoeven (N.D.), Mitch McConnell (Ky.), Lisa Murkowski (Alaska), Rob Portman (Ohio), Jim Risch (Idaho), Mitt Romney (Utah), Thom Tillis (N.C.), Todd Young (Ind.). May they all be voted out of office at the earliest possible moment. Lindsey Graham! Remember all those times he pretended to be on the side of right, his great speech at the Brett Kavanaugh Supreme Court confirmation? It was all for show. He talks a good game but does nothing, even as head of the Judiciary Committee. He never investigated the Russia hoax or any of the other crimes the Democrats committed to destroy Trump. He's a mild-mannered blowhard. We all know who and what motivates Mitt Romney: fury at his own 2012 loss and Trump's 2016 win. Bill Cassidy made a complete and utter fool of himself on the Laura Ingraham show. His attempt to defend this monstrosity of a bill was pathetic at best, perhaps even drug-fueled. Lisa Murkowski has been betraying her conservative base for years and years, as has Susan Collins. The rest of them are just traitors to the people, all of us. You can be sure that not one of them has read the 2,700-page abomination. They all agreed to vote for it before there was text to read. The Republican Party must stop putting such weak people with no strength of character up for office. Will they ever? The Democrats call this absurdity an "infrastructure" bill, but only a smidgen of the spending goes to roads and bridges. The rest is a recipe for total tyranny over every aspect of American life. It's the Green New Deal on steroids. It will bankrupt the next several generations, but then that is part of the grand plan. People will no longer own anything. Blackrock will have purchased millions of homes to rent back to their former owners. Our grandchildren and their children will know nothing of the American dream. It is being stolen out from under them by the Democrats and craven Republicans right now in 2021. If Trump were in the White House, none of this would be happening. The border would still be secure. We would still be energy independent. Putin wouldn't have his pipeline. China would still be on its back foot. There would be no mask or vaccine mandates; Trump understood the importance of liberty. Anyone who thinks China did not engineer the Biden victory is fooling himself. The Chinese, along with the Mexican cartels, are now controlling the U.S. with Biden's and his party's blessing. They, and those seventeen Republicans, are all globalists who plan to become very rich and remain among the ruling elite. They care nothing for our Constitution or the American people outside their lofty realm. Their plan, it seems, is to render us all serfs, laborers in the new totalitarian world of their making. A pox on all their houses. "Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it." Thomas Paine The remaining constitutionalists! Please stand up! Impeach Biden now! The good guys can band together and do it: Jim Jordan, Matt Gaetz, Devin Nunes, Marjorie T. Greene, Ron Johnson, Ted Cruz, Marsha Blackburn, Bill Hagerty, Tom Cotton, Josh Hawley, John Barrasso, Rand Paul, Mike Lee, Elise Stefanik, Andy Biggs, Lee Zeldin, Steve Scalise, Mike Garcia, Lauren Boebert, Madison Cawthorn, Byron Donalds, Louis Gomert, Chip Roy (he has called for impeachment), and Dan Crenshaw. There are likely others who have yet to make their mark, but those listed above are too few. It will take more fighters to impeach the most destructive president in U.S. history. Biden has indeed done more damage to this nation in the shortest amount of time with the smallest amount of cognitive resources. He has ignored the Supreme Court's decisions on the eviction moratorium and DACA. Both programs were ordered to end, but the Biden administration has ignored the SCOTUS. Biden is officially a dictator, and too many Republicans seem not to notice. He needs to be impeached now before we are just a satellite in China's vast empire. We are living in chillingly perilous times. An illegitimate president is doing the bidding of China and the international drug cartels at the dire expense of law-abiding American citizens who love their country. No one knows who is in charge, but nearly all of Biden's Cabinet are radical leftists with ties to the CCP. If the majority of our citizens cannot rely on Republicans to fight for the preservation of America and the future of coming generations, where can we turn? The Democrats have been betraying their constituents, especially black Americans, for sixty years. Now the Republicans are lying low rather than gathering to impeach the most traitorous administration in U.S. history. The Republican collaborators are cowards hiding behind the facade of American sovereignty and must be stopped, shamed for their treachery. The rest of them had better gather their courage, stand together in front of the freedom we have for so long taken for granted, and impeach Biden before it is too late, before we are no longer free. "The liberties of a people never were, nor ever will be, secure, when the transactions of their rulers may be concealed from them." Patrick Henry Image: OpenClipart-Vectors from Pixabay, Pixabay License. Have any questions? Please give us a call at 907-561-7737 This page contains all of The Anchorage Press coverage of the novel coronavirus outbreak, and the illness it causes, called COVID-19. Because this outbreak impacts public health, our coverage of the coronavirus is available to all readers. Our journalists are working hard to bring you the verified information below. Please consider supporting important local journalism with a subscription. (Click Here) Are you an Anchorage resident whos been affected by the illness? Send us an email: matt.hickman@anchoragepress.com. UPDATE: Lee Jae-yong, Samsung leader, has been granted parole. He will soon be released from jail, reports Korea Herald. That will happen at 10AM on Friday (local time), August 13. It is worth noting that Lee Jae-yong is fighting two more criminal cases, so things could change in the future. ORIGINAL ARTICLE: While hopes for the parole release of Samsung leader were strong, some activists groups in South Korea have recently announced their opposition to the release of Lee Jae-yong on parole. According to SamMobile, 1,056 activist groups and labor unions in South Korea released a joint statement on Tuesday that insisted they are against any order leading to Samsung leaders parole release. Opponents have said that the President Moon Jae-in must remain committed to the goals of the 2017 change. Also, any orders to pardon Samsung leader would be an act denying the existence of the Moon Jae-in government. Advertisement The Peoples Solidarity for Participatory Democracy (PSPD) movement was responsible for holding the press conference. As per PSPD leader, the parole of a chaebol leader who has committed a grave economic crime violates the value of fairness. For a side note, chaebol is a family-run business in South Korea. Jae-yong on, one of Samsungs top executives and the companys heir, arrested in 2017 for bribing the South Korean president. Following the revelation, President Park Geun-hye was ousted and imprisoned. Efforts to free the Samsung leader began from the earliest days. In 2018, a South Korean court reduced Lees sentence from five to 2.5 years. However, the same court later issued a new sentence against Lee and sent him back to prison. The president of South Korea is in a dilemma for parole release of Samsung leader Recently, some sources in South Korea announced that the Samsung leader might be pardoned on August 15. The government intends to release Lee as part of the program to support businesses and the private sector in the post-pandemic. Advertisement Dates back to June, Reuters reported that some senior executives of Korean corporations have asked the president to pardon Lee Jae-yong. Samsung, LG, Hyundai, and SK are among the companies that asked for it. Lee has now served about 60-percent of his sentence and is eligible for pardon. However, opposition from civil rights groups may put the president in a dilemma for pardon. The justice ministry will hold a meeting next week to discuss the case. Samsung plays a crucial role in South Koreas economy, and the country owes part of its GDP to the company. In the post-pandemic, Samsungs position may be in jeopardy due to the lack of unified leadership. Specifically, Chinese companies are the biggest threat to the future of Samsungs market share. Advertisement The chip shortage and its importance in South Korea is another reason that may lead to the parole release of Lee Jae-yong. The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5G has started receiving the August 2021 Android security patch. The new update is now rolling out for users of the clamshell folding phone in over a dozen European countries including the UK, France, Germany, Spain, Switzerland, and the Netherlands. The rollout could soon reach users in the US as well. The latest update for the Galaxy Z Flip 5G (SM-F707B) comes with the firmware version F707BXXS4DUG3 in European countries. It doesnt bring any new features or enhancement to the table. However, you can expect a good number of vulnerability fixes. According to Samsungs latest security bulletin, the August SMR (security maintenance release) contains fixes for over 40 vulnerabilities. These include two critical issues found in Android OS. The new SMR also patches eight Samsung Vulnerabilities and Exposures (SVE) items. In case you didnt know, SVEs are security vulnerabilities exclusive to Samsung devices. Advertisement The Galaxy Z Flip 5G isnt the first Samsung phone to receive the new security patch, of course. As always, the Korean firm was the first to release the latest SMR and has already rolled it out to dozens of smartphone models all over the world. The 5G-less Galaxy Z Flip received it last week. The likes of the Galaxy S21, Galaxy Fold, Fold 5G, Galaxy S20, Galaxy Note 20, Galaxy S9, Galaxy Note 8, and many others have also received the update over the past couple of weeks. You can expect many more Galaxy devices to join the party throughout the course of this month. Galaxy Z Flip 5 gets August security patch Launched in August 2020, the Galaxy Z Flip 5G is just turning a year old. Its essentially a 5G-equipped version of the original clamshell folding phone that Samsung launched in February last year. Both devices have arrived with the Android 10-based One UI 2.5. They have since received updates to Android 11 with One UI 3.1 on top. Samsung is now preparing to unveil its second-gen Flip in a couple of days. Meanwhile, if youre rocking the Galaxy Z Flip 5G, a new update is on the way now, introducing the latest August security patch. You should receive a notification prompting you to download the update over the air (OTA). You can also manually check for updates from your phones Settings app, under the Settings >> Software update >> Download and install menu. If theres no OTA update available, wait for a few days for it to reach your unit. PLEASE NOTE: ALL ONLINE PURCHASES ARE AUTOMATIC RENEWALS UNLESS YOU EMAIL JPAYNE@ANNISTONSTAR.COM OR CONTACT CUSTOMER SERVICE @ 256-235-9253.... Purchase an online subscription to our website for $7.99 a month with automatic renewal. Each online subscription gives you full access to all of our newspaper websites and mobile applications. To cancel you may contact Customer Service @ 256-235-9253 or email JPAYNE@ANNISTONSTAR.COM For a limited time, for NEW SUBSCRIBERS ONLY a NEW ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION is just $59.99 for the first year. Existing customers do not qualify for the specials! After the first year, well automatically renew your subscription to continue your access at the regular price of $69.99 per year. Please note *Your Subscription will Automatically Renew unless you contact Customer Service To Cancel* (ANSA) - ROME, AUG 9 - Italy's Civil Protection Department has warned that the risk of wildfires is set to increase throughout the nation this week, with the heatwave forecast to intensify. Indeed, temperatures could go over 45 in some parts of the country in the coming days. Many regions have been hit by devastating wildfires in recent weeks, with Sardinia, Sicily and Abruzzo hit particularly hard. On Sunday firefighters were battling against blazes in several parts of Sicily, on the Aspromonte mountain in Calabria and in the northern province of Cesena, in Emilia-Romagna. (ANSA). Migrants: Spain, 100 people blocked at border with Melilla Attempt to cross halted by Rabat, Spanish media (ANSAmed) - MADRID, AUGUST 9 - An attempt by over 100 people to cross into Spanish territory, in the North African enclave of Melilla, was halted by Moroccan security officials, Spanish media reported, quoting sources of the Spanish government and police. According to the Efe news agency, the migrants tried to climb over the border fence separating Morocco from the Spanish enclave shortly before 7 on Monday morning, However, Moroccan security officials prevented them from crossing into Spanish territory, the sources said. (ANSAmed) (ANSAmed) - TEL AVIV AUGUST 9 - Israel is continuing to vaccinate with the third dose of the Pfizer vaccine the population over 60 that received the first two doses over five months ago. In eight days, the health ministry said, it was administered to over 500,000 Israelis. Premier Naftali Bennett was pleased with the success of the campaign and encouraged operators to complete the administration of the third doze by Friday for 90% of the over 60s. According to Health Minister Nitzan Horowitz the numbers regarding Israelis who received the third dose are "encouraging". In particular, recipients of a third dose are considered to be less exposed to complications in case of infection. Meanwhile Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked said the government is examining the possibility of vaccinating with a third dose the over 50s that received the second dose more than five months ago. Shaked said a decision will be taken on the matter in two weeks. (ANSAmed) Syria: Russian raids in north-west, tension with Turkey up Response to pro-Ankara militias attacks on govt forces (ANSAmed) - BEIRUT, AUGUST 9 - Russian air raids were reported on Monday in northwestern Syria not far from Turkish military observation posts in a region controlled by Qaedist militias close to Ankara, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. The monitoring group said the Russian air raids were a response to the action last Saturday by Uzbek militias co-opted by Turkey, operating in the region of Idlib against Syrian government forces allied to Moscow. The Russian air raids of the past few hours have targeted areas of Idlib where thousands of Syrians are displaced in refugee camps, in poor hygienic-sanitary conditions and a dire humanitarian situation. The area over the past three years has been subjected to a military truce between Turkey and Russia that have divided the zone: the north is under de facto Turkish control while the south is under de facto Russian control. (ANSAmed) (ANSAmed) - TUNIS, AUGUST 9 - The president of Tunisia's National authority for the fight against human trafficking, Raoudha Laabidi, has said that the rate of sexual exploitation of minors in the country "has increased by 80.6% in 2020 compared to 2019". Laabidi announced part of the data contained in the authority's annual report to be published at the end of August. The Inltp has registered alarming data on the sexual exploitation of children in 2020, said Laabidi, denouncing the delay with which government authorities have dealt with the issue of crimes against children and teens. "During the lockdown period in 2020, several children were exploited by networks of criminals acting online and committing crimes against them on the internet", said the president. He warned against the proliferation of the phenomenon regarding the sale of children in Tunisia through social media, which increased by 60.2% in 2020 compared to 2019. "These children are sold not just by single mothers but also by families involved in these crimes", said Laabidi, condemning the working conditions of delegates for the protection of the child and of specialized security teams that, in his opinion, do not have the material resources to intervene. The president of the Tunisian authority for the fight against human trafficking has urged everybody to join forces to end this dangerous phenomenon, stressing that children are in grave danger in Tunisia. (ANSAmed) The brother of a British champion mixed martial artist has admitted stabbing him to death as he celebrated his 30th birthday. Jahreau Shepherd, nicknamed The Nightmare, was hacked to death by 19-year-old Dwight Freeman as he partied with friends in Kennington, south London, on July 11 last year. Freeman, who was Mr Shepherds half-brother, fled to Newquay in Cornwall where he was spotted five days later. Last month, Freeman, from Vauxhall, south London, pleaded guilty to Mr Shepherds manslaughter by diminished responsibility and wounding 26-year-old Joel Belgrave with intent. On Monday, he appeared in the dock of the Old Bailey to be sentenced by Judge Richard Marks QC. Friends and family had filled the courtroom as prosecutor Caroline Carberry QC outlined the facts of the case. She told the court that Mr Shepherd was an accomplished MMA fighter who lived with his mother and half-brother, who was known as DJ. Mr Shepherd acted like a father figure to his younger sibling because he wanted him to fix up and be better and stop smoking skunk cannabis, the court was told. In the six months before the killing, the defendant suffered mood swings and had terrified his mother when she woke up to find him staring at her at the foot of the bed. On the evening of July 11, Mr Shepherd held a birthday party and barbecue in a park, having told around 60 guests the dress code was to wear white. At around 10pm, numerous friends looked on as Freeman, in black and with his hood up, carried out a terrifying, sustained and unprovoked attack with a large knife or knives, Ms Carberry said. The weapons were variously described by eyewitnesses as a machete, Samurai swords and a Zombie knife. One eyewitness heard Mr Shepherd appear to tell off the defendant who then hit him several times with a machete. Mr Shepherd was heard to say: I love you. What are you doing? He held his hands up as he appealed to his brother, saying: Im sorry, Im sorry. Dont do this, the court was told. Mr Shepherd suffered 13 wounds including to his back, shoulder, thigh, face and stomach, with the two fatal injuries being around 19cm deep. The court heard that since he had been in custody, psychiatrists diagnosed Freeman with paranoid schizophrenia. Giving evidence, Dr Emmanuel Okoro said: In my opinion, having interviewed the defendant on several occasions and carefully reviewed his records while in custody and during his treatment at Broadmoor (hospital) and having extensively interviewed his mother, I am completely convinced he does suffer from severe mental illness, namely paranoid schizophrenia, and that played a significant part in the offenses as listed and therefore requires treatment in hospital. Judge Marks is expected to sentence Freeman later. Covid-19 rules for travelling to the UK will be relaxed for thousands of delegates attending the UN Cop26 climate summit in Glasgow in November. Cop26 officials have set out conditions for the event, for which between 20,000 and 25,000 government delegates, media and campaigners from around the world are expected to flock to Scotland for talks on curbing global warming. The summit which will be attended by world leaders is being billed as the last, best chance to limit global temperature rises to 1.5C to avoid the most dangerous climate change. It was delayed from 2020 because of the pandemic and organisers have been keen to push for an in-person event this year to allow all countries to participate effectively and secure a successful outcome to climate negotiations, while ensuring it is a Covid-safe event. Restrictions on travel to the UK and rules on quarantine and self-isolation will be reduced for delegates, while there will be strict testing protocols in place, including regular testing for all those attending the summit. To view this content, you'll need to update your privacy settings. Please click here to do so. Delegates will also have to sign a charter agreeing to abide by the protocols for the summit. Cop26 officials said full vaccination for the two week-long summit was strongly encouraged, and the UK had offered vaccines to registered delegates who would not be able to get jabbed by other means. The UK is recognising all Covid-19 vaccinations as valid for the event, but officials also said they would not prevent people attending who had not been vaccinated. Cop26 President Alok Sharma (Justin Tallis/PA) A UK Government spokesperson said Cop26 was a necessary event, as the science was clear for the need to take immediate and far reaching action to have any chance of avoiding the devastating impacts of rising temperatures. They added: We know that achieving the ambitious global action needed to tackle climate change requires everyone sitting around the same table. To achieve this we have been working tirelessly to make arrangements for an in-person event. Hosting it safely is of the utmost importance to the UK. Like many recent international events, Cop26 will have to adapt in line with Covid. The spokesperson said details of how the summit would run were progressing after close collaboration with all partners, including public health officials in Scotland and England, the Scottish Government, Glasgow City Council and the UNs climate body, the UNFCCC. We believe these arrangements strike a balance between allowing critical climate talks at this exceptional event to continue with representation from around the globe, while continuing to have measures in place to protect public health, they said. Under the regulations specifically for Cop26, delegates from red list countries will only have to quarantine in quarantine hotels for five days if they have been fully vaccinated, and for 10 days if they have not received the jabs. There will be no requirement for Cop26 attendees coming from amber or green list countries to self isolate on arrival to the UK whether vaccinated or not, officials said. Most people are expected to come to the UK via London. To view this content, you'll need to update your privacy settings. Please click here to do so. Under current rules, people cannot travel to England from red list countries unless they are British or Irish citizens or have the right to live in the UK, with the same rules applying to Scotland with some other limited exceptions. Those that do arrive from red list countries have to quarantine for 10 days in quarantine hotels, even if they are double jabbed. There are also requirements to self isolate for 10 days for those coming from amber countries who are not fully vaccinated via approved programmes in the UK, US or Europe. While the red list can change, it currently includes dozens of countries, all of whom are expected to send delegates to Cop26, and some of which are among the most vulnerable to climate change. The issue of who pays for the regime, including testing and quarantine hotels, has yet to be finalised. Isolation protocols during the event for those who test positive for the virus are also being finalised. The rules for Cop26 have been signed off by the UK and Scottish governments, but Covid-19 protection measures for the summit could still change, officials said. Police investigating the death of a two-year-old girl have been granted further time to question a man arrested on suspicion of her murder. The child, named locally as Ali Jayden Maguire, died in hospital on Friday after sustaining head injuries at a house in Dungannon, Co Tyrone. To view this content, you'll need to update your privacy settings. Please click here to do so. The man was arrested hours after the youngster, known as AJ, was taken to hospital from the house in Park Avenue on Friday night. Detectives had already been granted an additional 36 hours to question the suspect. On Monday, they were granted another extension by a court this time for a further 24 hours. On Sunday, police arrested a 24-year-old woman in connection with the death. She was detained on suspicion of perverting the course of justice, causing or permitting the death of a child and child cruelty. Supermarkets are coming up with ingenious ways of hiding empty shelves - including single lines of products and removing aisles all together. Shoppers have been left angered at the lack of food available in supermarkets across Britain, blamed on Brexit, a shortage of workers and 'pinged' workers. In an attempt to distract from the glaring gaps on the shelves, supermarket staff have become creative in hiding the lack of stock. Tesco in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, pulled a single line of squash bottles to the front of the shelves to give the appearance of being fully stocked. They were also spotted lining up bottles of Persil and Ariel at the front of shelves, but couldn't disguise their glaringly empty stock of flavoured water. Sainsburys in Sutton Coldfield, West Mids., filled the empty shelves with cardboard boxes featuring pictures of the missing items. One disgruntled Tesco shopper in Camborne, Cornwall, revealed entire aisles had been removed to eliminate the sight of empty shelves. Tesco in South Queensferry, Edinburgh, used large Coke bottles to form a barrier stopping shoppers from glimpsing the desolate shelves behind. Shopper Dionne Reed snapped the sight of the cereal shelves filled entirely with Crunchy Nut boxes at Jersey's Co-op Grand Marche in St Helier. Sharing the photo on her Facebook page, she said she was sad because she "just wanted Cheerios". There was no hiding the rows of empty freezers inside Morrisons in Pilton, Edinburgh, where all 'Free From' frozen products were completely sold out. A batch of ready-to-eat chicken tortilla soup from Panera is being recalled after pieces of food-handling gloves were found in some of the containers shipped to grocery stores in four states, the U.S. Food Safety and Inspection Service said this week. The soup "may be contaminated with extraneous material, specifically pieces of gray nitrile glove," the agency, part of the Department of Agriculture, said in a statement Thursday. The batch was shipped to stores in Arizona, Florida, Georgia and Texas, the agency said. Blount Fine Foods of McKinney, Texas, reached out to the FSIS after receiving "several" consumer complaints about pieces of gray gloves found in the soup, food and safety officials said. Blount Fine Foods, manufacturer of Panera brand soups, in McKinney, Texas. (Butterworth, Max / Google) No reports of adverse reactions have been reported, but officials said some consumers may have the product in their refrigerators at home. "Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them," the service said. "These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase." The recalled soup produced on July 1 comes in 16-ounce plastic containers marked Panera BREAD at HOME Chicken Tortilla Soup with lot code 070121-1V and has a use-by date of Sept. 9, the FSIS said. Blount Fine Foods did not immediately respond to a request for comment. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com. VANCOUVER (Reuters) - Long delays were reported at the Canadian-U.S. border on Monday as Ottawa finally opened doors to fully vaccinated American tourists for the first time in 16 months, causing a rush of tourists to travel north during the busy summer season. Government data showed a seven-hour wait time for the Fort Frances, Ontario, and International Falls, Minnesota, crossing. Fort Frances advertises itself online as "rarely experiencing delays". Several crossings in Ontario and New Brunswick - between the states of New York and Maine - had waits of three hours. Canada barred all leisure travel from the United States in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but as of August 9 fully vaccinated travelers are able to enter the country. International travelers who are fully vaccinated will be allowed to enter in early September. Late on Friday, the Canadian government and border staff reached a tentative deal to end a strike action that began earlier in the day. Prior to the pandemic, tourism was the fifth-largest industry in Canada, contributing C$105 billion ($83.4 billion) to the GDP and providing one in ten jobs, according to the Tourism Industry Association of Canada. Toronto's Pearson International Airport, Canada's biggest airport, has also asked travelers to brace for delays as American leisure travelers returns to Canada. (Reporting by Moira Warburton in Vancouver; Editing by Angus MacSwan) SALT LAKE CITY (AP) The latest push to loosen gun laws in states across the U.S. has put police officers at odds with Republican lawmakers who usually trumpet support for law enforcement. In states like Texas, Tennessee and Louisiana, police opposed pushes to drop requirements for people to get background checks and training before carrying handguns in public, plans that came as gun sales continued to shatter records during the coronavirus pandemic. We feel it was just another opportunity to get our officers hurt, said Fabian Blache Jr., executive director of the Louisiana Chiefs of Police Association. It was a danger to law enforcement. There, a last-ditch public plea by dozens of Louisiana law enforcement officers helped narrowly avert a push to override the Democratic governors veto of legislation dropping concealed-carry permit requirements. But he expects the proposal to come back next year, and in several other conservative-leaning states police opposition didn't stop laws dropping permit requirements. Gun violence is on the rise across the country and law enforcement agencies are struggling with how to manage the spikes, especially in cities. The federal government has stepped in with strike forces and other measures help to stop the sale of illegal weapons. Cops are already working at a disadvantage in many cities over forces winnowed by retirements and difficulty attracting new officers following the massive police protests in 2020, and many see looser gun laws as one more challenge. Not knowing who might be carrying a gun heightens the potential danger in any encounter, and less required training means more people who don't know how to properly handle a weapon, Blanche said. Police officers are trained around the country, and they make mistakes, he said. So why are we going to give opportunity to people who are not trained to be able to carry a firearm and use it at will? In Tennessee this year, warnings from police chiefs and sheriffs didnt stop a push to drop permit requirements in the GOP-controlled state Legislature. That law passed months after another measure cracking down on protesters camping out for police reform, a vote that was framed as a support for law enforcement. FILE - In this May 22, 2021, file photo officers from the NYPD firearm and tactical unit pack collection of illegal guns after a gun buyback event in Brooklyn, N.Y. Gun violence is on the rise across the country and law enforcement agencies are struggling with how to manage the spikes, especially in cities. The federal government has stepped in with strike forces and other measures help to stop the sale of illegal weapons. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews, FIle) Though several polls have found public support for gun permits, arguments that they undermine Second Amendment rights have gained favor in conservative-leaning state governments in recent years. There is something of a disjunction between repeating the political slogan of back the blue versus supporting policies that rank-and-file police and leaders of police organizations actually support, said Robert Spitzer, a professor at The State University of New York-Cortland and author of The Politics of Gun Control. Police opposition hasn't stopped a push to drop permitting requirements that's passed in about 20 states, Spitzer said. While their positions carry authority, they dont have the ad campaigns and lobbyists that overtly political interests often do. Their voices and opinions have been known, but they havent been a real megaphone in public political terms because that puts them in a real bad spot. Theyre public servants and their job is to enforce the law, no matter what the law is, he said. And permitless carry has supporters in law enforcement, including sheriffs, many of whom are in elected positions and oversee more rural areas. In Utah and Iowa, police groups were more divided generally stayed out of the debate this year. Discussions about police reform dominated the conversation in Iowa, as well as how to stem the rise in violent crime, said Sam Hargadine, the Iowa Police Chiefs Association executive director. He doesnt see the permit question as a big piece of the violent-crime discussion, especially since chiefs already couldnt deny people permits. I think theres extremes on both sides. But theres got to be some compromises made, because were having far too many shootings, he said. Not all police oppose the legislation, and gun-rights advocates dont see a conflict between combating crime and making it easier for people to carry firearms. They argue that people generally dont get permits for guns used in violent crimes, so the change will make it easier for those who do follow the law to get a gun and many measures also tougher penalties for some gun crimes. FILE - In this May 22, 2021, file photo a handgun from a collection of illegal guns is reviewed during a gun buyback event in Brooklyn, N.Y. Gun violence is on the rise across the country and law enforcement agencies are struggling with how to manage the spikes, especially in cities. The federal government has stepped in with strike forces and other measures help to stop the sale of illegal weapons. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews, FIle) For Texas Republican James White, his party's differing with the chiefs of the state's largest cities on permit-less carry was part of the give-and-take of the legislative process. There were some things this session ... where we were consistent with where law enforcement would want to be, and there were sometimes that we just had to tell them we have to look a different direction, said White, an outgoing state lawmaker now running for agriculture commissioner. He also touted the stronger penalties contained in the law for felons who carry guns illegally. It was a very strong on crime, tough on crime deal, he said. White argued the new law didnt represent a massive shift in a state where guns were allowed in cars without permits and licenses werent required for long guns. Texas became the largest state to drop handgun licensing requirements this year, a move applauded by the National Rifle Association and other gun-rights advocates. Alan Gottlieb with the Second Amendment Foundation argued that policing is already inherently dangerous and dropping permits won't make a big dent but will enhance gun rights. "I shouldnt need a permit to exercise my constitutional rights, he said. Police opposition had helped keep the idea from gaining traction even in firearm-friendly Texas, but with a change in legislative leadership support swelled over the span of a few weeks this year. It passed over objections from survivors of the mass shooting that killed 23 people at an El Paso Walmart two years ago. One thing Ive learned in my many years of working with police is, you can rely on them to tell you whats going to put the public at danger, said Everytown For Gun Safety President John Feinblatt. I think that what police know is that crime is rising around the country and this is the worst possible moment to pass laws like this. Online Access for Print Subscribers. Do you have a print subscription with the Argus-Press? If yes, then click here to enjoy complimentary access to our Online Content! YEREVAN, AUGUST 9, ARMENPRESS. Taliban militants captured the Afghan city of Aybak in the Samangan province on Monday amid the US troops withdrawal, Al Arabiya reports. This is the sixth provincial center to have fallen to Taliban in recent days. According to Sayed Hussain Alemi Balkhi, the former Afghan minister for refugees, the Taliban has control over 120 cities now. He says the main reasons for this situation are the withdrawal of the international coalition troops, the presence of a fifth column, as well as the support from Pakistani terror groups which the Taliban are receiving. Editing by Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, 9 AUGUST, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs Armenpress that today, 9 August, USD exchange rate down by 1.33 drams to 491.29 drams. EUR exchange rate down by 3.92 drams to 577.81 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate down by 0.04 drams to 6.69 drams. GBP exchange rate down by 2.78 drams to 682.45 drams. The Central Bank has set the following prices for precious metals. Gold price down by 674.86 drams to 27845.6 drams. Silver price down by 8.59 drams to 394.49 drams. Platinum price down by 296.04 drams to 15747.95 drams. Just weeks after first exhibiting its flagship AGEMA unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) in Kyiv, Ukraine, Milanion has strategically positioned itself to take a share of the Eastern European defense market. The company is making inroads into Ukraine with the signing of an MOU with Ukrainian Armor LLC (Ukrainian Armor) for distribution rights to the AGEMA UGV. Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link The AGEMA is payload agnostic and can support a range of mission profiles including, logistic support, fire support, intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), anti-tank support, drone launch and anti-drone systems, medevac, route inspection and clearance, MESH encrypted communication, border protection, critical infrastructure security and protection, fire and rescue (Picture source: Milanion) Interest in the AGEMA UGV has surged since the vehicle was recently showcased at the Arms and Security 21 exhibition in Kyiv. The ultra-versatile AGEMA is a modular, agile, affordable UGV, equipped with proven world-class technology and performance. It is designed to support a range of missions in a variety of sectors including defense, civil defense, security, fire and rescue. The AGEMA can operate in rough, rugged terrain and is mobile enough for both urban and rural environments. It can be rapidly deployed by rotary and fixed-wing air assets, is amphibious and able to support static ground and mobile units. Ukraine is an important market for Milanion, and having already successfully worked with Ukrainian Armor, we find they have the capabilities, authority and flexibility to create and service any demand for the vehicle while responding quickly to changing market conditions, enabling us to deliver tailored solutions to local preferences, said Milanion CEO, Davinder Dogra. The AGEMA is payload agnostic and can support a range of mission profiles including, logistic support, fire support, intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), anti-tank support, drone launch and anti-drone systems, medevac, route inspection and clearance, MESH encrypted communication, border protection, critical infrastructure security and protection, fire and rescue. We are already a well-known supplier of weapons and military equipment to Ukraines defense forces, and have the capability and resources to get units of the AGEMA UGV into active duty. We find the AGEMA is a robust and versatile vehicle equipped with world-class technology, yet simple to operate, low maintenance and affordable, said Ukrainian Armor Director General Vladislav Belbas. The AGEMA can operate in rough, rugged terrain and is mobile enough for both urban and rural environments. It can be rapidly deployed by rotary and fixed-wing air assets, is amphibious and able to support static ground and mobile units. (Picture source: Milanion) ASHLAND -- Realtor J.C. Meyer originally dubbed Ashland, Ohio as the World Headquarters of Nice People when he implanted the claim on a sign after noticing the potential of the U.S. 250 corridor. Years later, Explore Ashland has launched a t-shirt campaign as a way to showcase not only the nice people living in Ashland, but the multitude of unique businesses that call Ashland home. Community members can purchase a shirt for $20 at the Ashland Area Chamber of Commerce on Claremont Avenue. Participants are then encouraged to visit one of the several locations listed on the back of the shirt and submit a photo of them wearing one of the specified venues. We picked several locations that are unique to Ashland and that we are proud of," Director of Operations at the Ashland Area Chamber of Commerce Amy Daubenspeck said. "I was standing in the kitchen talking to my husband about (making a new shirt) and it just kind of clicked: The World of Headquarters of Nice People. If participants want a better chance to win, they can post the picture on social media with the hashtag #PromoteTheShirtOutOfIt. Explore Ashland will randomly select a winner at the end of August. The victor will walk away with a $100 Shop Local Ashland gift card. Advantage Marketing designed the shirt that features eleven Ashland amenities including AerOhio Skydiving, Ashland Balloonfest, Ashland University, Grandpa's Cheesebarn, Honey Haven Farm, the Largest Wooden Horse and Buggy, Masterminds Escape Room, Olivesburg General Store, the Bank Vault from Shawshank Redemption, the Thornburg Insect Collection and Tin Can Chandelier. Weve done several shirts; this will be the fourth shirt weve made over the last several years that has to do with promoting Ashland and why it is so cool to be here," Daubenspeck said. For more information, community members can visit Explore Ashland's website. The state government is also arranging financial assistance for the construction of houses destroyed in floods The families of those who died in the floods will be given a financial assistance of Rs four lakh each, said chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. (PTI file photo) Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has announced a slew of measures to help the people in areas affected by floods following heavy rains and formed a task force, comprising 12 cabinet ministers, to look after the relief work. In a statement issued late Sunday evening, Chouhan also said the families of those who died in the floods will be given a financial assistance of Rs four lakh each. At least 24 people died and thousands were evacuated to safety as rains lashed the Chambal-Gwalior region of north Madhya Pradesh last week, officials earlier said. Chouhan said 8,900 people trapped at various locations in flood-hit districts were rescued by the Air Force, the Army, the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), while 32,900 people were shifted to safer places. I have formed a task force, comprising 12 cabinet ministers and officials of all important departments. I myself, and the team of ministers and officials will oversee the relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction work, the CM said. In addition to the regular ration given to beneficiaries, an additional 50 kg of food grains will be given to the flood-hit families, he said. Wherever possible, we will provide wheat flour to such families so that they can arrange for their food immediately, he said. Besides, Rs 6,000 was being given immediately to families who lost their houses so that they can stay in rented accommodations, the CM said. After the survey, the state government will also provide assistance to those who have lost their household items. The state government is also arranging financial assistance for the construction of houses destroyed in floods, he said. The families of those who died in the floods will also be given a financial assistance of Rs four lakh each, he said, adding that Rs 30,000 will be given to those who lost their dairy cattle, while Rs 25,000 will be provided for loss of other cattle. Relief will also be provided for crop loss due to the floods, the CM added. Meanwhile, state Congress chief Kamal Nath accused the BJP government in the state of failing to provide relief to the flood-hit people. "Why had the government not made any arrangements when the Meteorological department issued the warning of heavy rains in the flood-hit districts? Nath asked while addressing a meeting of Congress MLAs on Sunday night. He claimed the relief measures were only limited to the state government's announcements. The state government is only publicising the rescue work and exaggerating the data, the former state chief minister alleged. Mother-daughter duo Candice Carpenter Olsen (left) and Michaela Carpenter sit together in Here House, their coffee-shop-adjacent space dedicated to cultivating community through club membership based on shared values. Stay up to date on COVID-19 Get Breaking News Sign up now to get our FREE breaking news coverage delivered right to your inbox. SUV This time, our spy photographers managed to get a close look at the interior, as the prototype tested in Germany was parked and nobody was keeping prying eyes away from it. As you can observe, the multimedia unit comes with a generously sized screen that sits in the middle of the dash. The right edge of the dash also has an "e-tron" badge right under the passenger air vent.Under the big infotainment screen, we can see a row of conventional buttons, and some of them are meant to be shortcuts for various screens of the interface menu. Under the row of buttons, we can observe the center console that hosts the start button and drive selector. Audi has placed a storage space under the said console, while the cup holders are placed between the seats, with one partially obstructed by the center armrest.The dash has digital gauge clusters, which is not something new from Audi, while the steering wheel is inspired by the one on the A8 and e-tron, with its hexagonal shape. Audi has refrained from using cameras instead of side-view mirrors on this prototype, which is a feature that many customers do not end up purchasing.At the time of the unveiling of the Audi Concept Shanghai, the German brand announced a range of up to 560 kilometers (347 miles) on a single charge. The length of the concept was 4.87 meters (191 inches), which means that it is sized similarly to the Audi e-tron electric SUV In the Audi range, the new model will be positioned between the Q4 and Q7, but it will be priced closer to the former than the latter. The Audi Q6 e-tron electricwould be positioned closer to the Q7 when the price is concerned. The 2023 Audi Q6 e-tron will be built on the Premium Platform Electric architecture, which it will share with the Porsche Macan. Audi is one of those prominent carmakers, and has been involved ever since the inaugural season, being, after all, a founding member.Audi won 46 trophies in the series, both as a private team (ABT Sportsline), and as a factory-backed outfit from 2017. One of the carmakers drivers, Lucas di Grassi, is one of two drivers on the grid to have driven in all Formula E races so far, but the only one to do so for the same team.But as the current season draws to an end this weekend in Berlin, Audi announced the official end of its factory involvement in the series.The Germans gave no exact reason for the decision, saying through Julius Seebach, Managing Director of Audi Sport, that this is based on the fact electric mobility at Audi is no longer a vision of the future but the present.The official also said its time for us to take the next step in motorsport as well, with the Dakar Rally being placed at the top of the list of priorities. Next year, Audi will line up on the starting grid of the event an electrified contraption called RS Q e-tron , a platform Audi hopes it will earn it the title of the first carmaker to win the competition with such a machine.The company did not mention what teams, if any, will be fielding its cars the following season. Aside from the Audi Sport ABT Schaeffler, the FE07 is also raced this season by Envision Virgin Racing. The German prototype was put through its paces on gravel and in a feverish temperature environment so that engineers can iron out any issues with the electrified powertrain that is derived from Formula E . Audi has been testing the prototype for some time now, and this test was the first to take place in what the Germans consider to beAccording to weather reports and on-site measurements, the temperature was up to 34 degrees centigrade (93.2 F) in the shade.Specifically, Audi employs a TFSI engine from the DTM as an energy converter and two motor-generator units from Formula E to power the RS Q e-tron prototype. The gasoline engine does not drive the wheels, as its goal is to charge a new type of high-voltage battery developed by Audi Sport to be recharged while driving. Another MGU, or Motor Generator Unit, is employed for charging purposes along with the TFSI unit.The first tests were done in Neuburg an der Donau, Germany, where the initial functional checks were carried out. From there, Audi engineers went near the city of Magdeburg in Germany to see how the RS Q e-tron performs on unpaved ground.During the first testing session done on gravel and in elevated temperatures, Audi's prototype managed to reach a top speed of 112 mph (180 km/h) on the 10.5 mile-long (16,89 km) gravel sections. That may not seem like a lot, but batteries of electric vehicles are put through immense stress in both high-temperature and low-temperature environments, and driving flat out heats them up even further.The team carried out various heat tests for the battery and its cooling system over 1,000 miles (1,609 km) to detect any weak spots. Since the Dakar rally only offers one shot at winning or even racing it a year, Audi does not want its investment to go to waste . Simply finishing the 2022 Dakar would be an accomplishment, but Audi has higher hopes for its RS Q e-tron prototype.The Audi Sport driver roster involves Stephane Peterhansel , an athlete with a record number of Dakar wins, along with co-driver Edouard Boulanger, DTM driver Mattias Ekstrom and co-driver Emil Bergkvist, along with Carlos Sainz and co-driver Lucas Cruz.The next test session is set to take place in September and will take the car on the dunes in an undisclosed location. We expect Audi to highlight an even larger photo gallery of its latest prototype in action once those tests are completed. Last year, for example, two Russians ended up in the middle of nowhere after following the directions provided by Google Maps. Their car got stuck in an area with no cellular signal, and given the brutally cold temperature during the night, one of them froze to death while the other ended up in hospital with severe injuries.Other folks were a little bit luckier, and while they also followed navigation apps on roads that werent supposed to be used by cars , but rather by tractors or off-road vehicles, they were eventually saved by the local authorities.This is why some people recommend against using navigation apps , while others advise drivers to always take any navigation instruction with caution.The Colorado Department of Transportation, for example, as well as other county officials, tell local drivers to avoid using Google Maps, Waze, and the rest of the apps because they could end up on roads that dont go anywhere.And this has already happened several times, with a local media report indicating that several vehicles have already been stuck on roads where there werent supposed to be in the first place.The Interstate 70 closure at Glenwood Canyon has caused a lot of confusion, and thats why many drivers are turning to navigation apps to find a route to their destination.Dont trust your cell phones, they are really getting people into trouble, Amber Barrett, the Eagle County Sheriffs Office Public Information Officer, has been quoted as saying.Trusting apps like Google Maps and Waze is a big issue, she said, though, in theory, all these solutions should be updated by map editors or volunteers with accurate data. But of course, no app is bulletproof, yet we wouldnt go as far as not using these apps at all.The better way to go is to never take anything these apps tell you for granted, and if youre being sent on a road that doesnt look like its made for your car, youd better stay away from it. SUV This past winter has been quite hard on the continental United States (and other parts of the world), so it was only logical that we are getting a scorching hot summer as well. So much so that we could almost feel the heatwave emanating from the recent video from the good folks over at the Drag Racing and Car Stuff channel on YouTube.Even so, some stand proud and valiant in the face of great (Fahrenheit-degree) adversity no matter what. Its all to fulfill their quarter-mile ambitions in those cool vehicles that sometimes function even when the atmosphere looks ready to smother them whole.Fortunately, that didnt happen. Granted, the weather probably harmed the performances from the main characters seen here, a Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat, a Coyote Ford F-150 pickup truck, an S-197 Mustang GT, as well as an E90 BMW 3 Series. But not by much, as far as we can tell.The benchmark comes from the mighty Durango SRT Hellcat, a three-row familyproduced in a mere 2,000 examples. Part of the reason behind the scarcity must be the fact it can hit the drag strip for a quarter-mile ET of 11.5 seconds. That would be in perfect condition, of course.Even though its not the case here, the Durango doesnt yield and jumps to victory against the Coyote F-150 even with a slower start from the black menace. Case closed with a 12.13s to 12.49s result, which only serves as an appetizer.From there on its all about widening gaps. The Mustang GT gets a taste of the Hellcat first, losing the battle with a 13.88s pass to the Dodges 12.16s run. And last but not least, the older 3 Series also doesnt stand a chance against the family-sized SUV, which does a slower 12.25s pass though its still more than enough to beat the Bimmers 13.68s attempt. BEV EV Geely wants to become a manufacturing supplier with its SEA platform, which stands for Sustainable Experience Architecture and is dedicated to electric vehicles. In China, Renault will use GeelystoWeird, right?The French companyHowever, there is no word about the company getting involved with manufacturing on Chinese soil for these vehicles.In De Meos own words, Renaulution is a plan to turn RenaultRenault will have three platforms for that: the CMF-, the CMF-, and a third one the company is yet to disclose. The first two are fully electric, and the third one should be as well.For South Korea, Renault should establish the manufacturing offor local markets. In other words, Renault will use these platforms to make its own electric vehicles with Renault Samsung Motors. They should also be electric, not hybrid.That leads us to believe that the confusion was just a poor choice of words to refer to Renault vehicles with Geely underpinnings. They are hybrids in the sense of mixing brands, but not the sort of vehicles we usually classify as such.For Geely, these Renault products will help it reduce idle capacity in its factories. For Renault, it prevents the company from making massive industrial investments and still ensuring a more relevant presence in key markets. It may be a win-win deal if the companies get these products right. The Mountain View-based search giant has previously killed off Google Play Music , a service that everybody on Android Auto really loved, and replaced it with YouTube Music, even though the platform wasnt yet ready for the car experience.Since then, however, Google has been working around the clock on refining YouTube Music pretty much everywhere, including in the car, yet this doesnt necessarily mean that everything is working properly.For example, recent reports coming from users on reddit indicate that YouTube Music is actually failing to shuffle playlists correctly on Android Auto, as the app just keeps playing the same songs over and over again. Its not exactly clear whats happening, but users explain that nothing works to bring YouTube Music back to normal, as the app eventually ends up playing only a bunch of tunes in a loop.The same thing appears to be happening both on the full version of Android Auto and on Android Auto for phones, with some reporting that everything works correctly when disconnecting the mobile device from the car and head unit.In other words, theres a very good chance Android Auto is the one to blame, though of course, only Google can tell this for sure.Unfortunately, theres not much you can do in the meantime if youre also struggling with this error, as even clearing the cache of the app doesnt bring the shuffling system back to normal.Of course, everybody is missing Google Play Music , the app that Google killed off last year and which worked so great on Android Auto. However, with GPM already retired completely, YouTube Music is the only option for those who want to remain part of the Google ecosystem, though problems like this one are pushing more and more users to the likes of Spotify. kW Born no less than 64 years ago, it is safe to say that Ferraris 250 Testa Rossa occupies a special place in racing history. The general one, not necessarily the Prancing Horse one. With victories all over the world from the 24 Hours of Le Mans to Targa Florio and the 1000 Km Buenos Aires nothing was stopping these wonders back in the day.Nowadays their pedigree and inherent scarcity have ensured a special place in auction history as well. And Ferrari knows that very well, so it has decided to reinvent the 250 into a special project called Testa Rossa J. The final letter comes from Junior, as we are dealing with somethingThat would be the companys all-new, highly collectible, limited-edition electric-powered scale replica . It comes at 75% of the size and a fraction of the cost for the real deal. Being an official endeavor, of course, we have a faithful reproduction of the original 250 Testa Rossa from 1957. Just 299 vehicles will be produced, but thats still a much wider availability compared to its epic ancestor.Not to mention the affordability. While a starting price of 93,000 ($109,304 at the current exchange rates) might sound like a lot for a junior car, its a bargain as far as Ferraris of any age are concerned. Sure, its not going to win any races with the maximum speed of 60 kph / 37 mph.But its also emissions-free, and the electric motor is fed by three batteries for a total range of around 56 miles (90 km). Additionally, it can be enjoyed by Ferrari Tifosi of many ages, thanks to its embedded Novice (1/ 20 kph or 12.4 mph), Comfort (4 kW / 45 kph or 28 mph), Sport, and Race (over 60 kph / 37 mph) modes. Its a miracle we were ever "allowed" to own cars at all. If automobiles had been invented today no ordinary citizen would be deemed sufficiently competent to pilot devices of such danger (to say nothing of the supposed environmental outrage). https://t.co/n6RzioME2Z Dr Jordan B Peterson (@jordanbpeterson) August 9, 2021 Peterson shared his thoughts while retweeting an article from Bjorn Lomborg. The Swedish writer does not believe climate change will be as catastrophic as scientists say, although he acknowledges it is happening.Lomborg was discussing electric cars and the fact that Allegra Stratton drives a diesel vehicle. She is Boris Johnsons climate spokeswoman, and his government wants to promote electric cars, which some see as a paradox.Interestingly, the original tweet from Lomborg has very little to do with what Peterson wanted to say. Check his message below.Apart from the environmental outrage Peterson raises, all else he said has to do with personal responsibility and freedom of choice.The clinical psychologists theory is interesting and deeply related to the pursue of autonomous cars. While the main excuse for these vehicles is that they will save us time and allow us to do more valuable things when we are in a car, another one states traffic will be much safer when people are not in charge because we are fallible.If you think it through, so are machines. Computers can have glitches; cameras can get dirty; radars can stop working. Nothing ensures an automated vehicle will be safer than a properly trained human driver who pays attention while driving.Another question Peterson asks is if personal mobility would be allowed. If automobiles were invented right now, would we be authorized to own them and drive them around? Who would get to decide that?Peterson seems to believe people would be left with few options when it comes to moving around. We would have to walk, ride a bike, or use public transportation, which are not always the best choices. It would be nice that we kept the right for personal transportation showing humans can drive safely, using cars rationally and sustainably. Although we have that chance every single day, many want to prove precisely the opposite. Peterson is right to be concerned. LEGO Ideas is a website where all LEGO maniacs can express their creativity and upload their projects. They can be anything, from mini-figures and houses to cars, trains, space ships and so much more. Your brain and skills are the only potential limiting factors, really.User tonysmyuncle chose to build a LEGO JWST model and it features all the major moving components. As explained in the description, his replica emulates the real machine impressively well, unfolding just like the real telescope and incorporating all of its major subsystems. Those include the power, propulsion, science instruments, and communication subsystems. Just like with its bigger brother, the miniature James Webb telescope features the primary mirror, which consists of 18 movable hexagonal segments, as well as the hinged secondary one.It might seem like a challenging project to the average LEGO builder but turns out this guy is an astronomer, which gave him a significant advantage.Users who upload their LEGO creations on the platform get a chance to see their work picked up by LEGO and turned into a commercially available set. Of course, you have to complete a few steps before you get there.The first requirement is to gain 10,000 supporters for your idea. But those supporters have to give you their vote in a specific time frame. First, LEGO will give you 60 days to raise 100 supporters. If you pull that off, you get another 365 days to come up with the rest of them. Assuming you reached the required number, your work is reviewed along with other LEGO projects, and a winner is announced. If your creation gets picked up, you get 1 percent of the royalties.The LEGO JWST has just been uploaded a week and a half ago but has already gained 783 supporters. HP kWh Set to be displayed at the Road and Track Clubhouse at The Quail, a Motorsports Gathering, on August 13, and on the Pebble Beach Concept Car Lawn two days later, the Artura is the brands first series production high-performance hybrid.It builds on the legacy of the P1, which was a limited edition model, and benefits from more than 50 years of expertise in race and road car engineering.Built around the MCLA platform, short for McLaren Carbon Lightweight Architecture, specially optimized for electrified models, the Artura is made at the companys Composites Technology Center in the UK.It combines a new twin turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 gasoline engine with an electric motor that generates 94and 166 lb-ft (225 Nm) of torque.The powertrain produces a combined 671 brake horsepower and 531 pound-feet (720 Nm), enabling a 0 to 60 mph (0-100 kph) in 3.0 seconds. Assisting the e-motor is a 7.4battery that gives the supercar an all-electric range of 19 miles (31 km).In addition to the electrified powertrain, the Artura also features McLarens first electronic-differential and new rear suspension. Moreover, an upgraded electro-hydraulic steering and protective damping control are also on deck, and the latest tech gear is present as well.Joining the Artura at the event thats bound to kick off in just a few days will be the Elva. The open-cockpit vehicle can be ordered with or without a windshield , and celebrates the M1A, M1B, and M1C of the 60s.Production is capped at 149 cars globally, down from the initially planned 399 units, slashed to 249 last year, and the two-seater exotic, which features a bespoke carbon fiber chassis, packs a twin turbocharged 4.0-liter V8 engine , shared with the Senna and Senna GTR.Performance is on par with the Senna, with the lump that kicks out 804 HP and 590 lb-ft (800 Nm) of torque, channeling it to the rear wheels via a dual-clutch seven-speed automatic transmission, rocketing it to 62 mph (100 kph) in just 2.8 seconds, and from 0 to 124 mph (0-200 kph) in 6.8 seconds.The Elva is McLarens lightest road car ever, and was initially unveiled almost two years ago, accompanied by a $1.69 million price tag.Chief among the McLaren rides at the event will be an F1. Chassis #029 of the iconic supercar was built in 1995 and spent most of its life hidden away from the road, in a private Japanese collection. As it stands, it has less than 242 miles (390 km) on the odo, and presents itself in top-notch, all-original condition.And if you have tens of millions of dollars in your bank account and the huge desire to buy it, then you can, because it will be auctioned off by Gooding & Company at the Pebble Beach Parc du Concours, at the corner of Stevenson Drive and Portola Road. The event will go live on the Goodingco website, on Friday, August 13, at 5 pm PDT (8 pm EST / Aug 14, 2 am CET).With its incredibly low mileage and attractive, one-of-a-kind color combination, this particular example represents an almost unheard-of opportunity to acquire an F1 in virtually as-delivered condition, said the Gooding & Company Senior Specialist, David Brynan. This significant car will surely compete for the top sale of the auction week. EV Nearly a decade later, the compact pickup was followed by the half-ton 520. Nissan stepped up their game with the Hardbody for the 1986.5 model year, which used to be made in Smyrna, Tennessee where the Japanese automaker currently makes the Leaf, Maxima, Rogue, Murano, Pathfinder, and QX60.For the 2022 model year, the company offers two pickups in the United States in the form of the mid-size Frontier and full-size Titan . After Hyundai and the Ford Motor Company introduced the Tucson- and Escape-based Santa Cruz and Maverick, hearsay suggests that Nissan will follow in their footsteps with a compact pickup that may be gifted with electric propulsion.A person familiar with the matter told Automotive News about this truck, but the VP of sales and regional operations at Nissan in the United States couldnt say if thats actually true. Judy Wheeler did highlight that pickups are extremely hot right now, especially with adventure-oriented customers.There are two problems with the yet-to-be-confirmed pickup, starting with competition. Hyundai and the Blue Oval already have a foothold in the compact segment, and thanks to hindsight, the Santa Cruz and Maverick of the future may be more competitive than Nissans trucklet. Even more importantly, Nissan still hasnt proven itself as a truedisruptor even though the Leaf predates the first series-production Model S by two years.Theres also a third problem that few people may be considering, and that is the financial health of the company. For the 2020 fiscal year that ended on March 31st, 2021, net income has improved from 2019 but its not good enough either. The Japanese automaker has posted a net loss of 448.7 billion yen or just over $4 billion at current exchange rates, and the outlook for 2021 isnt great due to an expected net loss of 60 billion yen ($544 million).During these cash-strapped times and the uncertainty surrounding the chip shortage, its hard to believe that Nissan has the financial resources to deliver a segment-leading pickup truck with a world-class EV powertrain. The moped was originally purchased by Solar Productions, McQueen 's production company, and the vehicle comes with special written permission to be used on the famous French track while filming. It is the only moped that has been granted this permission, and the customer will get the original permission papers with the motorized cycle.French company Solex built over seven million mopeds between 1946 and 1988, and it was a front-wheel-drive model. As you can observe in the photo gallery, the VeloSoleX has a 49-cc two-stroke single-cylinder engine placed above the front wheel. The straightforward design connected the engine to the wheel without the use of a chain, belt, or any sprockets, which is ingenious.The manufacturer claimed a range of up to 60 miles on a full 1.25-liter tank, which was more than enough to motorize millions of people for decades. Thanks to its uncomplicated design, this moped is reliable and easy to maintain.There is an Achilles heel to these vehicles, though, in the form of rust. The Solex 3800 has a stamped steel frame, just like a bicycle from the era would have, which is not treated to be rust-proof. Just like vehicles, bicycles have chassis numbers, and this example comes with its original chassis and engine, as proven by the letter from the Federation Francaise de Motocyclisme (French Motorcycle Federation) dated March 1970.While it was not featured in the 1971 Le Mans movie, the moped became known after pictures of Steve McQueen riding it surfaced years after the movie hit theaters. The American icon used the moped to ride on the 8.46-mile (13,62 km) track , and he was photographed with his son on the moped, as well as alone and signing autographs.Due to its historical importance, this might prove to be the most expensive moped, and RM Sotheby 's estimates its sale price between $40,000 and $50,000. The auction will be held on August 14th in Monterey, California, and it is without reserve. Lot 329 of the auction will be sold on a Bill of Sale basis, and it is evident that a collector will grab hold of the vehicle and store it in optimal condition. Only 70 units will be built, but you need to get picked first Toyota August 09, 2021 10:41 This year marks the 35th anniversary of the launch of the Supra nameplate in Japan. The Supra name has been around for much longer as the Celica Supra, but over in Japan it wasnt until 1986 (with the third generation A70) did the automaker adopt officially adopt the name there. The JDM A40/50 and the A60 were called the Celica XX, not Celica Supra. No doubt Toyota wants to commemorate the occasion as the company did build anniversary editions of the previous-generation A80 model. And that's why we're looking at this GR Supra 35th Anniversary Edition. There are two variants with the RZ (3.0-liter) and the SZ-R (2.0-liter) models. Most of the exterior changes between the only difference between the standard GR Supra and the anniversary edition are visual only. The main difference would be the matte black 19-inch wheels and the colors. The RZ 35th Anniversary Edition is exclusively in Matte Storm Gray metallic while the SZ-R is available in all 5 factory colors, including Lightning Yellow, as seen in the photo. The latter also comes with the larger brakes standard on the RZ with matching red calipers. Inside the only changes on both 35th Anniversary Edition Supras are the seats. Instead of black, they are upholstered in red leather. There is also a 35th-anniversary carbon ornament in front of the passenger seat. On the RZ, wireless charging comes standard, while the SZ-R gets a special set of pedals. No changes were made under the hood or to the suspension. With that, both the turbocharged 3.0-liter mill and the 2.0-liter turbocharged engine on the RZ and SZ-R, respectively, produce the same output. Interested in the 35th Anniversary GR Supra? Unfortunately, friends in Japan cant just walk up to a dealership and order. Instead, Toyota says Japanese customers will have to apply via an online lottery/raffle from August 6 to 31. The automaker will then pick the winners that can buy one. A total of 70 units will be built, limited to 35 units each for both the RZ and the SZ-R. Prices for the 35th Anniversary Edition in Japan start at JPY 6,535,000 (PHP 2,986,000) for the SZ-R and at 7,835,000 (PHP 3,579,000) for the RZ. Copyright 2020 by Mountain Times Publications. Digital or printed dissemination of this content without prior written consent is a violation of federal law and may be subject to legal action. CIA director Bill Burns will visit Israel on Tuesday for the first time since assuming office for talks that are expected to focus on Iran, Israeli officials tell me. He's also expected to meet Palestinian Authority officials in Ramallah. Why it matters: Burns will arrive in Jerusalem with tensions running hot between Israel and Iran over an alleged Iranian attack on an Israeli-linked oil tanker and amid escalation between Israel and Hezbollah on the Israeli-Lebanese border. He'll meet David Barnea, director of the Mossad intelligence agency, and he's expected to meet Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and other senior defense and intelligence officials. Israeli officials say the talks will focus on Iran's nuclear program and regional activity, and that Israel hopes to hear more about U.S. policy toward the new Iranian government and a possible return to the 2015 nuclear deal. Burns is also expected to visit Ramallah to meet Palestinian intelligence chief Majed Faraj. He's also expected to meet Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, the Israeli officials say. A spokesperson for the CIA declined to comment on Burns schedule. The big picture: Apart from the Five Eyes intelligence allies Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the U.K. and U.S. Mossad is the foreign intelligence service with the closest ties to the CIA. During the Trump presidency, the CIA and Mossad worked jointly on many operations against Iran. The CIA also has very close cooperation with the Palestinian intelligence service on counterterrorism, which the agency maintained even after all other communications between the Trump and Abbas governments broke down. Flashback: Burns developed close relationships with many Israeli and Palestinian officials including the new Israeli ambassador to Washington Mike Herzog during his long State Department career. Senate Foreign Relations Chairman Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) penned a letter to Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin urging the Pentagon to provide additional support to Greece as the country battles devastating wildfires. State of play: Dozens of wildfires broke out in Greece last week after the country suffered its worst heatwave in decades. They have continued to rage unabated and forced hundreds to evacuate. Greece has deployed its army to fight the fires and has received international assistance from Cyprus, France and Israel. Germany also said it would send firefighters and vehicles. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis called the situation a "nightmarish summer," adding the government's priority "has been, first and foremost, to protect human lives." Extreme heat waves are also among the clearest manifestations of human-caused global warming, studies show. The big picture: Menendez said he applauded a decision by the Department of Defense to deploy a P8 aircraft to Greece to help monitor for "threats to infrastructure and residential areas." Defense Minister Arshak Karapetian also chided Stanislav Zas personally at the start of their talks in Yerevan. We were waiting for your visit in May. It was a fairly tense period for Armenia, but unfortunately your visit didnt take place, Karapetian told Zas in remarks publicized by the Armenian Defense Ministry. Armenia appealed to the CSTO for help after Azerbaijani troops reportedly crossed several sections of the border and advanced a few kilometers into Armenian territory on May 12-14. It asked the alliance of six ex-Soviet states to invoke Article 2 of its founding treaty which requires the CSTO to discuss a collective response to grave security threats facing its member states. The foreign ministers of Armenia, Russia, and four other CSTO member states discussed the border dispute when they met in Tajikistan later in May. They expressed concern over the tensions but did not issue joint statements in support of Armenia. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian chided the bloc afterwards for not publicly siding with his country. Zas said last month that the border standoff is not serious enough to require the CSTOs military intervention. The remarks prompted criticism from Armenian officials, including Armen Grigorian, the then secretary of Pashinians Security Council. Grigorian, who is now Armenias acting foreign minister, held a separate meeting with Zas on Monday. Both he and Karapetian said that Armenia will strive to enhance the organizations effectiveness when it assumes the CSTOs rotating presidency later this year. The recently appointed defense minister said in that regard that the ex-Soviet alliances existing mechanisms for making decisions and rapidly reacting to crisis situations do not meet the security needs of its member states. Tensions at some sections of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border rose further late last month, resulting in one of the most serious truce violations since Russia helped to stop the war in Nagorno-Karabakh last November. Pashinian proposed on July 29 that Russian border guards be deployed along the entire frontier. It emerged a few days later that Moscow has set up one such post in Armenias Tavush province bordering western Azerbaijan. Karapetian warned on Monday that the Armenian side could use force to drive out Azerbaijani forces that crossed into two other Armenian provinces in May. Baku maintains that they took up new positions on the Azerbaijani side of the border and did not cross it. A timeline ending in tragedy: 2 years after moving from Ohio, children found dead in trunk of Baltimore County car Cuomo accuser Brittany Commisso says governors conduct was not welcomed and certainly not consensual Filming The Goonies on N. Oregon Coast: at Astoria, Cannon Beach Published 08/09/21 at 12:42 AM PDT By Oregon Coast Beach Connection staff (Astoria, Oregon) - Goonies Never Die is the phrase that lingers down through the decades, almost 40 years since The Goonies was filmed on the Oregon coast and then released in early 85. It's a phrase that rings true with memories of the movie's locales as well. Cannon Beach and Astoria saw the lion's share of the action in this state back in 84, but the southern Oregon coast's Bandon got a few minutes of fame out of the deal as well. Yes, California backlots and even a bit of Bodega Bay were used in two-thirds of the movie. Yet The Goonies is regarded as an Oregon thing, a serious point of pride for residents. Now, you can revisit entire chunks of the movie all over Astoria, and the massive following the movie has (it's too big to call cult anymore) is fiercely devoted, with Astoria a major pilgrimage for devotees. The Goonies' early days here are a bit of an adventure as well, starting with even before they arrived in Astoria. Back in the summer of 1985, Ron Cowan of the Statesman Journal wrote about how tenuous the movie's beginnings were. According to his talks with producer Harvey Bernhard, the studio was pushing hard for a summer 85 opening, and soon theaters had it actually booked it for those dates. Bernhard said normal movie prep time is seven months: Goonies had to be prepped in seven weeks. He called it killer, it was murder. At this point, the movie locations had not even been set. The movie stood to lose $3 to $4 million dollars a day if it didn't meet that deadline. Interestingly enough, the film was to originally take place on the east coast, however Bernard loved the Pacific Northwest. He had a second home in Washington, and he and scouters looked heavily at the Washington coast. Then, with Oregon's Department of Economic Development leading them around, they discovered Astoria and were entranced. Bernhard pushed Astoria on director Richard Donner (who recently died), and when Donner visited he was apparently in love with the spot. Bernhard even said that without Laura Pryor from the state agency, there would likely be no Goonies. Photo courtesy Clatsop County Historical Society: the makeshift Fratelli hideout Over the decades, those involved with the film raved about how cooperative the State of Oregon and the people of Astoria and Cannon Beach were. One aspect that comes up is California beach towns had become, well, greedy over the decades. They knew the value of having a Hollywood film made there and regularly demanded money for the presence of a crew. Oregon had none of that, although Donner and others did remark there should be better tax breaks for future film projects in Oregon. That definitely came to fruition, eventually. Astoria then became forever immortalized in the movie. Even as filming had barely started, there was a complete veil of secrecy around the project, and Hollywood publicists were firm in shooing the press away. Yet one tidbit was proudly revealed: Astoria would definitely be mentioned in the film. At the time, some 85 film crew were lodged at the Thunderbird Inn in Astoria, and the 20 cast members were scattered around elsewhere in town. The movie dumped over $1 million into the local economy in the end. Filming locations were many around the north Oregon coast burgh, with one big one in Cannon Beach. Ecola State Park was used as the location for the Lighthouse Restaurant and the hideout of the Fratelli family. Oregon State Parks reportedly initially bristled at the idea of building the fake exterior on the grounds, but crew and state officials came to an agreement. The facade was built around an existing structure then dismantled. So, sadly, that's one spot fans can only guess about while visiting the park. However, some scenes do show the lookout up top here, especially that iconic one that features Haystack Rock in the distance. The rock structure with the keyhole at Indian Beach was another famous spot. In fact, Goonies Rock never had that name until years after the movie was released. Photo courtesy Clatsop County Historical Society: filming Goonies Astoria itself is full of sights easily recognizable in the film and many have in recent years been marked with plaques by the State of Oregon. You can get an eyeful of these and the self-guided tour at this link. Among the famous places is the long, winding road up Coxcomb Hill, the Flavel House, various spots around Astoria's docks, and the chase scenes through the city streets were numerous. A fun bit of trivia: George Robotham was the stunt coordinator on the film, but he also played a guard in the jailhouse. According to hardcore fans, if you look close enough at the chase scene involving actress Anne Ramsey (Mama Fratelli), you can see a man in the vehicle at one point and not her. That jailhouse is a major contribution to the film. It eventually shuttered its doors and became the Oregon Film Museum, which hosts enormous amount of material on flicks done on the coast and around Oregon. Other sundry tidbits: - Steven Spielberg, one of the main creators of the film, at one point arrived in Astoria by a Lear jet. Police closed roads for him while en route to film locations. - A famous scene in the movie where Sloth utters the iconic Are you hungry? I got a Baby Ruth, was actually supposed to be an Almond Joy in the original storyboard. - The original plan for the dilapidated restaurant hideout was that there would be a graveyard surrounding that. This was scrapped because writers later agreed it wouldn't be realistic to have a cemetery in front of a restaurant. However, think how history might be different if producers asked state parks to also build a cemetery on top of Ecola? - Actor Jeff Cohen (Chunk) was apparently displeased there was only one McDonald's in Astoria. Hotels in Astoria/Seaside - Where to eat - Astoria Maps and Virtual Tours MORE PHOTOS BELOW Goonies Rock, Cannon Beach Photo courtesy Clatsop County Historical Society: filming Goonies More About Oregon Coast hotels, lodging..... More About Oregon Coast Restaurants, Dining..... Coastal Spotlight LATEST Related Oregon Coast Articles Back to Oregon Coast Contact Advertise on BeachConnection.net All Content, unless otherwise attributed, copyright BeachConnection.net Unauthorized use or publication is not permitted I wish I had better news for you, but this one is a doozy for Houston. An analysis on the number of homes with Federal Housing Authority loans shows that the Houston/The Woodlands/Sugar Land housing market is the second worst in the country for homes in danger of foreclosure. MEANWHILE: Houstons only Frank Lloyd Wright house is on the market The American Enterprise Institute analyzed Federal Housing Authority data and claims that 40,147 Houston families are delinquent on their mortgages as of May. Of those, nearly 30,000 are 90 days past due. The rate of delinquent mortgages in Houston fell from 19.3 to 18.8 percent from 2019 to 2020, a positive sign among the fray. The only metro area with a higher number of delinquent mortgages is the Atlanta/Sandy Springs/Alpharetta area in Georgia, with 42,268 families delinquent. However, Houston's rate of delinquency is higher including the rate of those 90 days past due. Borrowers in delinquency are at risk of wracking up fees and penalties, or even worse: Foreclosure. But there are ways to avoid it if you're struggling to make payments. Sometimes, lenders will work out a short refinancing period and then throw the rest of the mortgage into a new loan, according to Investopedia. If there's an emergency that causes you to miss a payment, lenders can also work out a forbearance period for homeowners. Across the country, 1.13 million families are behind on payments, or about 14.7 percent. Eds: This story was supplied by The Conversation for AP customers. The Associated Press does not guarantee the content. Christopher Beem, Penn State (THE CONVERSATION) Decades ago I helped organize a conference that brought together vaccine skeptics and public health officials. The debate centered on what governments can and cannot demand from citizens, and what behaviors one can rightly expect from others. It took place many years before the current coronavirus pandemic, but many things that happened at that conference remind me of our circumstances today. Not least, as a political theorist who also studies social ethics, it reminds me that arguments grounded in self-interest can often be correct but still deeply inadequate. The rationality of vaccine skepticism I recall one participant summarizing her objection to vaccines in the following way: She said that the government demanded that she allow a live biological agent to be injected into her childs body even though it could not guarantee her childs safety. For these reasons, she claimed, she had every right to decide that her child would not receive the vaccine. This womans objection was driven by her suspicion that the MMR vaccine, for measles, mumps and rubella, caused autism. This claim has been shown, repeatedly and conclusively, to be without merit. Still, she was not entirely wrong. Many vaccines do contain live agents, though they are in a weakened or attenuated state. And while adverse and even serious reactions have been known to occur, such a risk is infinitesimally small. Indeed, the preponderance of evidence shows that the risk of harm or death to the unvaccinated child from infections such as MMR is far greater than any associated with receiving the vaccine. But more importantly, this parents decision to reject the vaccine affected more than just her child. Because so many parents refuse vaccination for their children, outbreaks of measles have taken place throughout the U.S. In fact, in 2019 the United States reported its highest number of cases of measles in 25 years. COVID and vaccine hesitancy Many individuals are rejecting the COVID-19 vaccine for similar reasons that is, reasons grounded in self-interest. They say that COVID vaccines are experimental, their long-term effects are unknown and that emergency authorization by the Food and Drug Administration was rushed. In fact, while the vaccines were given emergency authorization to expedite their availability to the general public, they are not experimental but rather the result of years of already existing research on mRNA vaccines and coronaviruses the family of viruses including SARS-CoV-2 that causes COVID-19. And they received authorization only after conclusive evidence showing they were indeed safe. Those who reject the COVID vaccine also note that many receiving the vaccine have had an adverse reaction, including flu-like symptoms that are short-lived but often quite unpleasant. Cases of anaphylactic shock or blood clots have also happened, but they have been extremely rare, and safeguards on how to provide immediate care are in place for any such eventuality. Here again the risks associated with the vaccine are extremely small, but for some people, still real. Therefore these individuals apparently decided that they would rather take their chances with the disease itself. Many are young and dont think the disease will affect them, and many more dont trust the doctors, scientists and politicians who they say are pushing them to take the vaccine. One could readily dispute these claims, too. In fact, rising vaccination rates over the past few weeks show that many people have reevaluated the risks of remaining unvaccinated. Whether these people have seen evidence of the virulence of the delta variant or have seen for themselves that millions of people have taken the vaccine and are completely fine, their evaluation of their own self-interest has changed. Nevertheless, many others remain adamant that these risks are unacceptable. Like that parent from many years ago, these individuals are not entirely wrong. There are risks associated with getting the vaccine. And knowing these risks, and knowing that they bear the costs of their decision, many Americans believe that they alone have the right to decide. What the government or anyone else wants is beside the point. But here again, the costs of refusing the vaccine are not borne by the individual alone. Rising case numbers and hospitalizations, renewed restrictions regarding public events, even the emergence of the delta variant itself are happening largely because many millions of Americans chose not to get the vaccine. And for parents of children under 12 who cannot yet receive the vaccine some of whom are immune compromised the thought of returning to school this fall with infection rates again climbing no doubt fills them with dread. Many would argue that this lack of concern for other people is immoral. The Golden Rule do unto others as you would have others do unto you manifests that concern for the well-being of others is at the core of morality. Those who choose not to take the vaccine ignore this concern and therefore act immorally. But, I would argue that their indifference to the welfare of others is not only immoral, it is also un-American. Democracy and concern for others Americans are a highly individualistic nation, and the spirit of rugged individualism, or the idea of pulling yourself up by your bootstraps, runs deep in American culture and history. In fact, from the nations very beginning, Americans have accepted the notion that human beings care about themselves and those they love more than they do about other people. At the time of Americas founding, many contemporaries believed that a democracy is possible only if citizens love their country more than themselves. But Americas founders rejected this idea. Human beings are not angels, James Madison said. The founders accepted the reality of human selfishness and developed institutions especially the checks and balances among the three branches of government whereby peoples natural selfishness could be directed toward socially useful ends. But neither Madison nor any of the other founders believed that human beings were merely selfish. Nor did they believe that a democracy could be sustained on selfishness alone. The Federalist Papers were written by James Madison, Alexander Hamilton and John Jay in support of the U.S. Constitution drafted in 1787. In Federalist 55, Madison presents this summation of human nature: As there is a degree of depravity in mankind which requires a certain degree of circumspection and distrust, so there are other qualities in human nature which justify a certain portion of esteem and confidence. Republican government presupposes the existence of these qualities in a higher degree than any other form. Yes, Madison says, human beings are selfish, and one must not ignore that reality when one is deciding how to run a society. But people are not merely selfish. We are also capable of acting with honesty and integrity and of thinking for the good of the whole rather than merely ourselves. More, Madison argued that this other side of human nature, this concern for others, had to be operative if democracy were to survive. In fact, he insisted that, more than any other form of government, a democracy depended on virtuous citizens. Speaking at the ratifying convention for the U.S. Constitution in his home state of Virginia, Madison said: Is there no virtue among us? If there be not, we are in a wretched situation. No theoretical checks no forms of government can render us secure. To suppose that any form of government will secure liberty or happiness without any virtue in the people, is a chimerical idea. Mere selfishness is un-American Madison lived through the yellow fever epidemic of 1793. He even advised President George Washington about how he might address this health emergency. But there was no vaccine, nor even an understanding of what caused the epidemic. While we dont know what Madison would have said about a vaccine, we do know what President Dwight D. Eisenhower said after the development of the polio vaccine. Eisenhowers words likewise affirm the idea that our democracy requires that we show concern for one another. We all hope that the dread disease of poliomyelitis can be eradicated from our society. With the combined efforts of all, the Salk vaccine will be made available for our children in a manner in keeping with our highest traditions of cooperative national action, he said. Because of Madison and the other founders, the United States is a free and democratic society. Within very broad limits, Americans all have the right to make their own decisions. In some cases, Americans may even have the right to ignore the impact of their decision on others. But a free society demands more of its citizens than mere selfishness. Political institutions can help direct and mitigate the effects of this natural human inclination to selfishness. Throughout history, Americas leaders have recognized that without concern for others, without the highest tradition of cooperative national action, democracy is in peril. People who decide not to get vaccinated must understand that their actions are not just selfish, they are un-American. [Understand whats going on in Washington. Sign up for The Conversations Politics Weekly.] The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts. The Conversation is wholly responsible for the content. Bedford, PA (15522) Today Thunderstorms - some may contain locally heavy rain, especially this evening. Low 68F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 100%.. Tonight Thunderstorms - some may contain locally heavy rain, especially this evening. Low 68F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 100%. While the Bible is often quoted, Jesus is often misquoted. Too often, Christians and other readers of the Bible will hear particular verses and passages in the Bible the way they want to hear them. Believers must be clear on the things that Jesus said and didnt say, so they truly understand the Word of God. Here are seven times Christians misquoted Jesus. You will be saved. All you need to do is believe. Many Christians think that Jesus says this, but He didnt. There is more to salvation than just believing. Yes, faith is essential, and salvation comes through faith. Ephesians 2:8-9 says, For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. This isnt the only passage that speaks to the necessity of faith to be saved. However, we must be careful when it comes to verses like Romans 10:13, which says, For whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved. This is one of the biggest mistakes that many who profess to be believers make. In Acts 22, Paul gives us the greatest example of what salvation looks like to be baptized in water and immersed in new life with Christ. Read the entire New Testament to understand what Jesus really taught. When you die as a good person, you will go to heaven. Many believers think that their good works or simply doing the right thing will get them into heaven. Jesus never said this. The Bible tells us that getting into heaven isnt the result of our works. The Bible says, For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God not by works so that one can boast. Yes, Jesus wants us to love our neighbors and do good deeds, but it doesnt mean all the good we do will get us in heaven. The truth is, not everyone will get into heaven. Its a reality many believers dont want to confront. Thankfully, we have the assurance that those who come into faith in Jesus Christ can receive the gift of eternal life. The more you do great things, the richer you will become. Some believe this is the gospel of Jesus, but this is more in line with the prosperity gospel. This distortion of the gospel traps Christians into believing that they will receive more if they give more to the church. It also teaches that if you are financially prosperous, you were a good Christian. If you arent, you didnt pray hard enough or do what you were called to do by God. Churches that preach the prosperity gospel usually equate church membership with service and tithing, with no formal commitment to God. This is not what Jesus preached. Jesus warned His disciples, Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed. A mans life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions (Luke 12:15). Jesus preached in great contrast to this belief system. Jesus also said, Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. We cant serve two masters and be believers. Jesus went to Church every Sunday. Some Christians dont realize that Jesus kept the Sabbath on the seventh day. The Sabbath day is Saturday. Luke 4:31 says, And [Jesus] went down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee. And he was teaching them on the Sabbath. Observing the Sabbath created great conflict with religious leaders of Jesus time, more than anything, apart from Jesus claiming to be the Messiah. Jesus critics wanted to kill Him because he broke the Sabbath by breaking one of their rules. I love Christians more than unbelievers. Many Christians believe that God doesnt love those who arent saved, the unbelievers. We must remember that God loves everyone, even those who are lost or havent found them yet. Titus 3:3-5 says, We also were once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various desires and pleasures, living in evil and envy, filled with hatred and hating each other. But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward mankind appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of rebirth and the renewal of the Holy Spirit. While Gods desire is for all to know and accept Jesus into their hearts, He doesnt love anyone any less. Church isnt that important. Never once did Jesus say going to church isnt important. In fact, it was Jesus custom. Going to church was a regular part of Jesus practice. The Bible says, He went to Nazareth, where He had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day, He went into the synagogue, as was His custom (Luke 4:16). There is a reason why Jesus wants us to go to church. When we become believers, we go to church not only because its a place to worship our Heavenly Father but also to grow in spiritual maturity. God calls us to be members of His body. We can go to church to be inspired to live our lives after Jesus. We should make church attendance a priority. You dont have to do everything commanded in the Bible. Jesus calls believers to be radically committed. This includes radical commitment in the way that we live. This means were all-in, including what we are commanded in the Bible. Too often, we water down the gospel, picking out the things we want to do and avoiding the things we think are difficult to do. Jesus never once said we dont have to follow Gods commands. First John 5:3 says, For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome. Second John 1:6 says, And this is love, that we walk according to His commandments; this is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning so that you should walk in it. Only when we take Gods Word and commandments seriously, the world will also take Him seriously. If we dont follow Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we cant expect others to. When we hear the words of Jesus the way God intended, we can fully experience their power. Dont be afraid to open your Bible and immerse yourself in the gospel. God is ready to reveal something amazing to you there. A police officer armed with an assault rifle directs traffic in Manila as the Philippine capital goes on a hard lockdown, Aug. 6, 2021. Philippine police arrested a village watchman who allegedly shot and killed a man he said was causing a disturbance during a COVID-19 lockdown in the nations capital over the weekend, authorities said Monday. The shooting occurred on Saturday, the second day of a two-week hard lockdown or enhanced community quarantine in Metropolitan Manila and nearby areas aimed at controlling the spread of the coronaviruss highly contagious Delta variant. Police said the victim, Eduardo Genoga, 55, was carrying a toy gun and died after being allegedly shot by Cesar Panlaqui, a civilian employee of Manilas Tondo district. A Manila Police District (MPD) statement identified Genoga as a scavenger who was attacked for (a) still unknown reason. Even at times of pandemic, when a lot of people are seemingly depressed [about] what is happening around us, [an] individual chose to take a life, unmindful of what the mental condition is, Manila police said. Panlaqui said the incident occurred while the victim was allegedly slamming doors and gates in Tayuman Street during curfew hours, according to police. Authorities reported that they recovered an unlicensed revolver from Panlaqui. MPD spokesman Capt. Philipp Ines said Panlaqui was charged because he used his strength to kill the victim, who was only armed with wooden sticks and improvised toy guns, according to local media. The Interior and Local Government department, which is responsible for public safety, and the independent Commission on Human Rights announced plans to investigate the shooting. We are already investigating this. Secretary Eduardo Ano already directed the Philippine National Police to determine the root cause of this incident, Interior and Local Government Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya told reporters. The department will not tolerate such possible abuse, he said. The Commission on Human Rights questioned the use of force in light of the pandemic. It is condemnable and deeply concerning that a quarantine violator died again in the implementation of quarantine protocols, which is reminiscent of deaths of violators in last years ECQ [enhanced community quarantine] implementation, commission spokeswoman Jacqueline Ann de Guia told BenarNews. Last year, President Rodrigo Duterte told police to shoot anyone causing a commotion after 20 people protesting the restriction were arrested. In April 2020, an ex-soldier was shot and killed by police while attempting to cross a coronavirus checkpoint in Metro Manila. Authorities said the man disobeyed a police order and pulled a handgun before being shot. In addition, Human Rights Watch reported that police killed 155 people from April to July 2020 compared with 103 between December 2019 and March 2020 before the COVID-19 pandemic began. De Guia did note that in cases of aggression, police or anyone in authority is empowered to use proportionate force to suppress the threat, but such action would not have a positive effect on the pandemic. Employing force will not eliminate the virus, but may instead further imperil and harm lives, which the quarantine rules is supposed to protect, she said. Meanwhile, Cristina Palabay, secretary general of the rights group Karapatan, blamed Duterte for encouraging police and law enforcers to carry out violence. She said the killing of Genoga and others linked to pandemic lockdowns reflect the propensity to use firearms. Why does a village official bear arms, especially in discharging duties, she asked. Why is such force used disproportionately against someone who committed a very minor offense? This is an incident that needs to be seriously looked at as an indication of a high level of impunity amid a pandemic, she said. Lockdown On Friday, authorities instituted the lockdown amid a spike in coronavirus cases while warning that the Delta strain was spreading across Metro Manila. The lockdown covers about 14 million people who live in the national capital region, as well as residents of four outlying suburban provinces. It allows only essential business and sectors such as hospitals and supermarkets to remain fully operational. On Monday, the health department reported 8,900 new infections along with six deaths one day after the nation recorded 287. The new figures bring the totals to more than 1.6 million infections and more than 29,000 deaths since the pandemic began. Since the implementation, more than 20,000 violators have been arrested, according to national police chief Gen. Guillermo Eleazar. Once again, we request the discipline and cooperation of every citizen so that our current situation will not worsen, he said. Kyaw Moe Tun, Myanmars ambassador to the United Nations, speaks to Radio Free Asia, a sister entity of BenarNews, a day after two New York-based Myanmar citizens were arrested over an alleged plot to kill or hurt the outspoken critic of the military junta, Aug. 7, 2021. The U.S. Attorneys Office in the Southern District of New York on Friday announced the arrest of two Myanmar citizens residing in the city who, it alleged, had plotted to seriously injure or kill Myanmars ambassador to the United Nations. The court filing states that Phyo Hein Htut, 28, and Ye Hein Zaw, 20, were involved in plans to attack Ambassador Kyaw Moe Tun by tampering with the tires on his car to cause a crash while he was riding in it. Kyaw Moe Tun, 52, had represented Myanmars civilian-led government which was overthrown in a Feb. 1 military coup, but now represents the countrys shadow National Unity Government (NUG), formed in opposition to the junta. He has been a prominent critic of Myanmars military regime that seized power on Feb. 1. He has refused demands of the junta to step down as ambassador and now represents the countrys civilian-led shadow government. Khin Maung Soe of the Myanmar Service of Radio Free Asia, a sister entity of BenarNews, spoke with the ambassador a day after the U.S. Justice Department announced the arrests. Excerpts of the interview with Kyaw Moe Tun: Radio Free Asia: How did you find out about the plot to hurt or kill you? Kyaw Moe Tun: It was last Tuesday when I heard about this and I informed the FBI and the U.S. Mission at the United Nations, who had been working with us all along and greatly helping us. They were worried for my safety and have provided me 24-hour security protection. RFA: How did you get the information about the plot? KMT: I got the information from the Burmese community here. RFA: One report said the FBI first found out about the plot on Aug. 3 and contacted a volunteer working for your security and let him know about the assassination plot. What do you know about that? KMT: I actually do not know all the details, but as soon as I learned about it, I informed the relevant authorities. RFA: How do you feel now? Are you worried about your safety? KMT: Im not worried at all because the host nation has taken all of the security precautions. Of course I was a little disturbed at first when I learned about it. But since I am on American soil and the U.S. government has given me a 24 hour protection I do not feel worried at all now. The measures they take the way they work are so professional and I really thank them, the FBI, the NYPD (New York City Police Department), the Westchester Police and the U.S. mission to the U.N., led by Linda Thomas, as well as the U.N. Security Service. RFA: Is it true that your residence is now well guarded and that a security detail is provided for your daily commute? KMT: Yes it is. They have taken full responsibility for the security of my residence as well as my office. They have their standard procedures and I fully cooperate with them. RFA: Why do you think they tried to get rid of you? KMT: That is very difficult for us to know. Only they would know the truth. RFA: The accused have stated that they were paid by an agent in Thailand. Do you think the military junta has something to do with this plot? KMT: I dont want to speculate on this. The U.S. Department of Justice has said they would carry on with the required investigations, and we will only know the truth after the investigations. RFA: Can you tell us about any plans you may have regarding Myanmar to be presented to the U.N. in the near future? KMT: We have started preparations for the 76th Session of the U.N. General Assembly, to be held next month. The current 75th General Assembly session will end on Sept. 13, and we havent found any challenges nor objections so far. However, we might find some challenges at the next session as the other side (junta) will make proposals to appoint someone to the U.N. Credentials Committee. Bennington, VT (05201) Today Thunderstorms likely this evening. Then a chance of scattered thunderstorms overnight. Low 69F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 90%.. Tonight Thunderstorms likely this evening. Then a chance of scattered thunderstorms overnight. Low 69F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 90%. COVID vaccines to be required for military under new US plan Members of the U.S. military will be required to get the COVID-19 vaccine beginning next month under a plan laid out by the Pentagon Monday and endorsed by President Joe Biden Classical music critic Andrew L. Pincus believes Saturday night's Tanglewood performance by Leonidas Kavakos, Emanuel Ax and Yo-Yo Ma is better suited for the enclosed Ozawa Hall. He writes, "What can you do? These three are admirable musicians, both individually and as an ensemble. On the lawn, where the music is amplified, hearing might have been better. From a seat in the center of the Shed, where amplification is a no-no, all a listener could do was strain his ears and think: next year, next year " The Berkshire Eagle spoke with Berkshire Health Systems leaders Friday, just after they announced that COVID-19 vaccines would be mandatory for all their employees by Oct. 1. They spoke about the illness (none of their seven patients is in critical care, and the vaccinated arent as sick), what they believe is the safety of the vaccines mechanisms, how theyll address union concerns, and that medical exemptions will be granted only in a few bizarre circumstances. Officials also say that they havent seen many serious adverse reactions to the vaccines. A small number of employees reported side effects, and they were minor and short in duration, and included low-grade fever, chills, body aches and/or headache, said Michael Leary, director of communications at BHS. Out of over 3,200 vaccines administered, we had a report of one serious reaction, and our monitoring clinicians responded quickly and appropriately. The [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] describes such reactions as very rare. The Berkshire Eagle: The Massachusetts Nurses Association, the union that represents members at Berkshire Health Systems, currently opposes vaccine mandates, though it encourages vaccination. The unions spokesman said that a major barrier for some is the FDAs not having fully approved the vaccines, though most union members statewide are vaccinated. The union wants more information about how getting shots could affect policies like earned sick leave, and for those who require exemptions. What would constitute medical and religious exemptions? David Phelps, president and CEO: Its not the first time weve had mandatory vaccinations here at the hospital, and we do have some experience, and the union is aware of that well work with them. Part of the reason were taking so much time Oct. 1 it gives us time to have those meaningful discussions with not just the union, but all our employees. Because there are people who have legitimate things they want to talk about, about vaccinations and exemptions. BE: There may be some people who cant be vaccinated or who refuse under exemptions, which BHS said it will consider. How would that work? Dr. James Lederer, chief medical officer/chief quality officer: Unlike the flu shot, which is produced in chicken eggs, and certain other biologic production vehicles, [the COVID vaccine] is produced in really a machine that has nucleotides that put them all together into an mRNA molecule that is enveloped by fat molecules. And so theres nothing biologic in here except perhaps a little bit of a fat molecule known as polyethylene glycol. And the likelihood of having a polyethylene glycol allergy is nigh on to unknown. There are a few people who have had plastic surgery injections to puff up wrinkles, and some of those folks have had allergic reactions to a COVID vaccine. But, short of that, theres nothing like the flu vaccine and all the allergies that were manifest with people who had egg allergies or other protein-based allergies. This is a machine-based production. Theres nothing in the production vehicle, in the production line, that uses eggs, or any other human components or animal components. So, it is about as clean and as risk free as it comes. And so I think, to have a medical exemption, you would really have to have a very bizarre set of circumstances. I expect well have less than one or two medical exemptions. BE: You said about 80 percent of BHS employees are vaccinated. Does the hospital have any sense of the reasons for the hesitancy for the others? Phelps: I think its like everywhere its all over. Just because we happen to have chosen health care as a career, were not that different in the way we think about important issues. In this one, there are lot of folks who just have strong opinions, there are many who are hesitant because of the FDA approval not having been finalized, and we will see what happens when thats done and how many are still left that still have some concern. BE: The Eagle has received anonymous reports of a small outbreak among staff at Berkshire Medical Center. What is going on here, and how will BHS handle employees who test positive? Darlene Rodowicz, executive vice president: At Berkshire Medical Center, we currently have nine inpatients [this dropped to seven on Monday]. In the last seven days, weve tested over 3,000 people in the [larger] community, and weve had a 3 percent positivity rate so, about 98 people have been positive. When we look at it amongst our employees, weve got a positivity rate of 0.3 percent, a tenth of what the community spread is. So, we have some positives here, but nothing that is overwhelming by any means. And it seems to be split between those that are vaccinated and unvaccinated. BE: Of those nine patients, how many are vaccinated, and how sick are they? Rodowicz: Its a mixed bag. We have vaccinated and unvaccinated. We have four or five from North Adams Commons [Nursing & Rehabilitation Center], so, thats elderly, and most of them are vaccinated, although not all residents of North Adams Commons are vaccinated. I dont think [any patients are] on high-flow oxygen, and we have no ventilator issues, no ones in critical care. Phelps: Theyre all on different floors, which is different than the last time. BE: Do people with family who are immunocompromised need to worry about the virus currently moving through the Berkshires? Is the virus more gentle this time around? Lederer: If you have immunocompromised family members, and youre not vaccinated, then really, the things you ought to do are one, immediately go get vaccinated and, two, use all the precautions that we have been using in the hospital setting, knowing that we were going to have positive patients. And we know, and its supported by the CDC that, as long as we are masked as providers, and the patients are masked, as positive patients, that the contact exposure is considered low risk. And so thats how weve been living in the hospital for these last 18 months. But, vaccination is a step beyond, because even in the situation that we see here today, those people who are admitted and have been vaccinated have much more mild disease than ever occurred back in February. Nationally, patients out there who are unvaccinated, if you are in the [age] 20 to 29 demographic our biggest unvaccinated demographic or if you are in the less than age 12 group that cannot be vaccinated, were seeing significant illness. This is not something that you want to take lightly. So, for the 20- to 29-year-olds, they definitely need to understand that they can suffer consequences of a COVID infection and, more importantly, if you have a family that has young ones under age 12 its going to be the family members that are likely going to bring this home if theyre not vaccinated and likely infect their children. And children are not immune to the severe effects of COVID. Some of the childrens hospitals nationwide are filling up with COVID infections, particularly in Florida and Louisiana. And these are not situations you want to put your children into. BE: What role is the delta variant playing in the Berkshires right now? Lederer: The expectation is that the delta variant is the predominant variant in Massachusetts, and our initial outbreak in North Adams Commons is being genotyped by the state. We sent them [a swab from each case]. I havent heard the results, but in talking to the medical director of the Department of Public Health, it was felt to be, first, second, and third, that this will be the delta variant. Nationally, the delta variant accounts for over 85 percent of all infections. Phelps: Were proud of the work our staff has done, and how seriously they have taken keeping our patients safe during this pandemic. And for about 80 percent of them, theyve been vaccinated, and we need to do a little bit better, and we know we need to pursue the mandate. Its also important that people in our community start to understand just how important it is for them to consider vaccination if they havent. And over the next several weeks, we expect to talk more about that to our community, as directly as we possibly can. Because we want to be helpful to those who want to do want to take that next step. Clarence Fanto can be reached at cfanto@yahoo.com, on Twitter @BE_cfanto or at 413-637-2551. You are the owner of this article. 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. Mark Fuller, who has served for seven months as interim chancellor at the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth, was picked Monday to permanently fill the role at the almost 7,900-student campus. A Black Texas high school principal said he was told by a district official to take down an anniversary photo from Facebook of him kissing his white wife in order to not stir up stuff. Colleyville Heritage High School Principal James Whitfield wrote a lengthy Facebook post on July 31 about the 2019 incident shortly after he had been promoted to the schools highest position. According to KXAS, Whitfield received an email from a school administrator containing the image of him kissing his wife Kerrie during their anniversary trip. RELATED: Tennessee Principal Apologizes For All Lives Matter Themed Black History Month Through the Grapevine-Colleyville school district, the professionally shot photos were provided to PEOPLE and show the couple in an intimate pose on a bench. Whitfield said the photos were taken a decade ago during their 10-year-anniversary in Mexico. I wish I had the conviction to say, No, Im not going to take it down thats a picture of me and my wife kissing on the beach. Theres no reason for me to take this photo down,' he told the news station. I look at the picture, and I look at the words above it, and it says, Is this the Dr. Whitfield we want leading our schools? I showed it to my wife, who immediately begins to well up with tears, said Whitfield, adding he believed that meant he was being criticized for being in an interracial relationship. They said, Could you take it down? Can you take this picture down? Can you hide it? and I asked, Why? Whats wrong with the picture? It was, Hey, I am trying to avoid any conflict. Whitfield said on Facebook that the request he take the photos down stem from bigoted and racist attacks hed been receiving from the public. I am not the CRT (Critical Race Theory) Boogeyman, he said. I am the first African American to assume the role of Principal at my current school in its 25-year history, and I am keenly aware of how much fear this strikes in the hearts of a small minority who would much rather things go back to the way they used to be. The school district told KXAS in a statement: When a social media concern is brought to the attention of the district, we have a responsibility to review it. Some of the photos the district received contained poses that are questionable for an educator, especially a principal or administrator. It added: It had absolutely nothing to do with race. As a new campus principal, we wanted to provide a smooth transition for Dr. Whitfield to Heritage Middle School, which is why we advised him of the concern and made a request for the photos to be taken down from Facebook. Call ahead to confirm events. Due to COVID-19, many events have been canceled but hosting organizations might not have updated their entries. Email Blast Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request. Daily News Headlines & Events Email Blast Would you like to receive a digest of each day's headlines & events from The Daily News by email? Signup today! The Amplifier Headlines & Events Email Blast Would you like to receive a weekly digest of headlines & events from The Amplifier by email? Signup today! Daily News Hosted Events The Daily News is a proud host of community enrichment events. Join our Daily News Events mailing list to learn about the next event we are planning. Sign up now. Manage your lists Ezra. Who was this important man? Have you heard the name or perhaps participated in a study of Ezra? Ezra was a scribe and a priest. We read about him in the Old Testament. Although details of his birth, youth, and family information are not shared in Scripture, we learn that Ezra was a man dedicated to God and to following the will of God. Who Was Ezra in the Bible? The Bible shares limited details about Ezra. His role in fulfilling prophecy and in sharing the message of God was vital to believers and non-believers. His hair color, height, weight, and other facts are not shared in Scripture. We dont learn things like what he liked to eat, or if he was a large person or a small person. As with other important people in the Bible, Ezras main goal was to further the kingdom of God. By not knowing the exact features of Ezra, we can focus on his journey and mission for God. Instead of thinking about his appearance, what he ate each day or specifics about his family, we are able to focus on God and not on the scribe named Ezra. God gives each person special and unique talents. Those gifts given by God can be used to bring others closer to Him. If we focus on a person, we may lose sight of the journey to God. Ezra knew the law of Moses. He had his heart set on studying the law of the Lord (Ezra 7:10 NIV). The king granted Ezra all he asked because the hand of the Lord was on him. Imagine being so fully dedicated to the Lord that your main mission in life would be to serve Him and share the message with others. Ezra studied the Torah, lived it, and taught the Torah to others. Ezra listened, prayed, followed the Word of God, and obeyed. What Did He Do in His Lifetime? Ezra the scribe was a courageous man. When Ezra led the exiles back from Babylon, he didnt ask for an army to guide them. Ezra believed the group would be protected by God. He knew there could be severe consequences for following God, yet he chose to obey. His dedication to God is important for believers and showed non-believers the possible results if they did not obey the law of God. Today, we have consequences for our actions. Gods Word is forever. His mercy and forgiveness are available if sins are confessed, and we ask for His mercy. Ezra showed his obedience to God by leading a group of Jewish exiles home from Babylon. He arrived about 58 years after the Temple was completed. He was sent by Artaxerxes with specific assignments to complete. Scripture tells that not all exiles returned. Only those people who the Spirit of God had stirred returned. During this time, vessels that had been taken from the Temple were returned as well. Some scholars suggest that the return of the vessels may have had a special meaning of continuity between the new Temple and the destroyed one. When the Temple was completed and dedicated, offerings of bulls, rams, lambs, and a sin offering for all of Israel were presented. Also, 12 male goats were presented to represent the number of tribes of Israel (Ezra 6:16-18 NIV). A controversial matter arose when Ezra learned about mixed marriages occurring. Marrying someone from another tribe was a concern. Artaxerxes gives a letter to Ezra, telling the people that whatever Ezra requires of them, they are to do that with dedication. Ezra is given authority by Artaxerxes to appoint judges and others for positions of importance. In the matter of breaking the law, Scripture tells that those who dont obey God will be judged and put to death or banishment or confiscation of their goods (Ezra 7:26 NIV). Ezra is ashamed of how some people have broken the law. He prays and tells God that he is ashamed of the iniquities of the people. He asks for forgiveness for the people (Ezra 9:5 NIV). Ezra was extremely upset, tore his clothing, and pulled out hair from his beard and head. How did the people respond, knowing they had broken the law? They swore to make a covenant with God to send away all foreign wives and children (Ezra 10:6 NIV). At one point, when Ezra learned there were no Levites in the group of exiles, he sent for Levite leaders. The group fasted and prayed to God for a safe journey as they returned from exile. He mourned the faithlessness of the exiles. They had claimed to want to do one thing, but they pursued another way. How often do we fail? We plan to follow His way, yet we get caught up in our own desires. Do we ask for Gods forgiveness? This account in the Bible reminds us there are people who will follow God at all costs and others who will only follow God when things work out the way they desire. Why Is the Story of the Exiles Returning so Powerful? Have you ever been given a second chance at something? Or perhaps a third, fourth, fifth, or more chances? The returning of the exiles is filled with emotion and drama. Do you think the road was dusty? Were people becoming sick along the journey? What did each day hold for the people? Returning from exile meant a new start for those who aimed to obey the will of God. The actions of the people meant they had the opportunity for a new beginning. The forgiveness of sins and the ability to start new. Laws were created by God and those laws were meant to be obeyed. Did the people have failures once they returned from exile? Yes. We can aim to follow the will of God, yet there are times when we fail. In those times of failure, we are able to go to God and ask for His forgiveness and mercy. Ezra asked God for forgiveness of the people who had broken the laws. Ezra led the exiles back while understanding there would be consequences for sins. There would be struggles and trials. Ezra knew God would be with the people. We are responsible for our words and actions. Yet, our hope is found in Him. 25 Important Lessons to Learn from Ezras Life Be alert for Gods message. Dedicate yourself to following God. Dedicate yourself to obeying the will of God. Ask for His guidance. Pray before making any decisions. Be ready to act according to the plan God has for your life. Give thanks in every circumstance. Share the love of God with others. Help guide others to a relationship with God. Be strong and courageous. God is always with you. When trials come, go to God first. Follow His commandments. Remember Ezra and others who dedicated their lives to God. There are consequences for our words and actions. Set your eyes on the goal ahead, the goal of drawing closer to God. When questions or doubts arise, go to God. Seek wisdom from others who follow God. Remember we all sin and fall short of the glory of God. Remember God forgives when we ask. The love of God is forever. The journey may be hard at times, but God will never leave. God will equip us with what is needed to further His kingdom. We can learn from the mistakes and successes of others. God loves you forever. Ezra was dedicated to serving God. Our hope is found in Him. Blessings, Melissa Henderson Photo credit: Getty Images/Javier Art Photography Award-winning author Melissa Henderson writes inspirational messages sometimes laced with a bit of humor. With stories in books, magazines, devotionals, and more, Melissa hopes to encourage readers. Melissa is the author of Licky the Lizard and Grumpy the Gator. Her passions are helping in the community and church. Melissa is an Elder, Deacon, and Stephen Minister. Follow Melissa on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and at http://www.melissaghenderson. com This article is part of our People from the Bible Series featuring the most well-known historical names and figures from Scripture. We have compiled these articles to help you study those whom God chose to set before us as examples in His Word. May their lives and walks with God strengthen your faith and encourage your soul. The Bible Story of Elijah The Life of Ruth - 5 Essential Faith Lessons The Bible Story of Queen Esther The Greatest Villain - King Nebuchadnezzar The Bible Story of Mary Magdalene Aug. 8As the lowest-ranking member of the minority party, Boise Rep. Chris Mathias doesn't hold much power in the Idaho Legislature. He didn't get assigned to the committees he wanted in his first session education, for one and he sponsored just one successful House bill, something that's not unusual for Democrats, who hold only 12 of 70 House seats. But as debates raged over critical race theory and allegations of "indoctrination" in schools, Mathias had a lot of thoughts. He remained silent on the floor when they debated the bill that names critical race theory outright. The 43-year-old representative saved those thoughts, instead, for the debate on a bill to approve the higher education budget. The bill cut $2.1 million from universities, including Boise State, Mathias' alma mater. But it was a compromise from larger cuts that far-right House members wanted. "Virtually every law and policy that we maintain has a disparate and adverse impact on people of color," said Mathias, the second Black Idaho legislator in history. He paused as he trembled. "Housing, health, education, wealth, income people of color always come out on the losing end. Always," he said, his voice cracking with emotion. "And I don't think it's unfair to acknowledge it." That 11-minute floor speech on May 3, defending Idaho's colleges and courses, made waves. In the three days after his speech, Mathias' inbox was inundated with hundreds of pages' worth of emails, according to public records obtained by the Idaho Statesman. One emailer urged Mathias to oppose the higher education bill because critical race theory was "destroying our nation." Another called Mathias "a stain and embarrassment to Idaho." "Teach your own child your warped thoughts and beliefs. Leave OUR children ALONE!" one respondent wrote, with the subject line, "Really??" on May 3. "Not sure where you're from, but here in Idaho we don't breed Marxism. We fight against it." But even more supporters had emailed him officials from school districts, nonprofit employees and Idaho residents who were outraged that fears over what Republicans claimed was being taught had spiraled to dominate debates about education funding. Mathias said that until he spoke to his wife of 15 years, he hadn't realized his speech had been significant for so many people. "Which I think is great, but again, it's unfortunate that it had to be a big deal about something that isn't a threat to Idahoans like failed bridges, or traffic congestion, or lack of affordable housing" are threats, Mathias said. "I wish I had an awesome speech about those things." Mathias was elected in 2020 with 68% of votes for District 19. But before he was a state legislator, he had a history of working with educators, at Boise State University and as the chief academic officer for the Idaho State Board of Education. Matt Freeman, executive director of the State Board, said Mathias is "very thoughtful and deliberative in his approach. He is not someone who's ruled by passion." Freeman said he had never seen him display the level of emotion he did that day on the House floor. "I think that was indicative of just really how important it was to him personally that his colleagues in the House understood the topic and what was being debated," Freeman told the Statesman. Working across the aisle is a strength, Rep. Wendy Horman says Previous co-workers and colleagues describe Mathias as thoughtful, deliberate and reasoned. He does his homework, they said, and approaches policymaking by looking at data and facts. Mathias, who also served in the U.S. Coast Guard with top-secret clearance, said Idaho residents often lump him into a group with high-profile national Democrats, such as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi or U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. He said it's up to him to localize the politics show them that he cares about Idaho, and that "I'm not the devil. I don't have horns." Rep. Wendy Horman, an Idaho Falls Republican who sponsored the critical race theory bill, said she considers Mathias a friend. Horman worked with Mathias on the Complete College Idaho plan, aimed to boost the state's college completion rates. She had asked Mathias for his input in the bill on critical race theory, and included mention of ethnicity, not just race, by his suggestion. Mathias ultimately still voted against the bill. But Horman said the fact that she asked for Mathias' input on the bill, despite his low ranking in the House, is a testament to how much she respects him. "Getting the perspective of people who are coming at the issue from a different angle can only improve our law and politics in this state," Horman told the Statesman. Horman praised Mathias for his ability to work with those across the aisle. She described him as collaborative, a policymaker focused on the data. She also said he was humble about his credentials she had discovered that he was a veteran and had a Ph.D. long after she had first gotten to know him. When Mathias spoke on the higher education budget, he said he had rehearsed the speech and carefully chosen his words but "not once had emotion ever overtaken me" until the moment he delivered it publicly. After Rep. Ron Nate, a Rexburg Republican, objected to his speech, House members took a break from the debate. Mathias said that's when another House member told him, "Chris, if you keep talking, you're gonna lose votes." "At that very moment, I thought to myself, 'What do I want right now?'" Mathias said. "Do I want to continue to talk and share all of the things that I've been thinking about for a month ... or do I want this bill to pass? And I knew, I need this bill to pass." Mathias said he's learned this year that sometimes, saying less can get a Democrat better results in the Legislature. "Restraint is definitely something I had to learn this session," Mathias said. Critical race theory, indoctrination task force, debate 'a big fat nothing-burger' Republican Lt. Gov. Janice McGeachin in April announced a task force on claims of indoctrination against schools. The fourth and final meeting is scheduled for Aug. 26. Mathias said he hasn't been watching them. Educators nationwide right now are discussing the merits of SAT or ACT scores, and whether they're accurate indicators of readiness for postsecondary education. They're considering a shift to outcomes-based funding, a model to allocate state money to higher education institutions based on performance measures like retention or job placement rates. Mathias pays attention to that. "Talking about social justice, and critical race theory, and indoctrination not only is that bad because it's just a big fat nothing-burger, but there's also opportunity costs," Mathias said. "There's a displacement effect. If we're talking about these things, it means we're not talking about these other things." Mathias doesn't anticipate significant changes for higher education in Idaho, but he said there's a thirst for better K-12 funding. But for the next legislative session, Mathias said he's trying to be realistic, and is focused on more than education. For one, he hopes to address a law that prevented the children of National Guard members who died in a Black Hawk crash in February from qualifying for the State Board of Education's military dependents scholarship because they didn't die in combat. A more controversial change for Mathias would be to raise the amount of money or goods that qualifies a crime as "grand theft" in Idaho. It's currently any theft over $1,000, an amount that hasn't changed since the 1990s. "Do we want to send Idahoans to prison on felonies for stealing phones? Maybe. Let's have a conversation about it," said Mathias, who majored in criminal justice administration. "It's a criminal justice issue, but it's also a good government issue." People still see Mathias as an 'other,' Cherie Buckner-Webb says Mathias recalled the first time he thought about racial injustice. It was when a teacher hit him in grade school, he said, and he couldn't understand why or what he'd done. He was the only Black child in his class, he said. "There was this look on everyone's face. We've never seen that," Mathias said. "But you know, I didn't harp on it. I like him. I've moved on. And I learned important lessons about prejudice, and behavior and verbal cues." Mathias said the construct of race is difficult to avoid when looking at the realities of society. "Black people are so few of the population. Why are there so many of us in prison?" Mathias said. "It's not because we're predisposed to criminality. It's because of prejudice." Cherie Buckner-Webb, a former representative in Mathias' district, became the first Black legislator in Idaho after winning election in 2012. She is also Mathias' neighbor. Buckner-Webb said the 2021 session was "one of the most tumultuous years I have seen in the Idaho Legislature, where race became such an issue." She said she's seen the Republican-dominated Legislature move backward on racial justice issues. "He had a sense of what was happening, and I probably talked to him really candidly about my experience," Buckner-Webb told the Statesman. "But when this year came, I don't think anything I could've said prepared him any better than his life experience." Mathias said he learned to set egos aside, and work for the team, in the Coast Guard. He once faced a 100-foot wave, he recalled, about 500 miles off the coast of Antarctica. He was humbled by seeing the massive Ross Ice Shelf, which reminded him of how "insignificant" he was. Despite all of his life experience, "folks will still see him as an 'other'" in the Legislature, Buckner-Webb said. But a lawmaker, she said, needs to be committed to everyone in Idaho not just one race, gender, party or district. "He's got that in his soul," Buckner-Webb said. When legislators aren't in session, Mathias said he goes camping nearly every weekend with his 6- and 8-year-old children. He said he considers the future he wants for them. He pointed to declining life expectancy in the U.S. and declining wealth compared to older generations. He pointed to the lack of housing, the property tax increases and the other challenges he sees his children potentially facing. He said he hopes policymakers can turn that around. "I want my kids to live a longer, healthier life than me. I hope they make more money than me," Mathias said. "I would just like to have them enjoy more freedom than me. And I want that for all our kids." The Food and Drug Administration of Taiwan (TFDA) is diligently participating with many global organizations to facilitate the convergence of medical devices regulations and policies. One of the pivotal contributions to international regulatory harmonization of medical devices is as the Asian Harmonization Working Party/ Global Harmonization Working Party (AHWP/GHWP) WG2 Chair for years. TFDA has achieved outstanding performance on the regulatory harmonization and received positive recognition from the AHWP/GHWP Leaders. AHWP/GHWP, a voluntary group of regulators and industry members with the goals of developing and recommending approaches for the convergence and harmonization of medical device regulations in Asia and other regions. Taiwan has been an official member since it was established in 1999. TFDA was elected as the Chair of In Vitro Diagnostic (IVD) workgroup (known as WG2) in 2012 and has continued in office for other terms until now. Taiwan is an active workgroup in the AHWP/GHWP Technical Committee, WG2 has been focusing on the promotion of global harmonization in the premarket review processes and assisting AHWP/GHWP members economies in implementing a regulatory framework of IVD medical devices. In the period of Taiwan chairing the WG2, it has already developed fourteen guidance or reference documents and endorsed by the AHWP/GHWP. Furthermore, Taiwan has been active in leading WG2 to collaborate with other AHWP/GHWP workgroups and international organizations. As WG2 Chair, TFDA routinely joins the International Medical Device Regulators Forum (IMDRF) IVD working group meetings for reviewing and updating the Principles of IVD Medical Devices Classification document. In addition, WG2 has established a long-term cooperation relationship with WHO IVD pre-qualification team to contribute technical comments to WHO Technical Specification and Technical Guidance documents. The continuous and significant participation of TFDA in global medical device regulatory organizations, sharing knowledge and expertise with the global regulatory professionals, have been greatly showing Taiwans medical device regulatory leadership and significant role in Asia and beyond. The company has set up a dizziness and balance disorders lab at over 150 hospitals and speciality clinics in 50 cities across India NeuroEquilibrium the chain of dizziness and balance disorder clinics- announced its plan to expand its dizziness and balance lab, equipped with DeepTech remote diagnosis platform, to 1000 hospitals globally in the next two years. NeuroEquilibrium recently got European CE certification for its diagnostic equipment, which allows it to provide its services in Europe and most parts of the World. The company has set up a dizziness and balance disorders lab at over 150 hospitals and speciality clinics in 50 cities across India. Recently, NeuroEquilibrium has supplied its Vertigo and Dizziness lab to institutions like AIIMS Delhi and AIIMS Raipur, which will help the common man suffering from dizziness and balance disorders. Founded by Dr Anita Bhandari, a vertigo specialist, and Rajneesh Bhandari, a serial entrepreneur and an IIT alumnus, NeuroEquilibrium has over 150 hospitals/clinics across India and a few centres in Europe are provided remote diagnostic services by super-specialist doctors assisted by computer vision and machine learning. "Over 15% of the population has dizziness and balance disorders, which present to doctors of all specialities. Over 40 common disorders of the inner ear and the brain can lead to vertigo and dizziness. These disorders are diagnosed by vestibular evaluation, which has seen a tremendous advancement with the advent of new technology and instruments. Despite the high incidence of vertigo and dizziness, there are a few specialised dizziness centres available. With 150 health institutions across India now equipped with our diagnosis lab, we are making our efforts to bridge this gap," said Dr Anita Bhandari. The cutting-edge diagnostic equipment developed by NeuroEquilibrium helps diagnose over 40 diseases of the inner ear and the brain. The DeepTech platform integrates cloud technology and computer vision, clinical decision support systems, and virtual reality (VR). The company is a global frontrunner in the use of virtual reality for treating neurological conditions and phobias related to balance disorders which provide immersive exposure therapies. A recent paper on a computer simulation of one of the diseases that cause vertigo has just been published in the European Journal of Neurology. "We are collaborating with top European Universities and jointly publishing cutting-edge research," added Dr Anita Bhandari. Infostretch has created a software platform that connects volunteers and support partners with people in need As part of its Ignite philanthropic programme, Infostretch has partnered with INDIASHIELD to support the expansion of its citizen-led COVID support services across India. The service is run entirely by volunteers (currently a team of over 500 concerned people), all of whom are aiming to both alleviate the impact of the pandemic and save lives. The service bridges the gap between those seeking help and emergency medical resource providers. The support provided could be anything from providing accurate information about vaccination options to checking on hospital bed availability so that someone in need of medical attention can get access to help, close to their location. To date, INDIASHIELD has facilitated over 1,500 hospital bed bookings, 3,000+ ambulance bookings and provided support to hospitals and organisations in need of COVID-related resources across India. INDIASHIELD works with citizens from across 150 cities and has over 100 partners in its alliance, working together to provide support and help for those seeking help across all of India. Infostretch created a software platform that connects volunteers and support partners with people in need. INDIASHIELD has now supported 114,000 requests for help, with 74,000 of those requests coming in over the last two months, as India dealt with the Delta variant of the virus. Other organizations supporting INDIASHIELD include AWS (Amazon Web Services), WhatsApp, InterMiles, World Wide Technology, BMC, Parentune, FlexiLoan, Invest India, Government of Maharashtra, GOQii, Yulu, Manah Health, MedsForMore, Gateway Platforms, Zoho, Make My Trip, Concentrix, Haptik and TEDxGateway. Manish Dureja, CEO, of InterMiles. Each one of us had to step up and do our bit to help the nation navigate through these tough times. Kudos to the INDIASHIELD team and volunteers for their constant endeavour to save lives with the utmost dedication. InterMiles remains committed to INDIASHIELD as we collaborate on more ideas to benefit consumers and society at large. Zaakirah Rossier-Philander, digital content producer at Primedia Broadcasting Can you tell us a bit about yourself? I am a feminist at heart. I celebrate other women and their achievements and make a conscious effort to extend my arm to help pull other women up the ladder. You're the digital content producer at Primedia Broadcasting. Tell us more about your role here Can you briefly share your journey of how you entered the media industry? I had identified that users were reading our articles and leaving the site immediately which set me on a mission to correct this with tangible results with SEO practices. In a short period of time, we had managed to reduce the websites bounce rate by 15% while also driving an increase in traffic to specific centres on the website. Have you faced any challenges in the industry? If so, how did you overcome them? Ive had to become vulnerable enough to overcome imposter syndrome a battle that a lot of women of colour in South Africa and the world are battling with. I have realised that the only way to do this, I have to acknowledge and celebrate my achievements and the value that I bring. If I'm not mistaken, you're in your third year of a Marketing Communication BA at AAA School of Advertising. With this Covid-19 pandemic, how are you managing it? How do you keep that balance? Once you've completed this course, where do you foresee yourself in the future? For anyone interested in pursuing a career in digital marketing, what advice would you share with them? Learn as much as you can about everything pertaining to your role and your industry. As we celebrate Women's Month in South Africa. Do you have any words of encouragement for all the women out there? Do not minimise yourself or your achievements in the workplace or in the world, for that matter. I am a quirky spiritual being that dwells in the physical world. I am particularly interested in the way the mind works in relation to how thoughts lead to manifestation. I love ancient wisdom, and just for fun, I love studying the law of attraction, a bit of Astrology and elements of Astrophysics.Helping other women advance is a show of gratitude to the women who came before me and who worked hard to pave the path that I walk today.The day after Women's Day, it's my birthday, which makes the month so much more special for me!I am married, weve been going strong for 12 years. We dont have children but plan to have one or two once weve felt that our own inner child has been nurtured. Both my wife and I are academics completing part-time degrees while dedicating ourselves to our full-time careers.I am a digital marketer with a talent for simplifying high level and complicated concepts into simple and concise pieces of written work - nothing short of excellence. I conduct extensive research in order to produce on-brand content for our clients, often in the form of long-form articles that support audio stories or podcasts. You could call me a bit of a generalist I dont believe in specialising in just one thing and continuously strive to add new things to my toolkit.Through my client work at Primedia Broadcasting, Ive been exposed to various sectors and have researched and written about topics, including the energy sector, agriculture and profiling trailblazers on the African continent as well as promoting the investment potential that Africa presents to the world.You could call me a perfectionist; I pour myself into my work and strive for excellence, especially when my name is attached to it.When I completed my degree in journalism, I was convinced that print media would become extinct. I was studying journalism but I hadnt curled up on the couch with a newspaper in a long time.So, as a bright and bushy-tailed graduate, I quickly realised that I needed to carve a path for myself because my career options were limited to community newspapers and magazines at the time. I wasnt interested in print. I was intent on working in digital media, an interest that later evolved into a passion for digital content marketing.So, as a graduate entering the working world with no experience, I was petrified. I was lucky to be offered an internship at Health24 where I was afforded the freedom to develop my writing skills and find my passion. Within a few months in the editorial department, I developed a keen interest in the backend of the website.Under the leadership of the project manager and developers, I was offered an opportunity to assist with the improvement of the websites look and feel and the difficult task of search engine optimisation on Health24s content management system.Needless to say, I fell in love with all things digital, but when my internship ended, I was forced to take a job in public relations before deciding to go embark on a freelance journey. While I had small clients, I managed to secure a contract with Native VML as a social media moderator for Standard Bank.Two years later, I received a freelance contract from Primedia Broadcasting and was later offered a permanent role as a digital copywriter handling social media content creation and curation for Ster-Kinekor and Cinema Nouveau, Disaronno SA and Adidas.After a short while, I was exposed to specialist branded content writing and produced content for podcast series such as Standard Banks Africa Connected, Face to Face with Success, Sanlams The 200-Year-Old, Solutionist Thinking with RMB, Son of a Son by Kgabo Legora, The Story of Bokaap, Wits Impacts For Good and Absa Insights to name a few.Now, as a digital content producer while I still write branded content, the role has given me the freedom to be more creative and has afforded me the opportunity to take ownership of growing some of our platforms, whilst still managing campaigns from start to finish.I certainly have faced challenges. As a queer, spiritual, woman of colour in a male-dominated industry with colleagues who had the privilege of attending the best schools and universities, Ive always compared myself to my peers. The comparison wasnt a rational one but the mind works how it works.It wasnt until I read Valerie Youngsthat I was able to identify how patterns like perfectionism have led me to question my talent. I am still working on it but I have finally found my voice and Ive begun to insert and assert myself in conversations that I wasnt particular invited to participate in.I have a demanding job that requires high-level writing with short deadlines (story of our lives, right?) When you have high standards like me, it becomes quite difficult to juggle all the stressors of life, work, studies, and a pandemic that has forced me into isolation.When it feels like the world around me is on fire, I remind myself that it is okay to not be okay. The best that I can do is take it as it comes, observing my negative thoughts or overwhelming fears, allow them to pass and try again tomorrow.If I am truly honest, finding the balance has been the hardest part. When work is trafficked through to me with short or immediate deadlines, the books start to gather dust while the campaign is being serviced. Back-to-back deadlines have left me with just a few days to complete assignments ahead of deadline. I am in awe of women who manage to work in challenging roles, study and tend to their families.So, finding my sanity in the chaos of all of it has been my saving grace. I have an empathetic leader, Gary Oberholzer who also happens to be my mentor and he has always managed to guide me through the chaos to help find a balance.But to be honest, Ill probably only be able to answer this question in retrospect someday.I am a lifelong learner and naturally curious about everything and, hope to complete a PhD before I turn 40. While I dont hold the title of leader I view myself as a leader and an authority in my field and, I would love to be in a people-centric position where I can add value to the lives of other women and help them reach their potential.Dont be a specialist be a generalist.If youre a social media manager, it is not enough to just be able to write social media calendars, create visually appealing content and manage communities analytics and reporting should be part of your toolkit. These days, we have social media managers and paid media specialists as we move towards the Fourth Industrial Revolution, companies will require one person to perform all those duties. So, upskill yourself.Assert yourself know that what you have to say is important and do not depend on validation from others to estimate your worth.If you have an opinion to share in a meeting and a male counterpart talks over you or tries to diminish your input find an assertive manner to address him. As women, we often allow men to dominate the conversation which causes us to keep our valuable insights to ourselves and we prefer to send our insights in an email after the meeting, work harder at not doing that.Once youve made it up the ladder do not succumb to queen bee syndrome. Reach down and help pull other women up to join you at the top. We are not each others competitors.Empower other women and be an ally for gender equality in the workplace. (Support Free Thought) - By Matt Agorist A bill proposed in Florida, which is receiving widespread support from police, House Bill 11, filed by Rep. Alex Rizo, (R-Hialeah), could be yet another massive blow to your right to film the police. According to the bill, anyone who is hindering law enforcement in their duties, which could include filming them with a cellphone, could be arrested, fined, and even imprisoned. The loosely written language of the bill allows for rife abuse left up to the officers scope of discretion. According to the bill: Approaching a law enforcement officer after a warning with intent to impede, provoke, or harass. (1) As used in this section, the term law enforcement officer has the same meaning as in s. 943.10(1). (2)(a) It is unlawful for any person, after receiving a warning from a law enforcement officer not to approach, to violate such warning and approach or remain within 30 feet of a law enforcement officer who is engaged in the lawful performance of any legal duty with the intent to: 1. Interrupt, disrupt, hinder, impede, or interfere with the law enforcement officers ability to perform such duty; 2. Provoke a physical response from the law enforcement officer; or 3. Directly or indirectly harass the law enforcement officer. (b) A person who violates this subsection commits a misdemeanor of the second degree, punishable as provided in s. 31 775.082 or s. 775.083. Think about every police brutality video you have seen in which the person filming or bystander begs the officer to stop beating him or saying, he didnt do anything, and consider the language in the bill above. Telling officer Derek Chauvin to stop beating George Floyd easily could have been interpreted by the officers as an attempt to interrupt, disrupt, hinder, impede, or interfere. Whats more, the people who filmed Chauvin kill Floyd were much closer than 30 feet, which would have made all of them criminals according to this legislation. I think they are trying to hide something, like you dont want people recording. Why, if you not doing nothing wrong? Fort Lauderdale resident, Dushont Morrison told Local 10 when asked about this bill. But those who support the bill claim its to protect cops from attacks. Rod Skirvin, President of the Broward County Police Benevolent Association told Local 10, I dont think that there is any problem with recording the police. I think everyone should be able to do that, but I dont think you should get in their face to do it, he said. But cops, especially in Florida have a really rough time allowing people to film them. Just this week, we reported on the case of Khalid Vaughn, 28, of New York who took out his phone in a hotel lobby to film a whopping 21 cops beating a compliant man. After the massive gang of cops had their victim, Dalonta Crudup, 24, lying in a pool of his own blood, they turned their attention to Vaughn and did the same thing to him. He did nothing but film them. He was then charged and arrested. Though Vaughns charges were later dropped, if House Bill 11 was in place, they likely would not have been dropped and this innocent man could still be in jail right now for filming police. Filming the police, as the Free Thought Project has stated over the years, is a major tool in holding violent and killer cops accountable. George Floyd, Eric Garner, Alton Sterling, Alexander Gonzales, Walter Scott. and countless others all have one thing in common their last moments alive were captured on cellphone videos as police killed them. These videos and others like them led to charges against those involved, with some of them putting killer cops in jail for a long time. Not only did these videos lead to charges against cops but they showed the world the reality of police many interactions and how the escalation of force can and will result in the death of those accused of petty offenses. As TFTP has reported, it has been clearly established multiple times that all Americans have the right to record the police. For an officer or officers of the law to remain willingly ignorant of this precedent is at best, dereliction of duty, and at worst, unlawful deprivation of rights. Nevertheless, it happens all the time and laws like this will only serve to make the problem worse. Without citizen video, the country would still be in the dark about the nature of police violence in the land of the free; and thanks to bills like this one, we could possibly revert back to that darkness. Source: The Free Thought Project Matt Agorist is an honorably discharged veteran of the USMC and former intelligence operator directly tasked by the NSA. This prior experience gives him unique insight into the world of government corruption and the American police state. Agorist has been an independent journalist for over a decade and has been featured on mainstream networks around the world. Agorist is also the Editor at Large at the Free Thought Project. Follow @MattAgorist on Twitter, Steemit, and now on Minds. In the amended filing, Ganieva alleges that Black "made multiple comments to Ganieva about Epsteins sexual proclivities." Black allegedly told Ganieva that Epstein flew "very young girls" aboard his private plane...and while the lawsuit doesnt explicitly accuse Black of knowing that the girls Epstein trafficked were underage...it does claim that Black told Ganieva that Epstein made his money because he "takes care of the little girls" and was "doing a great job with it." She also claimed that she herself was trafficked to Epstein, saying that Black flew her to Florida in 2008 "without her consent, to satisfy the sex needs of Epstein, Blacks "best friend." Blacks legal team maintains that Ganievas account is a "work of fiction," according to a report in Vanity Fair. Blacks attorney, Dayna Perry, said in regard to the new claims that "Ms. Ganieva had six years to prepare her initial complaint in this case She now claims to recall in August supposedly crucial events and connections that somehow had slipped her mind at the time of her June filing. But just like her June complaint, Ms. Ganievas story today is demonstrably and transparently false and betrays her willingness to say anything and fabricate a story in the hope something will stick." But Ganievas lawyers are reportedly subpoenaing flight records to see if they can prove she traveled with Black to Florida in October 2008. Evidence of this flight could be bad for Black, though we imagine his legal team will dismiss the records as irrelevant. After asking her to meet him for lunch, Black allegedly drove Ganieva to Teterboro Airport in New Jersey, where they boarded a private plane. Ganieva states that once they were on the jet, Black told her they were flying to Palm Beach to meet his "friend", Jeffrey Epstein. Black instructed her not to tell anybody about the trip, even allegedly threatening to frame her for drug possession if she ever did. "Black specifically used heroin as an example of an illicit drug that would be problematic for her if he planted it on her," the lawsuit states. When they arrived at Epsteins mansion, a federal marshal was stationed outside in accordance with the terms of Epsteins sweetheart deal with prosecutors back in 2008. Epstein was famously granted work-release privileges allowing him to leave the jail for 12 hours every day during the entire year-long term of his incarceration. They were allegedly greeted by Epstein assistance Sarah Kellen, who was also quoted in the amended lawsuit. "You have to understand that [Jeffrey and Leon] are sex addicts," Kellen said, according to the lawsuit. "You have to let them do whatever they want with you, and you have to let them be with multiple sexual partners if thats what they want. They are very powerful, and if you dont do what they want you to do, there will be consequences that I do not want for you." When Ganieva refused to sleep with Epstein, Black looked "annoyed". He eventually dismissed her from Epsteins bedroom, and later, during the flight back to New Jersey, he refused to speak with her. By the sound of it, Black stopped just short of admitting the existence of an elite moneyed cabal centered around abusing children...sound familiar? Still, we must take it with a grain of salt, given that the issue still needs to be adjudicated in civil court (though we have a feeling that, following these latest accusations, Blacks legal team might be motivated to work out a settlement). Over the years, Black often texted with Epstein in Ganievas presence, and at one time he told her that she was "too old" for Epstein. "He likes them young," Black allegedly said. Ganieva has previously accused Epstein of abusing her both physically and emotionally, even alleging that he raped her back in 2014. Black maintains that the relationship was entirely consensual, and has vehemently denied her claims about his "predatory" and "vindictive" behavior. Now, with Ganieva poised to blow Blacks dirty little secret wide open, how much longer before prosecutors come calling, and force Black to start talking as they try to piece together other potentially high-profile "friends" of Epstein who participated in the sex trafficking 'ring'? What's Included With a Digital Only subscription, you'll receive unlimited access to our website and e-edition. Our digital products are available 24/7 and are accessible anywhere, anytime. If you have any questions or need further assistance, please call our customer service team at 814-368-3173 or email nfinnerty@oleantimesherald.com. Help Our Community Please help local businesses by taking an online survey to help us navigate through these unprecedented times. None of the responses will be shared or used for any other purpose except to better serve our community. The survey is at: www.pulsepoll.com $1,000 is being awarded. Everyone completing the survey will be able to enter a contest to Win as our way of saying, "Thank You" for your time. Thank You! Take The Survey Extreme heat and dry conditions are forcing Manitoba livestock producers to sell their cattle in much larger numbers than normal, according to several auction markets in the Westman region. Advertisement Advertise With Us Heartland Livestock Services marketing representative Ken Nolan poses for a photo inside the group's Brandon facility on Friday morning. Because of this summer's ongoing drought, Nolan told the Sun that this ring facilitated 10 times the usual amount of cattle throughout the month of July. (Kyle Darbyson/The Brandon Sun) Extreme heat and dry conditions are forcing Manitoba livestock producers to sell their cattle in much larger numbers than normal, according to several auction markets in the Westman region. Last week, the Sun spoke with representatives from three different auction houses in the southwest portion of the province who are all having to increase their availability this summer to accommodate an influx of sales. Heartland Livestock Services marketing rep Ken Nolan said their Brandon location is hosting a sale every week, which deviates from their usual biweekly schedule for this time of year. "During the month of July we probably moved, Im going to guess, 10 times more cattle than a regular July," Nolan said on Wednesday. While Heartlands location in nearby Virden isnt as busy, manager Robin Hill said they have also had to transition from a biweekly schedule to a weekly timetable this summer, having sold twice as many cattle as usual throughout the previous month. "I think the fall run is definitely going to start three weeks earlier than usual," Hill said. Killarney Auction Mart owner Allan Munroe mentioned that his facility never usually operates at this point in the summer, with July and August serving as a break before the action picks up again in September. However, this year he has been forced to add four new auctions throughout June, July and August in order to keep up with demand. "My phones normally dead through the summer, but unfortunately its not this year," Munroe said. The three auction reps say this influx of sales should not be celebrated, as Manitoba livestock producers are being forced to sell their cattle in large numbers out of necessity. The province is undergoing a major drought right now, with major heat and very little rain severely limiting producers ability to provide their herds with enough to eat and drink. According to the provinces most recent crop report, Manitoba Agriculture and Resource Development did not record any showers or rainfall for the southwest region throughout July 27-Aug. 3, with daytime temperatures reaching up to 32C. Because of this, Nolan said that farmers have no choice but to bring their cattle in for auction way ahead of schedule. If not, they risk losing entire sections of their herds to starvation or dehydration. "Some of the yearlings have already been through the system. Typically they wouldnt come until the end of August," he said. "So I think everythings just going to speed up and guys are going to be really strict on the culling of their cattle this year." Since Brandons Heartland auction mart casts a wide net in terms of its clientele, Nolan has been able to talk with livestock producers from across the province and glean some insight into how they are struggling in light of this drought. "I know some of those guys in the Interlake region are hauling water to cows, theyre drilling new wells," he said. "Theyre tackling a lot of extra expenses this year, trying to keep those cows (alive) so that they can at least get them to a point where they are big enough to sell." While Munroe is similarly worried about how this drought will impact the finances of Manitoba producers right now, hes also concerned with how it will affect consumers in the long run. "If we lose all these cows, then buckle your seat belts, because there will be less of them around and that should increase the price of beef down the road," he said. Moving forward, Nolan is expecting that Brandons Heartland auction mart will be busy facilitating sales right until winter, since the forecast doesnt show any signs of letting up. In the meantime, Nolan is asking the province to be more cooperative in responding to this agricultural crisis, especially since hes never encountered conditions like this before. "Im hearing stories from guys who are having crop insurance (people) to come out and look at their crops, and theyre not willing to write them off right away," he said. "They already know theres no production in that crop and some of it could have been used for feed if it could be written off sooner." On Friday, the Manitoba NDP also called on the PC government to provide livestock producers with additional aid because of the ongoing drought. The partys three-pronged approach to help ranchers mitigate financial losses right now includes: establishing a zero per cent interest lending program, providing a freight and feed assistance program throughout the federal government and temporarily reducing lease payments for Crown lands by 50 per cent. kdarbyson@brandonsun.com Twitter: @KyleDarbyson Want to praise someone or get something off your chest? Darts and Pats is the place to do it. Australians who live abroad have been denied permission to leave the country after a sudden rule change last week, contradicting a promise made by Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews. The Herald and The Age have so far seen four refusals for travel exemptions for Australians who usually live overseas that were issued over the weekend. As reported by this masthead, Ms Andrews earlier promised the federal government would approve exemptions for people who were ordinarily a resident overseas. Australian citizens who spend most of their time living abroad now face having to complete travel exemption forms to return overseas. Credit:Edwina Pickles While citizens and permanent residents have been forced to apply for an exemption to leave Australia since March last year, to date this has not applied to those who are ordinarily resident overseas based on travel records. It appears Australian Border Force was caught off guard by the government changing the rules to close what it regards as a loophole to force travelling expats to also apply for an exemption. The Northern Rivers region of NSW has been plunged into a seven-day lockdown after a man infected with COVID-19 spent time in the Byron area. Health authorities on Monday afternoon said that, from 6pm, the Byron Shire, Richmond Valley, Lismore and Ballina Shire local government areas would be subject to stay-at-home orders until at least August 17. NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian and Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant are concerned about the Byron case. Credit:Edwina Pickles The orders, which mirror those in place in Sydney, will apply to anyone who lives in the affected areas or has visited them since July 31. People will also not be allowed to enter the Far North Coast areas without a reasonable excuse to do so. The woman accused of escaping from Queensland hotel quarantine and spending four days in the community before being arrested 115 kilometres from her room has faced court. Jessica Lee Heath, 24, is accused of forcing open the glass door of her Gold Coast hotel quarantine room and fleeing on Tuesday, August 3. She was arrested in Caboolture on Saturday, August 7. Jessica Lee Heath. Credit:Facebook It will be alleged she had been placed into quarantine after travelling from the declared hotspot of New South Wales and was intercepted on July 31 at the border by Queensland police. Police said she was tested for COVID-19 upon entering quarantine and was negative, but she was due to be subject to further testing. She left her personal belongings behind, only taking her phone. Health experts have called on the Queensland government to follow the lead of southern neighbours and open broader access to the AstraZeneca vaccine at state-run hubs to boost community protection. Both NSW and Victorian clinics now offer the vaccine, the only being manufactured locally and used as a key pillar of the United Kingdoms rollout, to under-40s amid renewed outbreaks and still-limited alternatives. But announcing a new mass COVID-19 vaccination hub at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre on Monday to replace two hospital-based sites, and flagging more to come, Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the AstraZeneca rollout was being managed by GPs and pharmacies. Infectious diseases physician and University of Queensland-based microbiologist Paul Griffin, who has been involved in clinical trials for vaccines including the halted UQ coronavirus candidate, said the state should be looking at all options given its lagging position among other Australian jurisdictions and recent outbreak concerns. A baby who was in a critical condition has died in hospital after a mother reportedly fell while being swooped by a magpie in Brisbanes south. Paramedics were called to Glindemann Park in Holland Park on the corner of Lawn and Steele streets about midday on Sunday after the mother reportedly tripped and fell while holding her baby. Glindemann Park in Brisbanes Holland Park. Credit:Google Maps The woman was reportedly trying to duck a swooping magpie, a Queensland Ambulance spokeswoman said. The spokeswoman said the baby was taken to the Queensland Childrens Hospital in a critical condition. After a marathon recruitment process lasting six months with more false starts and near-finishes than a Tokyo track event, NAB has appointed a new government relations head. The winner? Seasoned political staffer Damian Callachor. NABs newest government relations boss served as chief of staff to former Nationals leader Michael McCormack during his stint as deputy prime minister. The Kevin Spacey lookalike has chalked up experience as a senior member of Qantas government relations team. NAB has announced a senior internal appointment. Credit:Will Willitts Callachors appointment was announced internally on Monday afternoon, after a final meeting with chief executive Ross McEwen last Monday. A memo from NABs corporate affairs boss Jason Laird noted Callachors more than 20 years experience in government, public policy and stakeholder management across a variety of industries in the public and private sectors including stints with McCormack, Warren Truss and senior roles with the West Australian government. Hell also be based in Sydney, Laird said, noting Callachor lives on a small property just outside Moss Vale in the Southern Highlands of NSW, close to half-way between Sydney and Canberra. He will start on Monday September 13. But his first day couldnt come soon enough for the bank and recruitment queen Anna Whitlam who was tasked with filling a chair which has been empty since former diplomat Philippa King announced her resignation in February. An alternative health practice and its clinical director have been fined a combined total of nearly $727,000 following the death of a customer in 2016. Former chiropractor Malcolm Hooper, 61, and hyperbaric oxygen therapy provider Oxymed Pty Ltd were sentenced in the Melbourne County Court on Monday. They were each convicted of three work safety-related charges, all of failing to ensure a workplace is safe and without risks to health. Hooper was fined $176, 750, while the company was fined $550,000. Oxymed was trading as HyperMed at its South Yarra premises in April 2016 when a long-term client with multiple sclerosis, MS-induced epilepsy and a history of life-threatening seizures came in for treatment. He was later found unconscious in a single person hyperbaric chamber. The client was taken to hospital and placed on life support, but died five days later. The states Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant will be questioned over the advice she provided to the NSW government about when Sydney needed to go into lockdown during the latest COVID-19 outbreak at a special parliamentary inquiry. Dr Chant and Health Minister Brad Hazzard will appear before the upper houses COVID-19 oversight committee on Tuesday as more parts of the state including Tamworth and four North Coast councils including Byron Shire were placed into lockdown. Premier Gladys Berejiklian, with Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant and Health Minister Brad Hazzard, who have been called to a parliamentary COVID inquiry on Tuesday. Credit:Edwina Pickles The inquiry will focus on Dr Chants advice in the early days of the Delta outbreak in June before Education Minister Sarah Mitchell and Education Department secretary Georgina Harrisson will be asked on Wednesday to explain the governments decisions involving year 12 students. We will hopefully be asking the questions 5 million have been wanting answers to. It starts with what was the public health advice the government received in the first week and a bit after the initial community transmission and before the citywide lockdown, inquiry chair Greens MP David Shoebridge said. The simultaneous sieges on provincial hubs have exhausted Afghan security forces and stretched military resources dangerously thin. Overwhelmed, the Afghan forces have concentrated on defending key cities such as Lashkar Gah and Kandahar in the south, Herat in the west and Kunduz in the north in recent days leaving others vulnerable to capture. On Friday, the Taliban seized on that opening: In Zaranj, a provincial capital near the border with Iran, insurgents faced little resistance upon entering the city. A day later, they captured another capital, Sheberghan, the northern stronghold of the warlord Marshal Abdul Rashid Dostum, whose militia forces were overrun. On Sunday, Taliban forces broke through in three more provincial capitals, including Kunduz, a vital commercial hub that the group has long coveted as both a strategic and symbolic prize. The shift in the Taliban military offensive to capturing Afghan cities is the beginning of a bloody new chapter unfolding in Afghanistan, experts say. This is now a different kind of war, reminiscent of Syria recently or Sarajevo in the not-so distant past, Deborah Lyons, the special representative of the UN secretary-general for Afghanistan, said at a special session of the UN Security Council on Friday. To attack urban areas is to knowingly inflict enormous harm and cause massive civilian casualties. Ratcheting up the pressure on another front, the insurgents have also highlighted their ability to make targeted strikes within Kabul. This past week the Taliban claimed responsibility for an hourslong attack on the residence of a top military official and the assassination of a senior government official in Kabul. Afghan security personnel patrol after they took back control of parts of the city of Herat following fighting between Taliban and Afghan security forces. Credit:AP Suspected Taliban fighters also killed an Afghan radio station manager in Kabul and kidnapped a journalist in southern Helmand province, local government officials said on Monday, marking the latest in a long line of attacks targeting media workers. The Talibans siege of Kunduz, a city of 374,000 people, began in late June, and they wore down government soldiers and police units in clashes that raged around the clock. On Saturday night, the fighting intensified as the Taliban made a final push against exhausted government troops. Ahmad Shokur Ghaznawi, a Kunduz resident, said he had heard a barrage of gunfire as security forces and Taliban fighters clashed in the alley just outside his home. As the fighting intensified, about 50 members of the Afghan security forces massed in the alley. But the government soldiers appeared worn down. They said that they were hungry; they had run out of bread, Ghaznawi said. Loading By Sunday morning, the security forces had retreated to a town south of the city, and Taliban fighters flooded into the streets on motorcycles, in police vehicles and in Humvees. As the Taliban raised their flag over Kunduzs main square and released hundreds of inmates from the central prison, a sense of unease rippled across the city. Plumes of black smoke billowed into the sky after two of the citys main markets caught fire. Fearing their stores would be looted, shopkeepers moved their goods into their homes. The people just want to flee alive and leave all their belongings behind, said Sulaiman Satarzada, 28, a businessman in Kunduz. By the days end, the Taliban had also captured the northern city of Taloqan, the capital of Takhar province, and Sar-i-Pul, the capital of the northern province with the same name. With Sar-i-Pul province now mostly under their control, the insurgents have positioned themselves to attack Mazar-i-Sharif, the economic hub and capital of Balkh province, from two different directions: Sar-i-Pul and Jowjzan in the west and Kunduz in the east. By Monday, no central government officials including President Ashraf Ghani had commented on the capture of the five provincial capitals; the Afghan Ministry of Defence simply said that Afghanistans security forces were fighting around the country, killing scores of Taliban fighters. For nearly two decades, the United States and NATO have engaged in the nation-building pursuit of training, expanding and equipping Afghanistans police, army and air forces, spending tens of billions of dollars to build government security forces that can safeguard their own country. But the Talibans offensive has revealed the fragility of those forces. Thousands of soldiers have surrendered or deserted in recent months. The countrys fate has rested in the hands of air and commando forces who have served as the nations firefighters, sent to hot spots with hopes of turning the tide against the insurgent group. In reality, what were once considered elite forces have transformed into foot soldiers who are some of the only troops capable of defending territory under attack by the Taliban. The United States, despite pledging to end military operations by August 31, has committed more aircraft and drones now based outside the country to help beat back the Taliban through airstrikes. The last-ditch effort to prop up the Afghan security forces helped in some areas including Kandahar, a linchpin of the South and a former Taliban stronghold where fighting intensified in recent weeks. On Sunday evening, Afghan security forces began a military operation to flush Taliban fighters out of Kunduz in a bid to retake the city, officials said. But battered by weeks of intense fighting, the chance of a victory was anything but certain. We are so tired, and the security forces are so tired, said Sayed Jawad Hussaini, the deputy police chief of a district in Kunduz city. At the same time, we hadnt received reinforcements, and aircraft did not target the Taliban on time. As the front lines are pushed deeper into cities, Afghan civilians have been trapped amid these escalating levels of violence including government airstrikes, shelling and the Taliban fighting from peoples homes causing civilian casualties to soar. In Kunduz, up to 70 civilians a day are brought to Kunduz Regional Hospital, according to Mohammed Naim Mangal, the facilitys director. Between Saturday and Sunday alone, the hospital triaged nearly 100 wounded people. Lansdale, PA (19446) Today Some clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low around 70F. Winds light and variable.. Tonight Some clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low around 70F. Winds light and variable. The on Monday waived custody charges till September 30 on impounded by the and the traffic police, providing relief to hundreds of vehicle owners in the city. In an order, the said in view of the Covid situation and an advisory issued by the government of India on June 17, parking/custody charges imposed under Rule 16 of Delhi Maintenance and Management of Parking Rules 2019 are waived off. The order will be valid till September 30. In its June 17 advisory to states, the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways had suggested extending the validity of various kinds of motor vehicle documents like driving licenses, fitness test and registration certificates, that could not be renewed due to lockdown, up to September 30. impounded for any violations of the Motor Act by enforcement teams of the or the Delhi Traffic Police are slapped with custody charges if their owners do not get them released within 48 hours. Depending upon the type of vehicle, custody charges ranging from Rs 200 to Rs 1,500 are imposed per day. A senior Transport Department officer said hundreds of such vehicles are kept at impounding pits at Burari, Dwarka and Sarai Kale Khan. "Due to Covid and lockdown, many vehicle owners could not get their impounded vehicles released and accumulated custody charges running into several thousand. One such vehicle had a total custody charge of Rs 2 lakh," he said. Chandu Chaurasia, vice president of Capital Drivers' Welfare Association, thanked Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot for the waiver. "Nearly 300-400 commercial vehicles including autos, taxis and paratransit vehicles are lying at impounding pits and their owners are unable to pay the custody charges running as high as Rs 50,000 to Rs 70,000 in many cases," Chaurasia 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.) E-commerce giant and Infosys co-founder N R Narayana Murthys Catamaran Ventures have mutually decided to not continue their joint venture (JV) beyond the end of its current term. The JV, Prione Business Services, which has been running successfully for the past seven years, was coming up for renewal on May 19, 2022. The JV enabled over 300,000 sellers and entrepreneurs to go online. It also enabled 4 million merchants with digital payment capabilities, providing these small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) and merchants access to millions of customers across the country. and Catamaran entered into a JV in the early days of e-commerce in India with a shared vision of transforming small businesses in a fast-changing digital world by providing online capabilities and enabling them access to customers - both in India and abroad, said Amit Agarwal, global senior vice-president and country head, India.We are humbled by how the JV exceeded its vision, helping online commerce evolve through the unrelenting efforts of hundreds of its employees, positively impacting over 4.3 million small businesses, creating hundreds of thousands of jobs, and contributing to Indias digital economy. We were privileged to have had a partner we could learn from and lean on. I would like to thank the Catamaran team for this long and fruitful partnership that helped set the direction for e-commerce in India, said Agarwal. ALSO READ: Amazon lures advertisers from Facebook after Apple privacy shift TIE-UP TERMINATED Prione Business Services, a JV, was formed in 2014 and it was coming up for renewal on May 19, 2022 Amazon and N R Narayana Murthy-owned Catamaran Ventures were the two partners Cloudtail, owned by Prione, is one of the largest sellers on Amazon India website Prione helped 300,000 sellers and entrepreneurs go online and enabled 4 million merchants It has feet-on-street teams in 30 Indian cities When Prione was formed in 2014, e-commerce was still at a nascent stage in India. The SMBs in India were new to digital and needed support, training, and the tools to go online. The JVs vision was to enable Indian SMBs to succeed in e-commerce and benefit from the digital opportunity. In the past seven years, the JV has made huge strides in this direction, leveraging Catamarans India insights and Amazons technology expertise.With feet-on-street teams in 30 cities across India, the JV enabled sellers to sell online and provide a wide selection of products to Indian customers. The JV also supported the growth of programmes like Karigar and Saheli. Prione has played an important role in transforming Indian e-commerce, and paving the way for the global scale-up of emerging Indian brands.We are happy that Prione has leveraged the best global practices for e-commerce in India, created jobs, and provided Indian customers access to a wide selection of products by leveraging technology, said M D Ranganath, president, Catamaran.As our JV with Amazon reaches the end of its tenure, I reflect on this successful partnership that introduced the power of digitisation and empowered SMBs across big and small towns. We would like to thank Amazon for the partnership that leaves behind a strong legacy of shaping e-commerce in India, he added.The development comes at a time when the Supreme Court (SC) on Monday refused to interfere with the Karnataka High Court order which declined to stop the investigation initiated by the Competition Commission of India (CCI) against Amazon and for alleged anti-competitive practices. However, the court extended the time to join the CCI probe by four weeks.Some trade associations perceive Amazon and as threats to local retailers and have alleged preferential treatment to select sellers. They have said that Cloudtail, one of the largest sellers on Amazon India website, is owned by Prione.Legal experts said that both Amazon and would now have to cooperate in the CCIs antitrust investigation. They said this is because their business model is such that there could be implications related to anti-competitive practices. They said in the long run, the SCs decision might create a bigger compliance issue for Amazon and Flipkart. ALSO READ: Amazon opens fulfilment centre with 600,000 cubic ft storage in Telangana It is now a cover-up exercise by Murthy, alleged Praveen Khandelwal, secretary-general of the Confederation Of All India Traders, about Amazon and Catamaran ending the partnership, adding, The fact that Amazon is violating the law and foreign direct investment (FDI) policy through Cloudtail must have been known to Murthy long before or even at the time of entering into an agreement with Amazon.Khandelwal said the question arises as to why Murthy took this long for taking this decision. Did Murthy ever call upon to explain as to why Cloudtail is being used as a preferential seller on Amazon in utter disregard of the FDI policy? asked Khandelwal.He said certain questions are bound to arise for which Cloudtail has to give answers when CCI will investigate the Amazon business module. He alleged that both Amazon and Cloudtail are two faces of a single coin as far as the activities of Cloudtail on the Amazon e-commerce platform are concerned.We believe this move of Cloudtail is not a part of a strategy to avoid investigation, which, of course, may take place when Amazon will be investigated, said Khandelwal.But joining hands with a company which does not have any binding with India, except its agenda to dominate e-commerce, has pained traders of the country a lot, he added. Drug firm Pharma India on Monday reported a 45.03 per cent decline in its net profit to Rs 10.24 crore for the June ended quarter. The company had posted a net profit of Rs 18.63 crore for the corresponding period of the previous fiscal, Pharma India said in a regulatory filing. Revenue from operations stood at Rs 175.40 crore for the quarter under consideration. It was Rs 193.57 crore for the same period a year ago, it added. The company's board of directors has declared an interim dividend of Rs 2 per equity share for the financial year 2021-22, the filing said. Shares of Pharma India closed at Rs 3,364.45 per scrip on BSE, down 1.23 per cent from its previous close. (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.) Conversion of debt of the stressed telecom player Ltd (VIL) into equity could be an option to emerge out of the crisis, lenders led by State Bank of India (SBI) have suggested to (DoT). DoT had called senior bank officials on Friday to discuss the stress in the telecom sector arising out of the Supreme Court order last month on the adjusted gross revenue (AGR)-related dues payable by telecom majors, including and Bharti Airtel, sources said. The top court has given a time period of 10 years to telecom service providers struggling to pay Rs 93,520 crore of AGR-related dues to clear their outstanding amount to the government. Bankers also told senior DoT officials that conversion of debt of VIL into equity is an option but not a sustainable one, sources said, adding that since VIL had not defaulted on its debts so far, they cannot take any action yet. In a bid to keep a company a going concern, have used the option of converting debt into equity in many stress cases in the past. Capital infusion by promoters is the best option in the given scenario, sources said quoting bankers. The UK-based Vodafone has a 45 per cent stake while Aditya Birla Group owns a 27 per cent stake in the VIL. Lenders, both public and private, stare at a loss of Rs 1.8 lakh crore in case VIL collapses. A large part of the loans to the lender is in the form of guarantees with public sector having a lion's share of the debt. Among the private sector lenders, Yes Bank and IDFC First Bank may be impacted the most. As a precursor, some private lenders with a funded exposure have already started making provisions. For example, IDFC First Bank has marked the account of VIL as stressed and has made provisions of 15 per cent ( Rs 487 crore) against the outstanding exposure of Rs 3,244 crore (funded and non-funded). "This provision translates to 24 per cent of the funded exposure on this account. The said account is current and has no overdues as of June 30, 2021," the lender had said in its Q1 FY'22 investor presentation, referring to the account as "one large telecom account". According to official data, VIL had an AGR liability of Rs 58,254 crore out of which the company has paid Rs 7,854.37 crore and Rs 50,399.63 crore is outstanding. The company's gross debt, excluding lease liabilities, stood at Rs 1,80,310 crore as of March 31, 2021. The amount included deferred spectrum payment obligations of Rs 96,270 crore and debt from and financial institutions of Rs 23,080 crore apart from the AGR liability. In a backdrop of such large liabilities, both the promoter Vodafone (45 per cent stake) and Aditya Birla Group (27 per cent stake) expressed their inability to bring in additional capital. Writing a letter to Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba in June, Aditya Birla Group Chairman Kumar Mangalam Birla said investors are not willing to invest in the company in the absence of clarity on AGR liability, adequate moratorium on spectrum payments and most importantly floor pricing regime being above the cost of service. "It is with a sense of duty towards the 27 crore Indians connected by VIL, I am more than willing to hand over my stake in the company to any entity-public sector/government /domestic financial entity or any other that the government may consider worthy of keeping the company as a going concern," Birla said in the letter. Birla has quit the post of non-executive chairman post of the floundering telecom giant last week. (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.) Global online higher education provider upGrad on Monday became another unicorn from the country, after it announced to close a total of $185 million funding round at a market valuation of $1.2 billion. The company raised fresh funds from Temasek, IFC (International Finance Corporation, a sister organisation of World Bank) and IIFL. "We are very focused on our path to being in the top three-five globally in and serving the one billion workforce across the age group of 18-60. We are pleased with the investor interest ever since we opened up for a fundraise, and had our maiden raise from Temasek, followed by IFC and IIFL in the last 60 days," said Ronnie Screwvala, Chairperson and Co-founder, upGrad. In April, UpGrad had raised $120 million from Temasek, a global investment company headquartered in Singapore. "We will announce further updates on M&As, and unlocking value as they unfold. Yes, the last value was at $1.2 billion but as I keep saying, we are not a fan of the tag name, unicorn. For us, it is only a means to a much larger goal," he said in a statement. Recent reports suggested that company is in advanced talks for a $400 million fundraise at a valuation of $4 billion. upGrad has earmarked $250 million for mergers and acquisitions (M&As) over the next seven-nine months, as it strengthens non-linear growth strategy. upGrad is set to cross $500 million annual revenue run rate by March 2022 and is looking to raise close to $400 million at a $4 billion valuation. upGrad has built out a strong tech platform and deep immersive learning experience with high touch-points to capture close to 70 per cent of the Indian higher education market for working professionals. Earlier this month, upGrad acquired global firm KnowledgeHut for an undisclosed sum. KnowledgeHut, an upGrad Company, expects to cross Rs 300 crore in revenue next year, 65 per cent of which will be from countries across North America, Middle East and South-East Asia. As per industry estimates, there are 53 unicorns currently in India, with a tentative valuation of Rs. 1.4 lakh crore. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) GIFT City, the country's first international financial services centre (IFSC), on Monday said it has collaborated with the India InsurTech Association (IIA) to promote financial technology in the IIA is a not-for-profit organisation working towards growing a technology-driven insurance ecosystem in India. The two entities will collaborate on building thought leadership in the field of insurance and creating awareness about among Indian and foreign insurance companies, the country's first operational smart city said in a statement. To raise awareness about GIFT-IFSC, the collaboration will organise events, information series, seminars, and conferences. Also, the two institutions will research regulatory sandbox projects for the GIFT-IFSC, which will benefit insurance technology start-ups, reinsurance businesses, politicians, service providers, and individuals. "Insurance serves as one of the key pillars of international financial services ecosystem. We have presence of some of the major insurance players in "And, now, with this collaboration with IIA, we can aspire to be a vibrant hub for world-class insurance products and services and encourage innovation in the segment," Managing Director and Group CEO Tapan Ray said. As part of the pact, the IIA will work closely with the GIFT-SEZ in various areas, including bringing global insurance businesses, Indian insurtech companies, and insurance players to the GIFT City. The Association will promote new digital business models, build collaboration between start-ups and all the other participants of the insurance industry. "Through this collaboration, our goal is to assist worldwide financial organisations in developing top-notch financial services. "IIA will provide complete support towards bringing various Indian and global insurance, re-insurance and insurtech participants to benefit from the regulatory sandbox initiatives at GIFT City," IIA Director and co-founder Prerak Sethi 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 $13 billion is rolling out stock options to include the rank and file of and JSW Energy, as a means to reward employees with wealth creation opportunities and ensure that they remain invested in the next phase of growth. The ESOP (employee stock ownership plan) opportunity is being extended to around 15,000 employees across (13,700) and (1,300) for all grades including workmen, junior, middle, senior management and business leadership. This is the first such plan in the manufacturing sector where options are being given right from the shop floor worker to the top management, said Dilip Pattanayak (President of HR at Corporate). This is to cover 100 per cent of our employees in and its subsidiaries and also JSW Energy, he added. At the lower end of the spectrum, JSW will be giving 60 per cent of annualised CTC (cost to the company) equivalent as stock options and at the higher end, 20 per cent. The ESOP plan will not impact employee compensation in any way and is in addition to the gross CTC, the company clarified. Commenting on the trend in among Indian companies, Aarti Raote, Partner, Deloitte India, said, While ESOPs have been used in India for the past three decades, the trends show that these are most prevalent in the IT sector. Manufacturing have however been cautious in the implementation of stock awards. Most have extended only traditional stock option plan and that too only to certain levels of higher management, she added. In start-ups, however, it was common. A need to attract talent and a constant cash crunch makes stock options an attractive proposition for start-ups. provide a considerable wealth-creation opportunity for employees at the time of liquidity events like IPOs. Pattanayak said that the shares will be purchased from the secondary market, so there will be no dilution for existing shareholders. The exercise price payable by the employee will be face value of the share, i.e. Re 1 per share; the difference between the effective stock price and the exercise price will be paid by JSW. Employees will have four years to exercise the vested options and the number of shares granted will be determined by their current grade and performance at JSW. In value terms, the ESOP plan is more than Rs 1,000 crore. The scheme was announced to employees on August 7 to mark the 91st birth anniversary of group founder, O P Jindal. Town halls are happening to make them understand the benefits of this wealth creation programme, said Pattanayak. It is being rolled out from today. Both JSW Steel and are at the cusp of major growth. For instance, JSW Steel is taking its capacity to 30.5 million tonne from 18 million tonnes at present. The board has already approved a capex plan of Rs 25,115 crore for expansion at Vijaynagar, among other projects. The combined capacity across associates, joint ventures and overseas operations, which includes Bhushan Power & Steel Ltd, will be 38 million tonnes, making it the top private sector producer of the metal in India. JSW Energy, too, has set an ambitious target to grow its portfolio to 10 Gw by financial year 2025 and 20 Gw by financial year 2030 from the current 4.6 Gw. The total capex outlay is Rs 75,000 crore over the next decade. "As an organisation, we are now in the next phase of our growth trajectory," said Pattanayak. "We need to make sure that whatever growth plan we have as an organisation over the next few years everybody is fully invested into that. That is how they will create value not only for the organisation but the upside that will come out of the wealth creation initiative that we have put in place." The ESOP announcement comes at a time when JSW Steel and stocks have outperformed the broader market by a long shot. In the last one year, returns on JSW Steel stock is 211 per cent and JSW Energy 413 per cent compared to 46 per cent by benchmark Nifty 50 index. Lok Sabha Monday passed the Limited Liability Partnership (Amendment) Bill, which seeks to encourage the start-up ecosystem and further boost the ease of doing business, amid uproar by the over the Pegasus snooping row and other issues. The bill, which seeks to decriminalise 12 offences under the law and help improve the by amending the Limited Liability Partnership (LLP) Act, 2008, was passed through a voice vote. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said it is a very important bill and will bring positivity in the LLP eco-system. She stressed the legislation will lead to She said that with the passage of the bill, criminal offences will be brought down while will go up and partners will have more flexibility. The bill proposes to introduce the concept of small limited liability partnership in line with the concept of small company under the Act, 2013. It will also amend certain sections of the Act so as to convert offences into civil defaults and to convert the nature of punishment provided in the said sections from fines to monetary penalties. Currently, there are 24 penal provisions in the Act -- 21 compoundable offences, three non-compoundable. The proposed bill seeks to reduce the total number of penal provisions under the to 22 -- seven compoundable offences, three non-compoundable and 12 defaults to be dealt with under the 'In-House Adjudication Mechanism'. Compoundable offences are those which can be settled by paying a certain amount of money. Offences that relate to minor or less serious compliance issues, involving predominantly objective determinations, are proposed to be shifted to the In-House Adjudication Mechanism (IAM) framework instead of being treated as criminal offences. The bill also seeks to insert a new section 34A so as to empower the Central government to prescribe "Accounting Standards" or "Auditing Standards" for a class or classes of limited liability partnerships. This is the first time that changes are being made to the Act. At present, there are relaxations for thresholds up to turnover size and partner's contribution of Rs 40 lakh and Rs 25 lakh, respectively. Once the amendment is in place, the thresholds will be revised upwards. (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.) Ronnie Screwvala-founded start-up upGrad, said that it has closed a series of raises from Temasek, IFC (International Finance Corporation, a sister organization of the World Bank and member of the World Bank Group), and IIFL. It has raised a total of $185 million at a value of $1.2 billion, making it the newest member of the coveted unicorn club. The funding would help upGrad compete with players such as Byjus, SoftBank backed Unacademy, Vedantu, Simplilearn and Amazon Academy. We are very focussed on our path to being in the top 3-5 globally in and serving the 1 billion workforce across the age group of 18 to 60 years, said Ronnie Screwvala, chairperson and co-founder, upGrad. We are pleased with the investor interest ever since we opened up for a fundraise, and had our maiden raise from Temasek, followed by IFC and IIFL in the last 60 days. We will announce further updates on M&As, and unlocking value as they unfold. The firm said it has always been promoter-funded with the founder group still owning 70 per cent plus in the company. The company is reportedly in talks for a $ 400 million fundraise at a valuation of $4 billion. The firm said this milestone of unicorn is just a path to the larger mission of the global major - upGrad. Founded by Screwvala along with Mayank Kumar and Phalgun Kompalli, upGrad has impacted over 1 million total registered learners in over 50 countries. The company said it drives deep learning for the real world, by creating original content harnessing industry experts across the globe. It offers learners a hyper-personalized and comprehensive one-stop solution. upGrads expanding partnerships with leading global universities include Duke Corporate Education (US), Michigan State University (US), Liverpool John Moores University (UK), Deakin Business School (Australia), Swiss School of Business Management, (Geneva), IIT Madras (India) and IIM Kozhikode (India). The Supreme Court on Monday refused to interfere with Karnataka High Court's order which declined to stop the investigation initiated by the (CCI) against and for alleged anti-competitive practices. However, the court extended the time to join the CCI probe by four weeks on a request by senior advocate Dr AM Singhvi, who appeared for "We see no ground to interfere. However we grant four weeks for the expiry to submit to enquiry, said the court, according to the law platform Bar & Bench. Refusing to set aside the Karnataka High Court's ruling in the matter, Chief Justice of India NV Ramana remarked:"We expect big organisations like and to voluntarily go for enquiry and you don't want even that? You have to submit and enquiry has to be permitted, according to Bar & Bench. Senior advocates Gopal Subramanium and Sajan Poovayya appeared for Solicitor General Tushar Mehta appeared for the CCI. The Bench of CJI Ramana and Justice Surya Kant was hearing an appeal by e-commerce firms Flipkart and Amazon against the July 23 order of the Karnataka High Court that refused to set aside a probe ordered by the CCI into the two firms. Legal experts said that both Amazon and Flipkart would now have to cooperate in the CCIs antitrust investigation. It is a setback for them, because their (business) model is such that there could be implications related to anti-competitive practices, said Salman Waris, managing partner at technology law firm TechLegis Advocates and Solicitors. Besides that it increases their compliance processes. This could lead to CCI imposing a fine on them if any inquiry goes against them. Legal experts said that in the long term, the Supreme Courts decision might create a bigger compliance issue for Amazon and Flipkart. They said that the cant do much about challenging it anywhere. They might want to go for a review, but I doubt that that is going to change anything as rarely the Court would go against its own order, said Waris of TechLegis. Last month, a division bench of Justices Satish Chandra Sharma and Natraj Rangaswamy passed the order in a batch of appeals moved by the e-commerce firms against a June 11 order of a Single Judge of the High Court. While dismissing the plea, the Bench held, By no stretch of imagination can inquiry be quashed at this stage...Appellants should not be afraid of investigation of CCI...In the considered opinion of the Court, appeals filed by appellants are devoid of merit and deserved to be dismissed. Amazon had approached the Karnataka High Court against a CCI order which had called for a Director General (DG) investigation into allegations of anti-competitive conduct in the online sale of smartphones on its platform. The informant before the CCI, Delhi Vyapar Mahasangh (DVM), the traders body, was justifying the CCI decision for a probe. DVM had alleged that these players were giving deep discounts on online sales of smartphones, and cherry-picking sellers. Other allegations included predatory pricing and exclusive partnerships. DVM is an affiliate of the trade body Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT). CAIT had welcomed the Supreme Courts decision on Monday. Now Is the way for CCI to investigate both Its a big milestone order. Justice given. No scope for Amazon and Flipkart to avoid investigation, said B.C.Bhartia, National President and Praveen Khandelwal, Secretary-General of CAIT. We demand (commerce and industry minister) Piyush Goyal to direct CCI to (do) aggressive probe and FM (finance minister) Nirmala Sitharaman to direct ED (enforcement directorate) to send notice to Amazon as well and dont allow any dilly delaying tactics. We also appeal to Piyush Goyal to implement e-commerce Rules under Consumer Protection Act without any further delay. The on Monday said an antitrust investigation into business practices of Amazon.com Inc and Walmart's must continue, rejecting demands of the two e-commerce giants to put them on hold. The Competition Commission of India (CCI) ordered the investigation in 2020 against the for allegedly promoting select sellers on their e-commerce platforms and using business practices that stifle competition. The deny any wrongdoing and have repeatedly tried to mount legal challenges against the investigation. A three-judge bench, led by Chief Justice N V Ramana, said like Amazon and should volunteer for such investigations. "We expect organisations like Amazon and Flipkart, big organisations, they have to volunteer for inquiry and transparency. We expect that and you don't even want (an) inquiry," Justice Ramana told the court, according to Reuters. "You have to submit and inquiry has to be conducted." "We are merely allowing an extension of four weeks for Amazon and to reply to CCIs notice, said the court, according to CNBC-TV18. The decision is a setback for both Amazon and Flipkart as the appeal was seen as the last legal recourse to block the CCI pressing on with its investigation. The companies are also grappling with the prospects of tougher e-commerce regulations and investigations by the country's financial-crime agency for alleged violation of foreign investment laws. The is looking to make a foray into manufacturing and it has set up a business to seize the opportunity, Chairman said on Monday. At the Tata group, we have already pivoted into a number of new businesses like electronics manufacturing, 5G network equipment as well as semiconductors, in all probability, he said while speaking at the annual general meeting of the IMC Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Chandrasekaran said global supply chains, currently heavily dependent on China, would see a big change in a post-pandemic world with businesses shifting their reliance to other countries. On rebalancing supply chains, India can benefit from global shifts. The has already set up a business to seize the promise of high-tech manufacturing for electronics. A domestic electronics industry could unlock $1 trillion in GDP and create millions of jobs, he said. The chairmans remarks come at a time when automobile makers across the world are facing a severe shortage of semiconductors, hitting their businesses. Semiconductors are used in myriad ways, including in fuel-pressure sensors, digital speedometers, and navigation displays. manufacturing requires high investments and India does not have any such facility yet. The Vedanta group, which recently emerged as the highest bidder for Videocon, is also looking at the industry for a possible foray. A foray into the semiconductor segment will help the Tata group supply these key components to and Tata Power, apart from other across the world. recently announced that its subsidiary Jaguar Land Rover would make a huge loss in the coming quarter due to lack of semiconductors in the UK. ALSO READ: On the horizon: A semiconductor war JLR said last month that the semiconductor shortage might worsen and its sales in the July-September quarter were likely to be almost half of what it had planned. Based on recent inputs from suppliers, we now expect chip supply shortages in the second quarter ending September 30, 2021, to be greater than in the first quarter, potentially resulting in wholesale volumes about 50 per cent lower than planned, although we are continuing to work to mitigate this, JLR had said. Since the announcement that and JLR will fail to meet its sales targets, shares of Tata Motors have shown a downtrend. On Monday, the stock ended at Rs 298, down 0.6 per cent, as against its recent peak of Rs 355 a share. Chandrasekaran also said when it came to environmental sustainability, businesses needed to have time-bound goals, not vague and distant targets. It was critical to invest in research and development in future growth sectors such as renewable energy, he added. On digital initiatives, Chandra said Tata Digital was building multiple platforms, including a consumer offering covering retail, travel, financial services, health and education. Dorf Ketal's technology company Trentar on Monday announced the launch of an unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) manufacturing division, where it is planning to invest Rs 100 crore over the next three years. The company has also appointed Dhruv Arora as CEO of the division. He has been engaged with the UAV industry for the past 18 years. "Trentar plans to invest Rs 100 crore in the next 3 years to design and build specialised for Defence and Civil purposes along with subsystems like AutoPilot, Communication Systems. This will help India being Atmanirbhar and at the same time build world-class on Indian Soil," Dorf Ketal chairman Sudhir Menon said in a statement. Dorf Ketal established Trentar in May to concentrate on the new-age technologies like drone-based services and software, artificial intelligence, robotics, etc. "We also plan to acquire with complementary and cutting-edge technologies to augment the Trentar stable. Dhruv joining us will surely help us realise our dreams and vision to put India on the global drone map through the global presence and goodwill of Dorf Ketal," Menon said. Trentar has acquired a 75 per cent stake in GarudaUAV to scale up new-age businesses based on drone services and software. Menon said Arora's experience will help Trentar in its vision of becoming a formidable drone manufacturer globally. "The target is to have the first drone from the Trentar's stable in the next six months. The plan is to create an Enterprise predominantly through the inorganic growth route, globally," he said. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Leading online education platform Upgrad has raised its third external funding of USD 25 million from the Group, helping the re/up-skilling company join the unicorn club with a valuation of USD 1.2 billion. The Ronnie Screwvala firm got its maiden external funding in late April when the Singaporean investment giant Temasek Holdings invested USD 120 million, and in the same week the World Bank Group arm International Finance Corporation chipped in with USD 40 million, valuing it at USD 850 million. As of August 2, 17 became unicorns in 2021, taking the coveted tally to close to 60 when the Pune-based Mindtickle, became one after raising USD 100-million funding round from Softbank's Vision Fund 2. A recent Credit Suisse report said there were over 100 unicorns in the country and the number is growing at a faster pace. The new set of the 17 unicorns include -- social media startup Sharechat, wealth management company Groww, messaging platform Gupshup, social commerce startup Meesho, epharmacy Pharmeasy, logistics tech startup Blackbuck, online automobile marketplace Droom, ecommerce firm Ofbusiness, fintech firm Cred, ecommerce platform Moglix, banking tech startup Zeta and SaaS software testing startup Browserstack, among others. Upgrad, co-founded by ex-media baron Screwvala, Phalgun Kompalli, Mayank Kumar and Ravijot Chugh by investing just over Rs 170 crore in 2015, said in a statement on Monday that with the USD 25 million investment from Group, it has so far raised USD 185 million in equity capital from external investors, valuing it at USD 1.2 billion. But the statement did not disclose how much equity has been diluted to for the investment. In April, founder chairman Screwvala had told PTI that the two foreign investors now collectively own 25 per cent of the equity and the rest was with the promoters (owning a little over 70 per cent) and employees. The pandemic had helped it grow manifold and Screwvala has set a target of doubling its revenue run rate to over Rs 2,400 crore this fiscal from Rs 1,200 crore in FY21, and Rs 230 crore in FY20. Offering over 100 courses in collaboration with top-notch global universities like Michigan State University, Liverpool John Moores University, Swiss School of Business Management, IIT Madras and IIM Kozhikode among others, Upgrad has trained over 1 million learners from across 50 countries so far and more than half of them in the past 15 months. Last month, the largest higher online education platform in South Asia had said it earmarked USD 250 million for M&As for faster growth both in terms of revenue and footprint and offering. (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 bill seeking to abolish as many as nine appellate tribunals, including the Film Certification Appellate Tribunal (FCAT), was approved by with the passing the proposed legislation Monday. The Tribunals Reforms Bill, 2021, was approved by on August 3. Replying to a discussion on the bill in the upper house, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman rejected the Opposition's charge that the legislation undermines the judicial system, and asserted the government "fully respects" the independence of judiciary. The bill seeks to amend the Cinematograph Act, 1952, the Customs Act, 1962, the Airports Authority of India Act, 1994, the Trade Marks Act, 1999 and the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers' Rights Act, 2001 and certain other legislations. On Congress MPs raising the issue of judicial independence, Sitharaman hit back, saying, "Who is speaking? Members from the Congress party, which during the Emergency completely curtailed the judiciary. Today such a party asks us of judicial independence. What a shame!" she said, as the Opposition protested in the Well of the House. The minister said the judiciary had no voice during the Emergency. What are they (Congress) talking about? Independence of Judiciary? I am astonished! she said, as the House approved the Tribunals Reforms Bill with a voice vote. Sitharaman also dismissed the contention that the bill was in violation of Supreme Court rulings. Judiciary has not struck it down on constitutionality. It has only raised certain questions on some points, she said. The minister further said the primacy of the legislature to make laws is as important as the independence of judiciary. We are here to make laws. Of course we have to keep in line with the requirements of the Constitution...We fully respect the independence of the judiciary but we also remember the power of the law-making body where we are seated here to make the law for the sake of the common people," she said. The House also negated by a division vote an Opposition statutory motion to send the bill to a select committee for scrutiny. Only 44 MPs voted in favour of sending the bill to the select committee, while 79 voted against it. The tribunals which the bill seeks to abolish, include, the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999; the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers' Rights Act, 2001; and the Control of Highways (Land and Traffic) Act, 2002. As per the statement of objects and reasons of the bill, all cases pending before such tribunals or authorities will be transferred to the Commercial Court or High Court. The legislation also provides for uniform terms and conditions of service for chairperson and members of various tribunals. The government began the process of rationalisation of tribunals in 2015. By the Finance Act, 2017, seven tribunals were abolished or merged based on functional similarity and their total number was reduced from 26 to 19. The rationale followed in the first phase was to close down tribunals which were not necessary and merge tribunals with similar functions. The bill further said the analysis of data of the last three years has shown that the tribunals in several sectors have not necessarily led to faster justice delivery and they are also at a considerable expense to the exchequer. The Tribunals Reforms (Rationalisation and Conditions of Service) Bill, 2021, was introduced in the on February 13, 2021, proposing to abolish certain more tribunals and authorities and to provide for a mechanism to file an appeal directly to the Commercial Court or the High Courts, as the case may be. However, as the bill could not be passed in the Budget Session of and there was an immediate need for legislation, the President promulgated the Tribunals Reforms (Rationalisation and Conditions of Service) Ordinance 2021 on April 4, 2021. While presenting this bill in the lower house last week, Sitharaman had withdrawn the one introduced in February 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.) The Bombay high court on Monday issued a notice to the Attorney General in a case related to constitutional validity of faceless appeals introduced by the Centre last year. The high court noted that the matter, raised by the Chamber of Consultants in a writ petition, involves serious questions in law. It posted the matter for hearing on September 6. Amit Maheshwari, partner at AKM Global, said among several principles of natural justice, the right to being heard is one of the most sacrosanct to a taxpayer to present his case during any matter pending before any judicial authority. Some issues are difficult to explain by way of written submission," he said. The government had launched faceless appeals to eliminate the human interface from the first appellate system in the income from last year. Cambodia's Ministry of Health (MoH) has announced that another 58 new cases of the Delta Covid-19 variant were detected, taking the kingdom's total number of the such infections to 385. Laboratory testing conducted by the Pasteur Institute in Cambodia found the Delta variant on 51 local people, including four health workers, and seven labourers returning from neighbouring Thailand, the MoH said in a statement. The local infections were spotted in capital Phnom Penh and the provinces of Preah Vihear, Oddar Meanchey, Banteay Meanchey, Siem Reap, Battambang, Kandal, Kampong Thom and Ratanakiri, Xinhua news agency quoted the statement as saying. MoH's Secretary Or Vandine called on people to be more cautious as the Delta variant spread much faster than previously circulating strains. "Based on the above-mentioned results, the Delta variant has been spreading in our communities," she said in the statement. "People who are required to undergo a quarantine must strictly abide by the rules in order to prevent large-scale community transmission." The spokeswoman also advised citizens to continue following a guideline on three do's and three don'ts to stem the spread of Covid-19 and its variants. The three do's are wearing a face mask, washing hands regularly, and maintaining physical distancing of 1.5 metres; and the three don'ts are avoiding confined and enclosed spaces, avoiding crowded spaces, and avoiding touching each other. Till date, Cambodia has reported a total of 81,891 confirmed cases, with 1,562 deaths. --IANS ksk/ (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Maharashtra COVID-19 task force member Dr Shashank Joshi on Monday said it is necessary to conduct a state-specific sero survey to assess the presence of anti-bodies among people as the state is still reporting a high number of cases. He said Maharashtra, which has reported 63,57,833 cases as on August 9, is faced with a "thick tail" of COVID-19 though the second wave of the pandemic has ebbed but has not gone away completely. The task force member said the Maharashtra government has given a big relaxations by allowing fully vaccinated people to travel in suburban trains in Mumbai from August 15 and if the cases continue to drop, more easing of curbs may take place from September 1. Dr Joshi was speaking to a regional news channel on the state government's policy to introduce more relaxations and bring life back to normalcy. It is necessary to have a Maharashtra-specific sero-survey to have better understanding of the situation in the state. Maharashtra is still dealing with a thick tail of COVID-19 cases and it is very notorious," he said. A sero-prevalance survey involves testing of blood serum of individuals to detect antibodies against an infection (coronavirus in this case). Antibodies are proteins made by the immune system to fight infections. He clarified that having antibodies does not mean it is safe for people to mix and ignore social distancing. Brazil's 70 per cent population had antbodies, still they suffered severely in the second wave of COVID-19, said the endocrinologist. The country is reporting 35,000 to 40,000 COVID-19 cases daily of which around 6,000 are from Maharashtra. Our state is still on the second spot in terms of daily COVID-19 cases (after Kerala), said Dr Joshi. Kerala is adding 18,000 to 20,000 cases on a daily basis. "Our efforts are to reduce the thick tail (of COVID-19). We expect people to be more patient," he said. The Maharashtra government is taking every step slowly and cautiously because of these reasons. The first major step of introducing relaxations has been taken by allowing (fully vaccinated) people to travel by local trains (in Mumbai) from August 15. "If we continue to report less number of cases, next major step could be taken on September 1, he said. We need to avoid the mistakes made between the first and second waves. The second wave has not yet gone completely, he said. Asked about state's stand on not reopening schools, Dr Joshi said, It is globally proven that schools and religious gatherings have worked as super spreaders of the novel coronavirus infection. "The US prematurely reopened schools and (now) it is not just reporting higher number of cases, but deaths are also increasing there. Dr Joshi said Maharashtra does not have enough doses of coronavirus vaccines. Our aim to give both the doses of vaccines against COVID-19 to maximum (adult) population. (More) relaxations in Mumbai could be introduced after its 70 per cent population is covered," he said. People need to be more patient about relaxations, Dr Joshi 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.) India on Monday reported a net reduction of 4,634 in active cases to take its count to 402,188. Indias share of global active cases now stands at 2.45 per cent (one in 40). The country is ninth among the most affected countries by active cases. On Sunday, it added 35,499 cases to take its total caseload to 31,969,954 from 31,934,455 an increase of 0.1%. And, with 447 new fatalities, its Covid-19 reached 428,309, or 1.34 per cent of total confirmed infections. With 1,611,590 more Covid-19 vaccine doses being administered on Sunday, Indias total count of vaccine shots so far reached 508,664,759. The count of recovered cases across India, meanwhile, reached 31,139,457 or 97.4 per cent of total caseload with 39,686 new cured cases being reported on Monday. Now the ninth-most-affected country by active cases, third by deaths, second by total cases, and first by recoveries, India has added 279,996 cases in the past 7 days. India now accounts for 2.45% of all active cases globally (one in every 40 active cases), and 9.93% of all deaths (one in every 10 deaths). India has so far administered 508,664,759 vaccine doses. That is 1591.07 per cent of its total caseload, and 36.47 per cent of its population. Among Indian states, the top 5 in terms of number of vaccine shots administered are Uttar Pradesh (58462084), Maharashtra (51453752), Gujarat (40553892), Rajasthan (39847169), and Madhya Pradesh (37588371). Among states with more than 10 million population, the top 5 in number of vaccine shots per one million population are Kerala (684526), Uttarakhand (639367), Gujarat (634920), Delhi (626051), and J&K (543565). Backwards from here, the last 1 million cases for India have come in 26 days. The count of active cases across India on Sunday saw a net reduction of 5,331, compared with 2,006 on Saturday. States and UTs hat have seen the biggest daily net increase in active cases are Maharashtra (462), Tamil Nadu (121), Himachal Pradesh (13), Gujarat (11), and Uttar Pradesh (7). With 39,686 new daily recoveries, Indias recovery rate stands at 97.4%, while fatality rate remained unchanged at 1.34%. The Indian states and UTs with the worst case fatality rates at present are Punjab (2.72%), Uttarakhand (2.15%), and Maharashtra (2.11%). The rate in as many as 14 is higher than the national average. Indias new daily closed cases stand at 40,163 477 deaths and 39,686 recoveries. The share of deaths in total closed cases stands at 1.18%. Indias 5-day moving average of daily rate of addition to total cases stands at 0.1%. Indias doubling time for total cases stands at 623.9 days, and for deaths at 663.8 days. Overall, five states with the biggest 24-hour jump in total cases are Kerala (18607), Maharashtra (5508), Andhra Pradesh (2050), Tamil Nadu (1956), and Karnataka (1598). Among states with more than 100,000 cases, the five with worst recovery rates at present are Kerala (94.52%). India on Saturday conducted 1,371,871 to take the total count of tests conducted so far in the country to 481,767,232. The test positivity rate recorded was 2.6%. Five states with the highest test positivity rate (TPR) percentage of tested people turning out to be positive for Covid-19 infection (by cumulative data for tests and cases are Goa (15.71%), Dadra & Nagar Haveli-Daman & Diu (14.71%), Sikkim (12.92%), Maharashtra (12.81%), and Kerala (12.49%). Five states with the highest TPR by daily numbers for tests and cases added are, Kerala (13.87%), Manipur (13.15%), Sikkim (12.38%), Meghalaya (12.28%), and Nagaland (7.26%). Among states and UTs with more than 10 million population, five that have carried out the highest number of tests (per million population) are Delhi (1294220), J&K (896430), Kerala (796810), Karnataka (589763), and Telangana (579766). The five most affected states by total cases are Maharashtra (6353328), Kerala (3552525), Karnataka (2918525), Tamil Nadu (2575308), and Andhra Pradesh (1982308). Maharashtra, the most affected state overall, has reported 5508 new cases to take its tally to 6353328. Kerala, the second-most-affected state by total tally, has added 18607 cases to take its tally to 3552525. Karnataka, the third-most-affected state, has reported 1598 cases to take its tally to 2918525. Tamil Nadu has added 1956 cases to take its tally to 2575308. Andhra Pradesh has seen its tally going up by 2050 to 1982308. Uttar Pradesh has added 56 cases to take its tally to 1708772. Delhi has added 66 cases to take its tally to 1436761. The national capital reported 39 COVID-19 infections and one fatality on Monday, while the number of active cases in the city dropped below 500 for the first time since April last year, according to data shared by the Health department here. With the new cases, the overall infection tally in the city climbs to 14,36,800. Of this, over 14.11 lakh patients have recovered from the disease. The death toll now stands at 25,067. On Sunday, the capital reported 66 cases of the disease with a positivity rate of 0.10 per cent. On Saturday, the city had reported 72 COVID-19 cases with a positivity rate of 0.10 per cent and one death. On Friday, registered 44 cases with a positivity rate of 0.06 percent and five deaths. There are 498 active cases of the disease in at present, and 178 of them are under home-isolation. According to covid19India.org, a crowdsourced initiative that collects data on COVID-19 cases and vaccination in India, had reported 480 active cases on April 5 last year. The number of containment zones stands at 271, the bulletin said. Delhi battled a brutal second wave of the pandemic that claimed a massive number of lives, with the shortage of oxygen at hospitals across the city adding to the woes. On April 20, Delhi had reported 28,395 cases, the highest in the city since the beginning of the pandemic. On April 22, the case positivity rate was 36.2 per cent, the highest so far. The highest number of 448 deaths was reported on May 3. The city government has been ramping up health infrastructure to prevent a repeat of the crisis witnessed during the peak of the second wave of the pandemic in April-May. Steps have been taken to increase the number of hospital beds to accommodate up to 37,000 cases a day and to become self-reliant in terms of oxygen supply. According to officials, around 160 PSA oxygen generation plants with a total capacity of 148.11 metric tonnes are being installed at various government and private hospitals in the city. While 66 plants are being installed in Delhi government hospitals, 10 are being set up in central government hospitals and 84 in private healthcare facilities. Forty-five PSA plants with a capacity of 55.46 MT have already been commissioned. Eighteen such plants of 21.06 MT capacity will be commissioned by August 15, according to health department officials. However, the tardy supply of COVID-19 vaccines is a cause of concern, the officials said. According to government data, 1.07 crore vaccine doses have been administered in the capital since the inoculation exercise started on January 16. Over 29 lakh people have received both the doses. The Health department had recently told the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) that it will take another year to vaccinate all eligible beneficiaries aged above 18 against the at "the present rate of vaccine supply". The officials said around 1.5 crore beneficiaries are eligible for COVID-19 vaccination in the national capital and three crore doses are required to fully inoculate them. Around 45 lakh doses are required every month to complete the vaccination by December 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.) Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Sanjay Singh on Monday has given notice in the Rajya Sabha to raise the issue of the alleged rape and murder of a minor girl in Delhi during the zero hour. Singh in his notice has also raised the issue of the law and order situation in the capital. On August 1, a nine-year-old girl was allegedly raped and killed by a priest and three employees of a crematorium near the Delhi Cantonment area in southwest Delhi. Delhi Police registered a case against four accused on the basis of the statement of the minor's mother who alleged that her daughter was raped, murdered, and cremated without their consent on Sunday. The accused persons have been booked under Sections 302, 376 and 506 of the Indian Penal Code, along with the relevant sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and the SC/ST Act. Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), earlier on August 5, had asked the district magistrate to submit an action taken report within 48 hours in Delhi's Nangal The Commission said it has taken cognizance of the said matter under Section 13 (1) (j) of the Commissions for Protection of Child Rights (CPCR) Act, 2005. (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 Monday said the Jharkhand High Court Chief Justice will monitor weekly the progress made in the CBI probe into the alleged mowing down of a judge by a vehicle on July 28 in Dhanbad, and observed that the sealed cover report of the central agency did not contain much details. A bench of Chief Justice N V Ramana and justices Vineet Saran and Surya Kant asked the CBI to file its report weekly with the high court where the bench headed by the Chief Justice would monitor it. The top court had on July 30 taken suo motu cognizance of the unfortunate sad demise of the judge in gruesome incident and had sought a status report within a week from Jharkhand's Chief Secretary and the DGP on probe. CCTV footage showed that District and Sessions Judge-8 of Dhanbad court, Uttam Anand, was jogging on one side of a fairly wide road at Randhir Verma Chowk early on July 28 when a heavy auto-rickshaw veered towards him, hit him from behind and fled the scene. Locals took him to a nearby hospital, where the doctors declared him dead. (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 Delhi court on Monday directed the Unnao rape survivor, who has been provided security by the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), to step out only when necessary until the case is over and inform her personal security officers before going out. District and Sessions Judge Dharmesh Sharma issued the directions on an application filed by the rape survivor in which she alleged harassment by the personal security officers. She also told the court that they were curtailing her movements and not allowing her to enjoy her liberties. Taking note of her submissions, the judge said "inform them [security officers] before going out. They are deputed for your security. You must plan in a way that you don't have to venture out every day. Go out only when necessary. You must take precautions until the case is over." The court also noted that the survivor and her personal security officers have agreed to amicably resolve the issue. The judge added, For now, the prosecutrix is impressed upon to ensure that whenever she or family members wish to go outside Delhi in connection with any pending case, they would communicate it to CRPF Assistant Commandant so that proper security arrangements and escorts could be made. The court further said likewise, in case she or family members wish to meet their counsel for the pending cases, they would make sincere efforts to inform the schedule a day before. The woman was kidnapped and raped by expelled BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar in 2017 when she was a minor. On December 20, 2019, Sengar was sentenced to jail for the "remainder of his natural biological life in the rape case. In 2019, the apex court had directed that the survivor, her mother, and other members of the family be provided security by the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF). (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 India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Monday said fairly widespread to widespread rains are very likely over many parts of north and northeast India, Sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim during the next five days. It said a cyclonic circulation lies over eastern Uttar Pradesh and extends up to the mid-tropospheric levels. Under the influence of these systems, the said, fairly widespread to widespread rainfall activity with isolated heavy to very heavy falls is very likely over the northeast and Sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim during the next five days. It said under the influence of stronger southwesterly or southerly winds from the Bay of Bengal, the rainfall intensity is very likely to increase over these areas from Wednesday (August 11), resulting in isolated extremely heavy falls over Assam and Meghalaya during August 11-13. Fairly widespread to widespread rainfall with isolated heavy falls are very likely over Uttarakhand during the next five days and over Himachal Pradesh on August 12-13. Fairly widespread to widespread rainfall with isolated heavy to very heavy falls are very likely over eastern Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand during the next four-five days, the said. It said isolated heavy falls over Jharkhand during August 10-13 and over the Gangetic West Bengal during August 11-13 are also very likely. The Met office forecast scattered to fairly widespread rainfall with isolated heavy falls over Madhya Pradesh and eastern Rajasthan in the next 24 hours with a significant reduction in intensity and distribution thereafter. "Scattered to fairly widespread rainfall very likely over Tamil Nadu and Kerala during next five days with isolated heavy falls over Tamil Nadu during next five days and over Kerala during next three days," it said. It forecast "subdued" rainfall over the remaining parts of the plains of northwest India (Punjab, Haryana, western Rajasthan) and most parts of peninsular India, including Maharashtra and Gujarat. According to the IMD, rain or thundershowers were observed at most places of Uttarakhand, Bihar and Arunachal Pradesh and at many places of Himachal Pradesh, eastern Uttar Pradesh, eastern Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand and Sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim on Monday. A few places over western Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, central Maharashtra, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep and isolated places over Punjab, Haryana, western Rajasthan, Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, Gangetic West Bengal, Odisha, Gujarat, Vidarbha, Konkan and Goa, Telangana, coastal Karnataka, coastal Andhra Pradesh and Yanam, Kerala and Mahe and Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal also witnessed rain or thundershowers. The said the eastern end of the monsoon trough continues to run close to the foothills of the Himalayas, while the western end runs north of its normal position. "The entire monsoon trough likely to shift close to foothills of the Himalayas during next 24-48 hours, causing weak monsoon spell over the country from August 10," it added. Delhi recorded a maximum temperature of 33.4 degrees Celsius, a notch below normal, and a minimum temperature of 25.1 degrees Celsius, two notches below normal, the IMD said. The national capital received a total of 15.4 mm rainfall in a 24-hour period ending at 8.30 am, according to the IMD's Safdarjung station. The Ayanagar and Ridge stations recorded heavier rainfall of about 27 mm and 30 mm respectively. The city is expected to witness strong surface winds on Tuesday. Sultry weather conditions prevailed at most places in Haryana and Punjab. Ambala in Haryana recorded a maximum temperature of 35 degrees Celsius, while Hisar registered a high of 36 degrees Celsius, the IMD said. Chandigarh, the common capital of the two states, recorded a maximum temperature of 34.5 degrees Celsius. In Punjab, Amritsar recorded a maximum temperature of 33.4 degrees Celsius, Ludhiana recorded a high of 34.5 degrees Celsius, while Patiala's maximum settled at 34.8 degrees Celsius, acording to the Met office. Two members of a family -- an old woman and a child -- were killed when the wall of an adjoining house collapsed on their hut due to rain in Sultanpur district of Uttar Pradesh. Meanwhile, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has announced a slew of measures to help people in areas affected by floods following heavy rains and formed a task force comprising 12 cabinet ministers to look after the relief work. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee conducted an aerial survey of the flood-hit areas of Udaynarayanpur in Howrah district on Monday on her way to Jhargram, according to officials. (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 is warming at a higher rate than other oceans, the latest report by the Intergovernmental Panel on said on Monday, with scientists warning that India will witness increased heat waves and flooding, which will be the irreversible effects of The authors of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's (IPCC) Sixth Assessment Report (AR6), " 2021: The Physical Science Basis", said the warming of the ocean will lead to a rise in sea levels, which will contribute to more frequent and severe coastal flooding in low-level areas. "For a country like India, some of the increase in heat waves is masked by aerosol emissions and reducing that is important for air quality. We will also see an increase in the heat waves, heavy rainfall events and the further melting of glaciers, which will impact a country like India, more compound events from sea-level rise, which could mean flooding when tropical cyclones hit. These are some of the impacts which will not go away," Friederike Otto, one of the authors of the report, said. Another author, Swapna Panickal, who is a scientist at the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, said about 50 per cent of the sea level rise is due to thermal expansion. "The region is warming at a higher rate, which means the relative sea level can also increase over the regions. Hence, the coastal regions will see the sea level rise through the 21st century and it will contribute to more frequent and severe coastal flooding in low-level areas and coastal erosion. Along with this, extreme sea-level events that were previously seen once in a hundred years, could also happen every year by the end of the century," she said. The report also observed that it is indisputable that human activities are causing climate change, making extreme climate events, including heat waves, heavy rainfall and droughts, more frequent and severe. "Human influence has led to ocean warming since the 1970s and ocean acidification along with changes in the frozen areas of the planet. There has been a 40 per cent decrease in Arctic Sea ice since the 1990s and spring snow cover has decreased since the 1950s," it said. The authors of the report said in the next 20-30 years, India will not see much increase in the rainfall beyond the internal variability change, but both annual as well as the summer monsoon precipitation will increase by the end of the 21st century. "While there is not much model agreement on the changes in the heavy precipitation events, we can definitely say that hot extremes are projected to increase and cold extremes are projected to decrease in the 21st century," Panickal said. She said if large-scale reductions are not made in the greenhouse gas emissions, limiting to 1.5 degrees or 2 degrees Celsius will be beyond reach. The report said under the scenario of 2 degrees Celsius, the magnitude of length and the frequency of fire seasons are projected to increase with strong effects in India, China and Russia. (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 the government introducing and getting a number of bills passed in Parliament amid a din, Congress leaders alleged in the on Monday that democracy is being "murdered" in the House. Congress leaders like Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury and Manish Tewari attacked the government as it introduced three bills in the House and got as many passed as members continued with their protests over the Pegasus snooping controversy, except when a Constitution amendment bill was tabled. RSP's NK Premachandran noted that three bills were passed in 10 minutes and likened it to "cooking dosas". Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi asserted that the government wants long and constructive debates in Parliament and urged the members to go back to their seats so that discussions on the bills could begin. "We are ready for day-long discussions. The (Narendra) Modi government is bringing bills for the welfare of the Other Backward Classes and tribals. We will accept your suggestions," he said. A combined has been demanding that the House debate the Pegasus issue first. Both Chowdhury and Tewari alleged that democracy is being "murdered" with the government pushing ahead with its legislative agenda in such a manner as the House has not been in order. Joshi's deputy Arjun Ram Meghwal accused the Congress leaders of making wrong statements. However, the Opposition members stopped shouting slogans and protesting from the Well of the House and most of them went back to their seats when Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Virendra Kumar introduced the Constitution (127th Amendment) Bill that seeks to restore the states' power to classify the backward classes. The is likely to debate the bill on Tuesday. A Constitution amendment bill requires the House to be in order during its passage as a division of votes is mandatory. Most parties are likely to support the bill. (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 total of 8,486 Myanmarese nationals crossed over into India following the February 1 military in and 5,796 of them were pushed back, the government said on Monday. Replying to a question in Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Defence Ajay Bhatt said 2,690 Myanmarese "nationals/refugees" are still in India. He provided the information while sharing details of infiltrations along India's borders in the first six months of the current year Myanmar's military seized control of the country in a on February 1 after detaining Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi and other leaders of her National League for Democracy (NLD). Since then, the country has been rocked by massive protests. Bhatt said 11 infiltrators were killed and 20 others were apprehended along the Indo-Pakistan border, adding 20 infiltration attempts were made up to June 30 this year along the frontier. No cases of infiltration have been reported at the India-China border, he added. The minister cited reports of the security forces and the Ministry of Home Affairs while sharing the details. Referring to the Indo- border, Bhatt said following the coup, "8,486 nationals/refugees crossed over into India, out of which 5796 were pushed back and 2690 are still in India." Bhatt said 441 infiltration attempts were reported and 740 infiltrators were apprehended during the period along the Indo-Bangladesh border, adding one infiltrator was killed. "In addition, 11 illegal infiltrators along Indo-Nepal border have been apprehended in this year (up to June 30. No cases of infiltration have been reported at the Indo-China border," he said. To a separate question, Bhatt said the current authorised staff strength of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is 33,329. "The government sanctioned additional 420 posts of scientists to DRDO during April 2020," he said to a question on whether the government proposed to augment the manpower in the organisation. (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.) Prime Minister will chair a high-level open debate on "Enhancing A Case for International Cooperation" on Monday via video conferencing. His office said on Sunday the meeting is expected to be attended by several heads of state and government of member states of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), and high-level briefers from the UN system and key regional organisations. "Modi would be the first Indian prime minister to preside over a UN Security Council Open Debate," the Prime Minister's Office said. The open debate will focus on ways to effectively counter maritime crime and insecurity, and strengthen coordination in the maritime domain. The UN Security Council has discussed and passed resolutions on different aspects of and maritime crime, the PMO noted. However, this will be the first time that will be discussed in a holistic manner as an exclusive agenda item in such a high level open debate, it added. "Given that no country alone can address the diverse aspects of maritime security, it is important to consider this subject in a holistic manner in the United Nations Security Council. A comprehensive approach to maritime security should protect and support legitimate maritime activities, while countering traditional and non-traditional threats in the maritime domain," it said. The oceans have played an important part in India's history right from the time of the Indus Valley civilisation, it noted, adding that based on the country's civilisational ethos that see the seas as an enabler of shared peace and prosperity, Modi had put forward the vision of SAGAR - an acronym for "Security and Growth for all in the Region" in 2015. This vision focuses on cooperative measures for sustainable use of the oceans, and provides a framework for a safe, secure, and stable maritime domain in the region. In 2019, at the East Asia Summit, this initiative was further elaborated through the Indo-Pacific Oceans' Initiative (IPOI) with a focus on seven pillars of maritime security including Maritime Ecology; Maritime Resources; Capacity Building and Resource Sharing; Disaster Risk Reduction and Management; Science, Technology and Academic Cooperation; and Trade Connectivity and Maritime Transport, it said. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The All India Power Engineers Federation (AIPEF) on Monday said the workers have postponed its plan to go on a one-day on Tuesday. "The Coordination Committee of Electricity Employees and Engineers (NCCOEEE) has postponed one-day nationwide call of power employees and engineers after specific statement of Union Power Minister R K Singh that the Electricity (Amendment) Bill, 2021, has not yet been cleared by the Union Cabinet for placing it before Parliament," AIPEF said in a statement. The NCCOEEE has warned that if any unilateral attempt is made by the central government to place the Bill before Parliament in the current session, then power employees will be forced to resort to lightning on the same day. AIPEF Chairman Shailendra Dubey said the NCCOEEE has served a notice to the power ministry that the strike call for August 10 is postponed till further attempt of the government towards placing this unconstitutional Bill towards curbing the energy-right of poor and rural people of the country. The NCCOEEE will resort to strike action on the day of placing the Bill in any House of Parliament. He said power employees and engineers across the country will organise one hour protest demonstration in front of all power utility offices and installations on August 10. It is for decrying the "government-dictated police atrocities over the electricity employees and engineers mobilised for peaceful and democratic protest with prior intimation at Parliament Street, New Delhi on August 4, 5 and 6", he added. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The threat to is the highest in police stations as custodial torture and other police atrocities still prevail in India and even the privileged are "not spared third-degree treatment", N V Ramana said on Sunday while batting for a nationwide effort for the "sensitisation of police officers. The CJI, who is also the Patron-in-Chief of NALSA, said that to keep police excesses in check, dissemination of information about the constitutional right to legal aid and availability of free legal aid services is necessary. The installation of display boards and outdoor hoardings in every police station/prison is a step in this direction, he said, adding that NALSA must also actively carry out nationwide sensitisation of police officers. He was speaking at the launch of a legal service mobile application and the vision and mission statement of NALSA at Vigyan Bhawan here. The mobile App will help poor and needy people in applying for legal aid and seek victim compensation. NALSA was constituted under the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987 to provide free legal services to the weaker sections of the society and to organise Lok Adalats for amicable settlement of disputes. Terming the project Access to Justice as an unending mission, the said that for becoming a society governed by the rule of law, it was necessary to bridge the gap of accessibility to justice between the highly privileged and the most vulnerable. If, as an institution, the judiciary wants to garner the faith of the citizens, we have to make everyone feel assured that we exist for them. For the longest time, the vulnerable population has lived outside the system of justice, he said. The past should not determine the future and all should work to bring equality, Justice Ramana stressed. The threat to and bodily integrity are the highest in police stations. Custodial torture and other police atrocities are problems that still prevail in our society. In spite of constitutional declarations and guarantees, the lack of effective legal representation at the police stations is a huge detriment to arrested/detained persons. The decisions taken in these early hours will later determine the ability of the accused to defend himself. Going by the recent reports even the privileged are not spared third-degree treatment, the said. Stressing the need for bridging the gap of accessibility to justice between the highly privileged and the most vulnerable, the said for all times to come, we must remember that, the realities of socio-economic diversity which prevail in our nation, cannot ever be a reason for denial of rights". Let our past not determine our future. Let us dream of a future based on legal mobility, a future where equality is a reality. That is why the project 'Access to Justice' is an unending mission, he said. Furthermore, he stated that dissemination of information about the constitutional right to legal aid and availability of free legal aid services is necessary to keep police excesses in check. Besides this, he said that the prevailing obstacles like internet connectivity and lengthy, painstaking and expensive justice processes add to the woes of realising the goals of access to justice in India. Majority of those who do not have access to justice are from rural and remote areas which suffer from lack of connectivity. I have already written to the government emphasising the need to bridge the digital divide on a priority basis, the CJI said, referring to the digital divide between the rural and the urban populace. He suggested that the postal network can be utilised to spread awareness regarding the availability of free legal aid services and to increase the outreach of legal services to persons residing in far-flung areas of the country. The CJI asked lawyers, especially seniors, to help those needing legal assistance and urged the media to use its unparalleled capacity to spread the message of service of NALSA. Concurring with Ramana, Justice U U Lalit said that besides spreading awareness about legal services through post offices and police stations, Bar Councils and law colleges can also be roped in. We are impressing upon Bar Councils and law colleges and they must adopt one or two talukas around them so that students can be given practical training to be part of a large contingent of para-volunteers, Justice Lalit 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.) finance minister Palanivel Thiagarajan said on Monday that the state will kick off its reform drive starting from the upcoming Budget. Coming out with a White Paper on the states finances, he indicated that the state's overall has increased three-fold in the last ten years. The state's estimated outstanding for the current financial year was Rs 5.7 trillion, up from Rs 1.32 trillion in 2012-13 and a mere Rs 60,170 crore in 2006-07. "We will do the reforms step by step. In the upcoming Budget, we will take some initial steps and major changes can be expected in the Budget next February, if our moves are successful," Thiagarajan said. During the financial year 2020-21, the total outstanding of the state was around 25 per cent of the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP), which was the limit prescribed by the 14th Finance Commission. The visible debt for per citizen in comes to around Rs 70,000, while invisible and PSU debts added will increase this figure to Rs 1,10,000 per person, the report said. The minister blamed the poor financial mismanagement and lack of proper governance, especially in the last seven years. The White Paper indicated that overall guarantees provided by the government increased by 94 per cent in a span of one year from Rs 47,319 crore in 2019-20 to Rs 91,818 crore in 2020-21, owing to the adverse financial situation in the power and transport sector. Out of this, Rs 82,917 crore is for the power sector only. The total revenue receipts of the state that peaked at 13.35 per cent of the in 2008-09 has declined to 8.70 per cent in 2020-21, the report said. As a proportion of the GSDP, state own tax revenue (SOTR) also dipped from 8.48 per cent in 2006-07 to 5.46 per cent in 2020-21. The decline of 3 per cent of represents over Rs 60,000 crore of revenue forgone at current levels. Development expenditure in Tamil Nadu, which was 62.9 per cent in 2011-12, roughly equal to the average of 63.1 per cent for all states, has declined to 57.5 per cent in 2018-19, substantially below the average of 62.69 per cent for all the states. Interestingly, subsidies too have increased considerably to 27.06 per cent of the total revenue expenditure and 3.21 per cent of the GSDP in 2020-21, the report added. "If you look at SOTR, it was 70 per cent of the total revenues in 2013-14, which declined to 62.82 per cent in 2020-21. Borrowing for the right reason is not a problem, but when you borrow with no increase in revenue, it causes serious trouble," he added. The report also highlighted the financial trouble that the state public sector undertakings are facing, which shows that the accumulated debt of the power and transport sector PSUs alone comes to around Rs 1.99 trillion as on March 2021. Ex-Mexican President hospitalized Former Mexican President Vincente Fox thanked well-wishers on social media after he and wife -- both vaccinated -- were hospitalized for Covid-19. Fox, 79, and his wife Marta Sahagun were reported in stable condition. Read more New Orleans Jazz Festival cancelled The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival was canceled for a second year because of Covid-19, organizers announced on Sunday, as Louisiana weathers the nations worst per capita outbreak of the virus. We urge everyone to follow the guidelines and protocols put forth by public health officials, so that we can all soon experience together the joy that is Jazz Fest, according to a statement. The festival was canceled for the first time last year, its 50th anniversary, and rescheduled for this October. It has been rescheduled again for the spring of 2022. Read more Fauci favors boosters for most vulnerable Anthony Fauci, the U.S.s top infectious-disease doctor, said Covid-19 vaccine booster shots should be given reasonably soon to people with weakened immune systems. We need to look at them in a different light, Fauci said on CNNs Fareed Zakaria GPS on Sunday. We would certainly be boosting those people before we boost the general population thats been vaccinated, and we should be doing that reasonably soon. When asked if other groups should get booster shots, Fauci said the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is ready to give such recommendations as soon as they see clear evidence to do so from the data. Read more Russian deaths near record Deaths in remain near last months record high, with 787 people dying from coronavirus in the past 24 hours, the countrys response center said Sunday. The seven-day moving average has been at 790 for the past four days. That brings the total death toll to 164,881, the task force said in a statement. Thats far lower than Federal Statistics Service data, which show almost 316,800 deaths through the end of June, including cases where the virus was an indirect cause. In the past 24 hours, 22,866 cases of the coronavirus were registered, compared with 22,320 the previous day, taking the total to 6.45 million, the response center said. Read more The on Monday said a Bill to end retrospective taxes imposed on indirect transfer of Indian assets will encourage companies to invest in India and help the country become a $5-trillion economy. The Rajya Sabha on Monday returned the Taxation Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2021 to the Lok Sabha after main opposition parties staged a walkout. Following this, only the President's assent is required to make it a law. (The Bill) will spur companies that are on the cusp of deciding their investments into investing in India. (It) will provide impetus to the countrys goal of becoming a $5-trillion economy, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharamans office tweeted. The office said the legislation will instil confidence on the among foreign and domestic investors. ALSO READ: Bill to nullify retro tax to give impetus to India's $5 trn goal: I-T dept It (will) avoid unnecessary litigation and save time and costs of the government, the ministry said on the microblogging site. The Bill will boost the policy of the government to have a predictable tax regime. Replying to the debate in the Upper House, Sitharaman said, This (Bill) is appealing enough and will put an end to this ghost which we have been carrying all this while since 2012 I seek support of the House to make India look very clear, transparent and fair taxation land. The Congress, the TMC, the DMK walked out of the House before the Bill was taken up for discussion. The minister also told the House that the Bill provides for no payment of interest on refund made under this and the parties seeking relief would not pursue further appeals or litigation in these cases. The Bill proposes to amend the Income Tax Act, 1961 so as to provide that no tax demand would be raised in future on the basis of the said retrospective amendment for any indirect transfer of Indian assets if the transaction was undertaken before May 28, 2012, the date on which the Finance Bill, 2012, received the Presidents assent. Aviation regulator has asked airlines to ensure that the airfares on metasearch engine websites are not higher than the ones displayed on the carriers' websites, a senior official said on Monday. Various metasearch engine websites such as Google and Skyscanner operate in India. On Saturday, Sanjeev Gupta, Secretary, Inter-State Council Secretariat, Union Home Ministry, had complained on Twitter that an economy-class ticket on British Airways's Delhi-London for August 26 was priced Rs 3.95 lakh. However, the Ministry of Civil Aviation clarified on Sunday that an economy-class ticket on Delhi-London has been available for between Rs 1.03 lakh and Rs 1.47 lakh during August. The senior official of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said on Monday that the ticket prices shown on metasearch engines are at times higher than what are being shown on the airlines' websites and this is creating confusion. Therefore, the regulator has asked the carriers to ensure that metasearch engines do not show airfares higher than what is being shown on the carriers' websites. While there have been lower and upper limits on all domestic airfares in India since May 25 last year, no such limits have been imposed on international airfares. Vistara, which currently operates flights on Delhi-London as well as Mumbai-London route, said on Sunday, "Pricing is always a function of supply and demand." "There are only 15 flights a week allowed currently on the India-UK route for Indian carriers and when there is relaxation and more capacity allowed, it will automatically bring down prices." Scheduled international passenger flights have been suspended in India since March 23 last year amid the coronavirus pandemic. However, limited special international passenger flights have been operating since July 2020 under the air bubble arrangements formed with 28 countries, including the UK. (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.) Indian solar cell and module makers may see difficult times ahead with no protection from imports till April next year. Safeguard Duty (SGD), which was imposed on solar cells and module imports for the past two years, expired last month and the Basic Customs Duty (BCD), announced by the Centre, will kick in only after 9 months. Sector executives feel this would exacerbate the problems of domestic manufacturers of solar cells and modules. But for solar project developers, its a boon as they would be able to import before the BCD is enforced. The 9-month duty-free period, with a free for all, gives a much-deserved breathing space to Indian solar developers. We can expect a huge uptake in imports of solar modules and equipment, said Animesh Damani, managing partner, Artha Energy Sources. He said the industry may see a reduction of close to 15 per cent in solar tariffs, with more projects and new players entering the business. In recent tenders, project developers have started quoting competitive tariffs in anticipation of taking advantage of the duty-free period by importing low-cost material. There is a price difference of about 10-20 per cent between Indian and Chinese solar cells and modules. India imports close to 90 per cent of its solar cells and modules and nearly 80 per cent of this is from China. According to industry data, India has 3,100 Mw of cell manufacturing capacity and 9,000 Mw of module manufacturing capacity. Indias installed capacity of solar power stands at 39.08 Gw (including ground mounted and rooftop). The country aims to have 100 Gw of solar power capacity by next year. In the past three years, India has seen multiple changes in duty regime on imported solar cells and modules. For a sector, which is dependent on imports, this has been a major deterrent while bidding for projects or computing a valid tariff. In addition to the BCD, the Centre has also launched an investigation into complaints of dumping of solar imports from China, Vietnam and Taiwan. The complaints have been filed by Mundra Solar PV, solar manufacturing unit of Adani Enterprises, and Jupiter Solar Power to the Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR), under the ministry of commerce. This is the third such attempt by the Indian solar manufacturing industry in the past decade to get relief from imports, especially from China. Senior executive of a leading manufacturing company, said, anti-dumping will help create a level-playing field for domestic module manufacturers. This will provide the much-needed relief to the material injury caused to the domestic sector reeling under the pressure of low-cost imports from these countries and also help in protecting over 300,000 jobs, an executive said. During the SGD period, India witnessed over 85 per cent rise in imports. Executives said the imports would go up to 95 per cent during this duty-free period. At present, domestic manufacturers lack orders and are running below optimal capacity. And, customers (project developers) were eagerly waiting for expiry of SGD to place orders from foreign players at a cheaper rate. This will make sustenance for local manufacturers extremely difficult as they will be left with almost nil orders to continue production, said the executive quoted above. He said an interim anti-dumping duty should be levied until the anti-dumping investigation is concluded. All India Solar Industries Association (AISIA), in a recent note, said, as the duties levied on raw materials will remain intact, this would result in huge cost differences in indigenously-produced solar modules. Domestic manufacturers will have to continue paying hefty duties on imported raw materials, thereby being unable to compete with internationally-produced modules. We are already witnessing delays in project installations and cancellation of orders, as most were awaiting cessation of SGD to place orders for international modules. From August, 100 per cent of solar module equipment will be imported, with no tariff restrictions or policies to aid Indian manufacturers sustain operations, the note said. Union Minister on Monday asked all private sector entities to come forward for the development of social bonds, saying the corpus generated through the social contribution may be used to finance projects like the zero fatality corridor. Addressing a virtual event, the road transport and highways minister said the private sector can utilise their corporate social responsibility (CSR) fund to address all 4E's (engineering, enforcement, education, and emergency care services) of road safety. "The idea presented to me here today of Private capital mobilisation through social bonds, sustainability-linked bonds and pooling of CSR funds can be widely used for road safety improvement efforts. This is a welcome step," he said. The minister said road safety can bring a huge push to the economy, especially since we lose about 3 per cent of our GDP on account of road accidents. "I urge all private sector entities to pro-actively come forward for the development of social bonds. "The corpus generated with your social contribution would be effectively used to finance projects such as the Zero fatality corridor and other road safety strategies on a national scale," he said. Gadkari said he has particularly taken note of the proposal presented by the World Bank on 100 zero fatality corridors, where CSR funding can be used for developing safety intervention strategies. He noted that a rapid expansion in the road network, motorisation and urbanisation in India has been accompanied by a rise in road accidents, resulting in injuries, fatalities, disabilities, and hospitalisation with severe socio-economic costs across the country. Gadkari pointed out that although insurance companies are direct beneficiaries of a saved life, but unfortunately there is a very poor performance by them in this regard and there is a huge scope of improvement in approving claims and providing support to families, who have faced losses. The minister also emphasised that the private sector can invest via the PPP model for the establishment of driving training centres, vehicle fitness and pollution check centres, which can also help in the successful rollout of the vehicle scrapping policy. He said the ministry is developing 22 access-controlled Greenfield expressways, expanding the width of roads and bridges, removing the congestion points and is improving geometry. At the third Global Ministerial Conference on Road Safety held in Stockholm in Sweden, Gadkari said, "We had committed to reduce 50 per cent of accident deaths by 2030. My vision is to achieve a 50 per cent reduction in road accident deaths by 2025 and zero accident-related fatalities in the country by 2030. In India, National Highways and State Highways account for about 5 per cent of the total road length, he said, adding that these highways alone account for 61 per cent of road accident deaths, which is an extremely large share. The minister said the working-age group of 18 to 60 accounted for a share of 84 per cent of the total road accident deaths. Gadkari pointed out that 50 per cent of road accidents are due to road engineering problems, while a balance of 15 to 20 per cent of the responsibility goes to drivers and 10 to 15 per cent with automobile engineering. India ranks first in the number of road accident deaths across the 199 countries reported in the World Road Statistics, while as per the W-H-O Global Report on Road Safety, India accounts for almost 11 per cent of the accident-related deaths in the world. In India, 1.5 lakh people die and about 5 lakh people are injured in 5 lakh road accidents every year. (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 has collected Rs 31,290 crore from (SGB) Scheme since its launch in 2015, Finance Minister informed Parliament on Monday. With the main objective to develop an alternate financial asset and as an alternative to purchasing/holding of physical gold, the SGB Scheme was notified by the Government of India on November 5, 2015, Sitharaman said in a reply in Lok Sabha. "The response of public on the SGB scheme has resulted in the collection of Rs 31,290 crore since 2015-16," she said. Talking about features of the scheme, the Finance Minister said these bonds are issued on payment of Indian rupees and is denominated in grams of gold. Bonds are issued on behalf of the Government of India by RBI, and have a sovereign guarantee. "The bonds are restricted for sale to resident Indian entities. The investment limits are presently 4 kgs per fiscal year, for individuals and Hindu Undivided Family (HUF) and 20 kgs per fiscal year for trusts and similar entities. The ceiling will be counted on financial year basis and will include the SGBs purchased during the trading in the secondary market," she said. The ceiling on investment will not include the holdings as collateral by banks and financial institutions, she added. She further said "interest payable on these bonds are half-yearly and are at the rate of 2.5 per cent per annum. Interest on the bonds is taxable as per the provisions of the Income Tax Act. The capital gains tax arising on redemption of SGB to an individual has been exempted." Meanwhile, the Scheme 2021-22 Series V or the fifth tranche opened for subscription from Monday till August 13 with a settlement date of August 17, 2021. The issue price of the bond during the subscription period has been fixed at Rs 4,790 per gram. Replying to another question, Sitharaman said the total debt burden of the government during 2020-21 stood at Rs 1,19,53,758 crore (provisional) or 60.5 per cent of GDP (Rs 1,97,45,670 crore). "Towards overcoming the debt burden, government's focus is to reduce fiscal deficit from 6.8 per cent of GDP in BE 2021-22 to below 4.5 per cent of GDP by 2025-26. Debt consolidation through increasing buoyancy of tax revenues through improved compliance, increased receipts from monetisation of assets including public sector enterprises and land are the additional steps involved," she said. The strategy of reducing debt involving reduction of fiscal deficit, increasing buoyancy of taxes through improved compliance and increased receipts from monetisation of assets, including public sector enterprises and land ensures repayment capacity of the Government of India, she 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.) With the theme "Inclusive for Digital India," the India chapter of the United Nations-based forum Forum will host a three-day session, beginning October 20, to discuss public policy issues related to the The India Internet Forum (IIGF) was launched on Monday as a policy discussion platform to bring representatives together from various groups to discuss public policy issues related to the Internet. This mode of engagement is referred to as the multi-stakeholder model of Internet Governance, which has been the key feature for the Internets success. The multi-stakeholder concept is well adopted by IGF (Internet Forum) under UN and by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN). The coordination committee for IIGF-2021 includes National Internet Exchange of India CEO Anil Kumar Jain as Chairman, Broadband India Forum president T V Ramchandran as Vice Chairman, President, Centre for Digital Economy Policy Research, Jaijeet Bhattacharya as Vice Chairman, former director general of Centre for Development of Advanced Computing Rajat Moona as Vice-Chairman and around 12 members representing government, civil society, industries, trusts, associations and so on. India is the second-largest broadband subscription country in the world and also has the highest data consumption per user per month. Therefore, the aspirations of the Indians should be reflected in International policy formation and stakeholder discussion. India Internet Governance Forum is the correct initiative for the country to ensure that the growth of broadband adheres to the lifestyle and requirements of the Indian community. IIGF 2021 is adopting the multi-stakeholder concept in organizing the event as per the true spirit of global IGF. The coordination committee has apt representation from civil society, Government, Industry, Industrial association, trust, and other stakeholders, said Jain. Starting August 2021, multiple Pre-IIGF engagement events will be held at several colleges and universities, as a precursor to the IIGF Inaugural event. The idea behind this is to engage the youth and students for their participation in October event and prepare the next generation to be part of policy formation. Commerce and industry minister on Monday asked the traders community to prepare themselves and present their complaints against the large online retailers to the government so that justice can be done. Goyals statement came a few hours after the Supreme Court did not accept the pleas of Amazon and Flipkart against a probe by the competition commission of India (CCI). The apex court said that challenging the enquiry is like wanting a notice before the registration of an FIR under the criminal law and asked the e-commerce giants to submit themselves to the probe by Last year, had ordered a probe against Flipkart and Amazon for alleged malpractices, including deep discounting and tie-ups with preferred sellers on their platforms, following which both the companies had moved the high court seeking quashing of the probe order. The government will protect traders and small entrepreneurs and is also working towards simplifying legal metrology rules and creating a single-window online system to stop harassment of traders and enable ease of doing business, Goyal said at the National Traders Day. India is becoming a global platform for goods and services and asked traders to become Atmanirbhar on all fronts of commerce and trade, he said adding that trade is not an exchange of goods but is an exchange of culture, goodwill and trust also. The key to it is quality and productivity, he said. As Indias import dependency on continues to rise, Prime Minister today announced a Rs 11,000 crore National Mission-Oil Palm (NMEO-OP) to make India self-sufficient in cooking oils, including The government will ensure that farmers get all the facilities, from quality seeds to technology under the mission, Modi said while addressing a virtual event on the occasion of release of an installment of PM-KISAN. Modi also said while India has become self-sufficient in rice, wheat and sugar, it was not enough as the country is hugely dependent on imported edible oils. The Centre has already been running a National Mission on Oilseeds and Oil Palm to boost oilseeds and production in India for the last few years with an aim to lower imports. Sources said the new Mission plans to increase oil palm cultivation to 1 million hectares by 2025-26 and 1.7-1.8 million hectares by 2029-30. At present, less than 0.5 million hectares is under Oil Palm cultivation in India domestically largely in Andhra Pradesh. The domestic production is targeted to rise by three times to 1.1 million hectares by 2025-26 under the Mission. To achieve the target, sources said the Centre is looking to enhance the financial assistance given to farmers to shift towards oil palm cultivation and also ensure remunerative price for their produce. India is dependent on imported to meet over 60 per cent of its domestic demand, as domestic oilseed production is low. India annually imports 13-15 million tonnes of edible oil of which almost 55-60 per cent is palm oil alone. This is projected to go up 20 million tonnes by 2030 due to rising disposable incomes and changing food habits. According to trade sources, annually, the country imports edible oil worth Rs 60,000-70,000 crore, bulk of which is palm oil in both crude and refined forms. Palm oil is largely imported from Malaysia and Indonesia, for whom India is the biggest consumer. The country spent thousands of crores of rupees on edible oil imports, Modi said, adding that this money should rather go to farmers. The Prime Minister said north-eastern states and Andaman and Nicobar Islands could be promoted for palm farming. The expanse of Oil Palm cultivation in the country is very negligible today as compared to the potential the crop possesses. Oil Palm crop is a highly remunerative crop that has the potential to provide the highest return on investment per acre compared to other commercial crops. Farmers in Andhra Pradesh are a living testimony to the far-reaching benefits of this crop for their livelihoods and future, Sanjay Goenka, President of Oil Palm Developers and Processors Association said. The Solvent Extractors Association, meanwhile, is of the view that Oil Palm cultivation should be declared a plantation crop like tea, coffee etc to avail all the benefits. It also wanted the Centre to distribute a share of the funds collected through taxes on edible oils to develop domestic palm oil production. Hours after the Supreme Court rejected the pleas of and against a probe, Union minister on Monday asked the traders' community to "prepare themselves" and present all their complaints against big online retailers before the regulator to get "justice". The Commerce and Industry Minister also said that large companies, which were spending crores on lawyers to ensure that nothing happens on retailers' complaints, have failed. The apex court has refused to entertain the pleas of and Flipkart, challenging an order permitting the to carry out a preliminary investigation into the alleged violation of the competition law. Goyal, who has been vocal in supporting domestic traders, assured full support to the trader community from the government and asked traders to bring violations in the laws to the notice of the government. He urged the traders to prepare themselves and "whatever complaints you have, present all those in front of so that justice can be done". The Supreme Court has rejected the pleas of large e-commerce companies, which were running from "your complaints in CCI," he said while addressing traders' fraternity on the occasion of National traders' day. On Monday, the Supreme Court refused to entertain pleas of and Flipkart, saying that challenging the enquiry is like wanting a notice before the registration of an FIR under the criminal law and asked the e-commerce giants to submit themselves to the CCI probe. On January 13, 2020, fair trade regulator CCI ordered a probe against and Amazon for alleged malpractices, including deep discounting and tie-ups with preferred sellers on their platforms, following which both the companies had moved the high court seeking quashing of the probe order. According to Goyal, if businesses want to do e-commerce in India, they need to take domestic retailers along. The government is working towards simplifying legal metrology and creating a single-window online system to stop harassment of traders, he said, and urged the traders to boost 'Swarojgar, Swadeshi and Sugam Vyapar'. (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.) Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) on Monday said it has launched various micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) cluster development focussed initiatives. has been supporting MSMEs through its focused cluster development initiatives such as support for technology upgradation/modernisation, skilling/re-skilling/up-skilling and market linkages. The cluster development strategy of has gradually evolved over a period of time and it now caters to over 600 MSME clusters through its offices and supports the entire value chain (Micro Finance, Missing Middle and Small and Medium Enterprises), the financial institution said in a statement. Some of the unique engagements in clusters include EU Switch Asia in 18 clusters of 9 states, cluster outreach programmes followed by setting up of Project Management Unit (PMU) in 11 states with thrust on clusters and state cooperation, State Rural Livelihood Missions (SRLM), Artisanal Cluster and Engagement in One District One Product (ODOP) districts of Uttar Pradesh, it said. The principal financial institution engaged in the promotion, financing and development of MSMEs has been regularly bringing publication, policy papers etc on MSME development. Financial Services Secretary Debasish Panda launched the first information series titled as 'Diagnostic Mapping of Cluster- Charting the Path ahead through Intervention'. Additional Secretary in Department of Financial Services (DFS) Pankaj Jain and Joint Secretary in DFS Madnesh Kumar Mishra were also present on the occasion. The book marks the commencement of focussed attention of on clustering strategy aimed towards building and supporting sustainable growth of MSMEs. "It compiles the findings that emerged out of diagnostic studies in 30 clusters. It contains recommendations and action plan for financial and non-financial issues, interventions suggested at the policy, cluster and unit level," it said. SIDBI is geared up to undertake diagnostics of 100 clusters and plan engagement in 15 clusters. On this occasion, SIDBI Chairman and Managing Director S Ramann said, the financial institution has identified a multi-pronged strategy to impact local, regional, national and global value chain through MSE clusters. "We are giving a thrust to hard infrastructure support to state governments. DFS and Reserve Bank of India have supported us in setting up the SIDBI Cluster Development Fund," Ramann said. The soft infrastructure engagement shall complement the hard infrastructure, he said. "In line with cluster experts we have initiated the mapping exercise of 100 clusters such that the implementation by SIDBI and other institutions can lead to sustainable growth of clusters," he said. Since the typology of cluster development generally involves hard and soft infrastructure aspects, to address the soft infrastructure aspects, SIDBI has launched the Business Development Services intervention programme in 5 Clusters (Tourism Cluster Jammu & Kashmir; Delhi-NCR Innovation Cluster; Jodhpur Wood Furniture Cluster, Sambalpur Textile Cluster, Chennai Leather Cluster). The holistic aim of the intervention is to strengthen Clusters to evolve as model Clusters and also to increase MSMEs' access to services thus rising up the value chain. (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 Rajendra Jadhav MUMBAI (Reuters) - India's imports of sunflower oil could rise to a record in 2021/22 as potential bumper crops in Russia and Ukraine pull prices below rival soyoil, making it lucrative for price-sensitive buyers from the subcontinent, industry officials said. India is the world's biggest importer of edible oils and higher purchases of sunflower oil could help exporters such as Argentina, Russia and Ukraine to dispose of surplus output. Higher sunflower oil imports could cap India's purchases of soyoil and palm oil, however, and weigh on prices of those commodities. "Sunflower has become very competitive due to expectations of a bumper new crop," said Sandeep Bajoria, the president of trade body the International Sunflower Oil Association. "India's imports will increase in coming months." Crude sunflower oil is being offered at about $1,280 a tonne, including cost, insurance and freight (CIF) for shipments in the December quarter to India, lower than the $1,330 cost of degummed soybean oil, traders said. A year ago, sunflower oil was fetching a premium of up to $100 over soyoil, which led to lower sunoil consumption. As sunflower oil is now trading at discount to soyoil, imports will rise and consumption could rebound in southern and western India, said Sudhakar Desai, president of the Indian Vegetable Oil Producers' Association (IVPA). "The rise in sunflower oil imports could marginally reduce soyoil and palm oil imports," Desai said. Traditionally, palm oil makes up nearly two-thirds of India's total imports, while soyoil and sunflower account for 20% and 16%, respectively. India's total sunflower oil imports for the marketing year starting November 1 could jump 37% to a record 2.6 million tonnes, Bajoria said, up from 1.9 million tonnes in 2020/21. India imports sunflower oil mainly from Argentina, Russia and Ukraine. Anticipating big new crops, traders have slashed prices for August shipments of old crop supplies, and India's imports in the month could rise to 200,000 tonnes from 175,702 tonnes in June, said a dealer based in Mumbai with a global trading firm. "During peak crushing season sunflower oil prices could fall further," the dealer said. "If palm oil prices fail to come down, then a lot more sunflower oil could come to India substituting palm oil." Sunflower oil's premium over palm oil has reduced to $100 per tonne from $160 a year ago, traders said. (Reporting by Rajendra Jadhav; Editing by Gavin Maguire and Clarence Fernandez) (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 IMA on Monday opposed the draft Postgraduate Medical Regulation Bill that proposes a 100-per cent central allotment for state medical seats, stating that it is "against the autonomy and envisioned role of the states in working towards public health as the right of the citizens". According to the bill, all seats will be filled by the Centre and the states will have no role in it, the (IMA) pointed out. "India being a federal state, leaving the role of states in medical will be disastrous," it said, demanding that the existing system of admission and selection criteria must continue for the PG seats. It also demanded that the National Medical Commission (NMC) withdraw the "anti-federal, anti-student, anti-democratic, anti-patient care and anti-public health draft bill", try to initiate a dialogue with the stakeholders to understand the ground reality and do course correction to ensure uniform standards of and a uniform pattern of the scale of pay, stipend and facilities provided to the interns, faculties and residents too. In a statement, the IMA said the original Medical Council of India (MCI) was functioning with democratically-elected state representatives, who always voiced for the collective consciousness of state welfare. However, as the NMC is full of nominated people, it is slowly excluding all state governments from the administration of medical education. As of date, the broad-specialty post-graduation course admission is carried out through PG-NEET and 50 per cent admission is done under the All-India quota by the DGHS and the remaining 50 per cent seats are admitted by the state governments. But according to the draft regulation, "There shall be common counselling for admission in all medical educational institutions to all postgraduate broad-specialty courses (Diploma/MD/MS) on the basis of merit list of the National Exit Test and to all postgraduate super-specialty courses (DM/MCh) on the basis of merit list of the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test", the IMA pointed out. It alleged that the NMC is still in a dilemma and has not given any clarity on the proposed NEXT exam. "However, this notification says, when a student writes his exam, the mark he scores will be valid for three years and he can rewrite the exam only after three years. This is a great injustice to the students. As it has proposed to conduct the NEXT exams in 2023, the NMC should come out with the pattern and type of examination after having wider democratic consultation with the students' body, faculty, states and largest professional body IMA," the statement read. The IMA in principle welcomed the "district residency", but said making it for a three-month period will result in overcrowding and impact the work in the medical college departments. Even for non-clinical postgraduates, spending three months in a district hospital will hamper the continuous theory and practical training, it said and demanded that the duration of the training period in the district hospitals be reduced to a month. The revised proposals for certain broad-specialty courses to multiple super-specialty options have been drafted without due considerations of the students' opinion and often changing it like this will create uncertainty and heartburn for the students preparing for the NEET SS exams, the statement said. "Equally, the move to open up a dual degree in post-graduation and candidates doing simultaneous Ph.D are good to postulate, but in reality, will jeopardise the clinical acumen and involvement of the postgraduates' inpatient care. "The NMC, which has been formed with great fanfare and promises, is now running into a non-performing body and playing the role of a silent spectator when the issues of interns, medical students and also the registered doctors are raised. The NMC fails to respond to the death of 1,589 doctors in COVID-19 nor to issues of violence on doctors. However, they want to make inroads of mixopathy and centralising powers at the cost of the states," the association 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.) Depositors of Punjab and Maharashtra Cooperative (PMC) Bank, Guru Raghavendra Cooperative that are under stress will benefit from the changes in the Deposit Insurance Credit Guarantee Corporation Act, and will be eligible to withdraw up to Rs 5 lakh within 90 days, said Minister (DICGC) Bill is effective from now, but PMC Bank, Guru Raghavendra that are already under stress but which are not under moratorium, which may have administrator sitting and sorting the business out, even their depositors will benefit and get Rs 5 lakh within 90 days, Sitharaman said while tabling the Bill in Lok Sabha. The resolution of under stress is taking time and as a result the depositors are not getting more than the emergency money for medical treatment, among others, Sitharaman said. We want to make sure within 90 days depositors get the money so that small depositors who make up 98 per cent of all depositors will get their money in time, she said. According to the Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation (Amendment) Bill, 2021 passed by Lok Sabha today, once a stressed is put on moratorium, DICGC will be liable to pay depositors an insured amount of Rs 5 lakh. A list showing the outstanding deposits of each depositor of the insured bank will have to be furnished by the lender within 45 days. The DICGC, within 30 days of receiving the list, will have to verify the authenticity of the claims made, and ascertain the willingness of each depositor to receive the amount due to him, out of his deposit in the insured bank. The entire process, from the time a bank is placed under moratorium to depositors receiving the insured amount, should not exceed 90 days, according to the DICGC Bill, 2021. The bill also amends Section 15 of the DICGC Act to enable the corporation to increase the ceiling on the amount of premium paid by to DICGC to 15 paisa per annum for Rs 100 worth deposits, with the prior approval of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). A staggering 65 per cent of the tuberculosis cases in India are in the 15-45 age group, which is the most economically productive population segment, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said on Monday. This, coupled with the fact that 58 per cent of the TB cases are in rural areas, translates to entire families being excluded from upward mobility due to the disease, he said. Speaking at an event to sensitise parliamentarians on the country's efforts to eliminate TB, Mandaviya asked all MPs to proactively engage in sensitising citizens about the disease and its treatment at events they organise and attend. He underscored that a staggering 65 per cent of the TB cases in the country are in the 15-45 age group, which is the most economically productive population segment. Vice President and Rajya Sabha Chairman Venkaiah Naidu, who chaired the event along with Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, said "coordination at central, state, district and local levels would help in making this a people's movement and would expedite our efforts in eliminating TB by 2025". He also urged the MPs to set a goal in their constituencies for proper planning and execution of government programs and help in eliminating TB. Birla called for collective action against TB and emphasised the crucial role played by Parliament in disseminating the message in a country full of diversity. He said it is the responsibility of people's representatives to ensure that there is constant identification and monitoring of TB patients in their constituencies and the needs of the patients are looked after during and post-treatment. For smooth governance and health administration, parliamentarians would be provided with all necessary data related to TB and any assistance needed from the government, he added. Minister of State for Health Bharati Pawar spoke on the difficulties in the journey towards TB elimination with the onset of COVID-19. "2020 witnessed a sweeping COVID-19 pandemic devastate lives, economies, health systems and health programmes across the world with record-breaking speed. In just a few months, the pandemic has reversed years of progress made in the fight against tuberculosis. "The onset of the pandemic in March 2020 triggered lockdowns, restrictions on movement, repurposing of available health system resources, infrastructure, diagnostics, treatment centres and manpower to fight COVID-19, (and) disrupted the ongoing TB elimination efforts and services all over the country," she said. Pawar suggested effective sharing of collective responsibility with states in tackling the social determinants of TB for better and rapid health outcomes. (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.) Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Monday said that the government aims to make the country (TB) free by the year 2025. While speaking at Parliament House, Mandaviya said an awareness drive was in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's goal to make India TB-free by 2025. "We want to make this country TB-free by 2025. We had never linked health with development. Under PM Modi's leadership, the definition of health has been comprehensive. In the coming days, India will achieve its target of making the health sector more robust," said Mandaviya. Apart from Mandaviya, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said that he expected elected representatives to ensure steps for the eradication of the disease. "Time has come to end deadly diseases in this country. We need to make collective efforts to win against TB. Poverty and malnutrition are two main reasons for TB. Elected representatives need to ensure steps for the eradication of the disease," said Birla. Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu turning his focus to the gravity of the disease suggested, "If all the local, central, and state governments, MPs, and officials join together and make it a people's movement, it won't be difficult to eliminate TB by 2025. The average life expectancy has increased to 69.4 years, which was 35 years in 1950. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) If the had seized three provincial capitals in northern a year ago, like they did on Sunday, the American response would most likely have been ferocious. Fighter jets and helicopter gunships would have responded in force, beating back the Islamist group or, at the very least, stalling its advance. But these are different times. What aircraft the US military could muster from hundreds of miles away struck a cache of weapons far from Kunduz, Taliqan or Sar-i-Pul, the cities that already had been all but lost to the Taliban. The muted American response showed in no uncertain terms that Americas 20-year war in Afghanistan is over. The mismanaged and exhausted Afghan forces will have to retake the cities on their own, or leave them to the for good. The recent military victories has not moved Biden to reassess his decision to end the US combat mission by the end of the month, senior administration officials said. But the violence shows just how difficult it will be for Biden to extract US from the war while insisting that he is not abandoning the country in the middle of a Taliban offensive. By Josh Horwitz SHANGHAI (Reuters) -Chinese e-commerce giant Group Holding Ltd has fired a manager who allegedly sexually assaulted a female employee and will establish policies to prevent sexual harassment, Chief Executive Daniel Zhang said on Monday. The manager - at Alibaba's City Retail unit, which offers grocery delivery from local supermarkets - "has been fired and will never be rehired," Zhang said in a memo published on Alibaba's intranet that was seen by Reuters and later made public. The man told management there were "intimate acts" with the employee when she was inebriated, Zhang said in the memo, adding that the police is investigating the matter. Reuters was unable to reach the individual for comment. " Group has a zero-tolerance policy against sexual misconduct, and ensuring a safe workplace for all our employees is Alibaba's top priority," a company spokesperson told Reuters when asked about the memo. Over the weekend, a female staffer posted an 11-page account on Alibaba's intranet in which she said her supervisor and a client sexually assaulted her while on a business trip, and that managers had failed to take action. Threads related to the incident subsequently ranked among the top-trending on Weibo, China's Twitter-esque microblog, which has been alight with discussion of the #MeToo anti-sexual harassment movement following a celebrity sex scandal last week. Zhang said the City Retail unit's president and human resources head had resigned over the incident, and that Alibaba's chief people officer has "received a demerit". Investigations into other individuals referred to in the victim's account are ongoing, Zhang added in the memo. will conduct company-wide training for the prevention of sexual harassment and launch a channel for staff to report incidents, Zhang said in the memo. It will also issue a formal, zero-tolerance anti-sexual harassment policy. Zhang also said Alibaba is staunchly opposed to "the ugly culture of forced drinking". The memo detailed the victim's account of the incident, in which she recalled superiors ordering her to drink alcohol with coworkers during dinner on a business trip. "Regardless of gender, whether it is a request made by a customer or supervisor, our employees our empowered to reject it," Zhang said in the memo. "This incident is a humiliation for all Alibaba employees. We must rebuild, and we must change," he said. On a group chat on Alibaba's workplace messaging app DingTalk dedicated to the issue, staff have demanded justice for the victim and rigorous measures to prevent sexual harassment, an employee told Reuters. A notice published on the chat showed the group had more than 6,000 members as of Sunday, the employee said. Other Alibaba staffers have taken to reposting a long note by an anonymous writer claiming to he have been an Alibaba employee for nine years and expressing loyalty to the company. "No matter what happens, during this time I will deeply love it just as before, even though I may berate it as I cry tears," the writer said of Alibaba in the note shared widely on WeChat. (Reporting by Josh Horwitz; Editing by Christopher Cushing) (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.) Chinas latest bonhomie with the Taliban, which has so far refused to de-link itself from terrorist groups like the Al Qaeda, flies in the face of its claims to be part of the global counter-terrorism movement. By describing the as a "pivotal military and political force" in but remaining silent about the latter's association with terror, amid reports that members of several Pakistan-based terror groups are at present fighting on its side against the Afghan national forces, has sent a disturbing message to the world about its political ethics. Their new relationship exposes China's twin, contrasting objectives of befriending the regressive, Islamist organisation that has links with terror groups to extend its expansionist plan to while using the same terror plank to continue the brutal Sinicisation of the Xinjiang region which is home to millions of Uyghur Muslims. What is more significant is the United States literally turning a blind eye to the relationship between the two that has the potential to endanger the South Asian region. The media has reported Secretary of State Anthony Blinken as saying: "Neighbouring countries of have an interest in the region, but no one has an interest in the region falling into an enduring civil war or the hands of the If and other countries are working on that interest, then it's a positive thing." The questionable development has its roots in the recent meeting in Tianjin, between top Chinese officials and a delegation of the The state media showed China's foreign minister Wang Yi greeting deputy leader of Taliban Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar. Wang posed for photographs with all the nine members of the Taliban delegation. Wang's ministry quoted him as telling the delegation that it should play "an important role in the process of peaceful reconciliation and reconstruction" of Afghanistan. The Chinese have been in touch with the Taliban off and on, the last time in 2019, but never in such a public manner. Their meeting is beneficial to both of them, at least for the time being. The support of China gives breathing space to the Taliban from global criticism its attempt to capture the country by force. It also shows how political equations have changed since the United States drove the Taliban out of power two decades ago and how even powerful countries like China treat the Taliban with kid's gloves. The Taliban gets much more than China out of their new-found relationship. Since the US officially declared its intention to withdraw from Afghanistan by August 31, the Taliban has embarked on a public relations trip to gain sympathisers to its cause. Its delegations have since visited Russia, Iran and Turkeminstan apart from China. The friendly reception to them in the four regional countries bestows on them the kind of legitimacy they desperately seek. The rest of the world sees them as insurgents and any softening in that stand towards the Taliban can be attributed to their selfish interests in the region. The meeting with Wang is the biggest coup for the Taliban leadership. They told him everything that he and President Xi Jinping wanted to hear: That they respect China, they are happy to invite Chinese investments in Afghanistan, they would look for a peaceful resolution of the Afghan situation once they acquire control, that they would not allow terrorist groups inimical to China to seek bases in Afghanistan. China sympathisers in the west are not alarmed at the Taliban-China ties. They seriously argue that China wants nothing from this relationship other than an end to the Afghan conflict. The New York Times quoted a former US State department official and UN adviser on Afghanistan, Barnett R. Rubin, as saying of the Tianjin meeting: "It is an effort to use China's influence to persuade the Taliban not to seek a military victory but to negotiate seriously for an inclusive political settlement." Such comments tend to show China in a more sympathetic and earnest light while drawing attention away from its selfish interests. China's usual hullabaloo about Islamist terrorists slipping into Xinjiang and provoking unrest among the Uyghur Muslims flies in the face of two things. One, China and Afghanistan share a short border of 47 kilometres at the end of an inaccessible, mountainous region called the Wakhan Corridor. Such is the security presence and surveillance in Xinjiang that no Uyghur can move unnoticed, let alone plan an insurrection. The East Turkestan Islamic Movement that China declares as a terrorist organisation is no longer in the terrorist list of the United States. China used the presence of this organisation to justify the detention of over a million Uyghurs in so-called re-education camps. Secondly, China had always wanted to play a prominent role in South Asian affairs in its capacity as the self-claimed Asian giant. It could never convince India about this. Try as it may, it could also not play a larger role in Afghanistan because of the huge American presence. It sees an opportunity now with the Americans leaving. If the Taliban does not object to China at one point of time having a mediatory role between the insurgents and the Afghan government, China would realise its dream. Thirdly, and this is significant, China eyes Afghanistan as the latest partner in its Belt and Road Initiative project. Not wanting to displease the US, Afghanistan did not take any interest in the BRI. However, things are changed now and China believes it is backing the right horse in the country. It wants Afghanistan's approval for the Peshawar-Kabul motorable high way to connect Pakistan and Afghanistan as also connect Xinjiang with Afghanistan through the Wakhan Corridor and from there to Pakistan and Central Asia. Last but not the least, China would want to protect its current investments in Afghanistan, worth billions of dollars, mostly to develop the Aynak copper mine. It may have its sights also on billions worth rare-earth metals that sit deep within the Afghan mountains. For the last two decades, the American presence in Afghanistan, though criticised often in the region, was actually a stabilising factor in many ways. At least on the terror front it kept things quiet in Afghanistan as most of the terror outfits shifted bases to neighbouring Pakistan. With the American departure there is a big question mark on how future stability can be ensured and who will keep the terror groups at bay. The Taliban insurgents aiming to grab power and China showing interest in the country for its own reasons pays the foundation for a future spell of confusion. --IANS specialcorrespondent/ksk/ (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Earth's climate is getting so hot that temperatures in about a decade will probably blow past a level of warming that world leaders have sought to prevent, according to a report released Monday that the calls a code red for humanity. It's just guaranteed that it's going to get worse, said report co-author Linda Mearns, a senior climate scientist at the US National Center for Atmospheric Research. I don't see any area that is safe ... Nowhere to run, nowhere to hide. But scientists also eased back a bit on the likelihood of the absolute worst climate catastrophes. The authoritative Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report, which calls climate change clearly human-caused and unequivocal, makes more precise and warmer forecasts for the 21st century than it did last time it was issued in 2013. Each of five scenarios for the future, based on how much carbon emissions are cut, passes the more stringent of two thresholds set in the 2015 Paris climate agreement. World leaders agreed then to try to limit warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) since the late 19th century because problems mount quickly after that. The limit is only a few tenths of a degree hotter than now because the world has already warmed nearly 1.1 degrees Celsius (2 degrees Fahrenheit) in the past century and a half. Under each scenario, the report said, the world will cross the 1.5 degrees Celsius warming mark in the 2030s, earlier than some past predictions. Warming has ramped up in recent years, data shows. In three scenarios, the world will also likely exceed 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) over pre-industrial times the other, less stringent Paris goal with far worse heat waves, droughts and flood-inducing downpours unless deep reductions in carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions occur in the coming decades, the report said. This report tells us that recent changes in the climate are widespread, rapid and intensifying, unprecedented in thousands of years, said IPCC Vice Chair Ko Barrett, senior climate adviser for the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The changes we experience will increase with further warming. The 3,000-plus-page report from 234 scientists said warming is already accelerating sea level rise, shrinking ice and worsening extremes such as heat waves, droughts, floods and storms. Tropical cyclones are getting stronger and wetter, while Arctic sea ice is dwindling in the summer and permafrost is thawing. All of these trends will get worse, the report said. For example, the kind of heat wave that used to happen only once every 50 years now happens once a decade, and if the world warms another degree Celsius (1.8 degrees Fahrenheit), it will happen twice every seven years, the report said. As the planet warms, places will get hit more not just by extreme weather but by multiple climate disasters that occur simultaneously, the report said. That's like what's now happening in the Western U.S., where heat waves, drought and wildfires compound the damage, Mearns said. Some harm from climate change dwindling ice sheets, rising sea levels and changes in the oceans as they lose oxygen and become more acidic are irreversible for centuries to millennia, the report said. The world is locked in to 15 to 30 centimeters (6 to 12 inches) of sea level rise by mid-century, said report co-author Bob Kopp of Rutgers University. Nearly all of the warming that has happened on Earth can be blamed on emissions of heat-trapping gases such as carbon dioxide and methane. At most, natural forces like the sun or simple randomness can explain one- or two-tenths of a degree of warming, the report said. The report described five different future scenarios based on how much the world reduces carbon emissions. They are: a future with incredibly large and quick pollution cuts; another with intense pollution cuts but not quite as massive; a scenario with moderate emissions; a fourth scenario where current plans to make small pollution reductions continue; and a fifth possible future involving continued increases in carbon pollution. In five previous reports, the world was on that final hottest path, often nicknamed business as usual. But this time, the world is somewhere between the moderate emissions path and the small pollution reductions scenario because of progress to curb climate change, said report co-author Claudia Tebaldi, a scientist at the U.S. Pacific Northwest National Lab. In a way, the world can stay at the 1.5-degree threshold with extreme and quick emission cuts, but even then, warming would hit 1.5 degrees in a decade, rise a tad and then come back down, said co-author Maisia Rojas Corrada, director of the Center for Climate and Resilience Research in Chile. While calling the report a code red for humanity, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres kept a sliver of hope that world leaders could still somehow prevent 1.5 degrees of warming, which he said is perilously close. Anything we can do to limit, to slow down, is going to pay off, Tebaldi said. And if we cannot get to 1.5, it's probably going to be painful, but it's better not to give up. In the report's worst-case scenario, the world could be around 3.3 degrees Celsius (5.9 degrees Fahrenheit) hotter than now by the end of the century. But that scenario looks increasingly unlikely, said report co-author and climate scientist Zeke Hausfather, climate change director of the Breakthrough Institute. Both extremes are looking less likely, he said. We are a lot less likely to get lucky and end up with less warming than we thought. We won't be able to meet Paris Agreement goals without rapid near-term reductions in our emissions, Hausfather said. At the same time, the odds of ending up in a much worse place than we expected if we do reduce our emissions are notably lower. The report said ultra-catastrophic disasters, commonly called tipping points, like ice sheet collapses and the abrupt slowdown of ocean currents are low likelihood but cannot be ruled out. The much talked-about shutdown of Atlantic ocean currents, which would trigger massive weather shifts, is something that's unlikely to happen in this century, Kopp 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.) Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Monday said his country was being made a scapegoat for the community's failure to bring peace in Afghanistan, days after Islamabad was accused of providing safe haven and logistical support to the Taliban. At a press conference here, Qureshi said: "Peace in the neighbouring country (Afghanistan) is a shared responsibility, and the community cannot shy away from it. We won't let some harsh statements block our desire to attain peace and stability." The minister was referring to recent statements of Afghanistan's UN envoy that was aiding the Taliban by providing logistical support and safe haven. The powerful 15-nation UN Security Council, currently under India's Presidency for the month of August, held a meeting on the situation in on Friday last week. was not invited to the meeting. Qureshi said Pakistan itself was a victim of terrorism. "We have paid a huge price... we're the victims... this has to be understood... we have 80,000 casualties and we suffered economic losses," he said. He said Pakistan has been pushing for peace in without showing preference for any group or party. "We have been saying time and again that Pakistan has no 'favourites' in Afghanistan, he said. The minister said Pakistan was against any military takeover in Afghanistan, adding that his country's role in the conflict is only of a facilitator, and not of a guarantor. "Pakistan played an instrumental role in bringing the Taliban to the negotiating table in 2019. Pakistan facilitated the US-Taliban peace agreement in February 2020 in Doha. Pakistan also helped to convene the intra-Afghan negotiations in September 2020, he said. He rejected allegations by the Afghan leaders about any interference and added that the people of should decide the future of their country. "If peace talks succeed then it would not be Pakistan who would get the credit but the Afghan leadership, he said. He said Pakistan had invited the Afghan leaders to a conference in Islamabad to discuss the way forward but was postponed on the request of President Ashraf Ghani. It may be mentioned that Pakistan did not invite the Taliban to this conference, he said. Qureshi reiterated that there was no military solution to the Afghan crisis and only a negotiated political settlement was the way forward. He said that Pakistan had asked the United States not to abandon Afghanistan because it would create a power vacuum. Talking about the UNSC session on Afghanistan under Indian presidency, Qureshi said Pakistan was not invited despite making a formal request. On recent terrorist attacks, he said, the blasts were attempts to disrupt the progress made in China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). "They have their own priorities and we have our own... despite their efforts, we will continue to progress," he said. At least two policemen were killed and 12 others, including eight policemen, were injured on Sunday when a powerful blast targeted a police van near a luxury hotel in Quetta, the capital of Pakistan's troubled southwestern Balochistan province. Similar, terror incidents have been reported widely across the country in recent months. Later, Qureshi said 98 per cent fencing of the border with Afghanistan had been completed. (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 Kane Wu and Julie Zhu HONG KONG (Reuters) - firms are rethinking their strategies in as a widening regulatory crackdown on some of the country's hottest sectors forces investors to scout for bets in other industries that they hope will be less vulnerable to sudden policy changes. (PE) and (VC) funds are pivoting away from data-heavy, consumer-facing internet to sectors including semiconductors and renewable energy, industry executives said. The shift comes as investors reel from a barrage of regulatory scrutiny and radical rule changes in the last few months targeting big domestic companies, mainly from the internet, private education and property sectors. The move to ban private tutoring firms last month from making a profit from teaching core school subjects and raising capital, for example, is set to trigger a scramble https://www.reuters.com/business/private-equity-firms-scramble-exit-after-chinas-new-tutoring-rules-2021-07-27 among investors to find an exit after pouring in billions. The unexpected crackdown will not only cast a long shadow over PE investors' return prospects, but will also narrow investment opportunities at a time when many of them are sitting on billions of dollars worth of capital. "We are faced with the most stern regulatory environment in over a decade, when market competition is the fiercest and capital the most abundant," said Richard Ji, chief investment officer and managing partner of All-Stars Investment. "With increasing regulation, good are becoming fewer and more expensive. Overall, future returns for venture and private equity investors may decrease," said Ji, whose Hong Kong-based fund focuses on leading in new economy sectors. Forty-three China-focused funds raised a total of $49 billion this year, nearing 2020's annual amount of $50 billion, according to Preqin data. Hillhouse Capital Group alone raised $18 billion in Asia's biggest non-state-backed fund in May. The number of funds raised this year, however, is less than a third of last year and a steep drop from the fundraising peak in 2016 and 2017 when over 1,100 funds were raised each year, the data showed. According to Chinese data firm Zero2IPO, in 2020, angel, venture and PE-backed investments totalled 887 billion yuan ($137 billion), up 14% year-on-year, of which 384.3 billion yuan went to IT, internet and semiconductor and electronics sectors. In the first half of this year, investments totalled 470 billion yuan, up 50% year-on-year. INVESTMENT POTENTIAL As a result of the crackdown, many investors are shifting focus to sectors that are less prone to antitrust and data-related scrutiny such as semiconductors, automation, renewable energy, healthcare and business-focused tech services. Those sectors are also seen by some executives to be in line with China's strategic goals, as, investors say, Communist Party rulers puts socialism before shareholders https://www.reuters.com/world/china/no-gain-without-pain-why-chinas-reform-push-must-hurt-investors-2021-07-28 and remake certain sectors to curb cost pressures and better serve ordinary people. "China's demand for home-made chips and the trend of electrifying vehicles and autonomous driving will also create many new companies with investment potential," said Henry Zhang, president of Hong Kong-based Hermitage Capital. The tech crackdown has cooled off valuations in internet companies and online education groups, investors said. However they pointed out in popular sectors such as retail, companies are still expensive. Investors are also chasing tech firms that only concentrate on the Chinese market to avoid potential regulatory risks with their overseas operations, said a Beijing-based senior investor with a PE fund. Having been caught off guard by the regulatory crackdown, some investors said they would now conduct more policy analysis when they evaluate a potential investment. Some started reading The Governance of China, a multi-volume book written by Chinese President Xi Jinping, to find policy directions. Others said they would read more state media to pick up policy clues. "We have to keep ahead of what the country is thinking," said Choon Chong Tay, managing partner and head of Vertex Ventures China, a VC firm backed by Singaporean state investor Temasek. (Reporting by Kane Wu and Julie Zhu; Editing by Sumeet Chatterjee and Stephen Coates) (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 seized near total control over another provincial capital in northern on Monday, local and security officials said, a day after the insurgent group took three others, including the strategic and economically important city of Kunduz. It is the sixth provincial capital to have fallen in a matter of days as forces, emboldened by the departure of U. S. troops from the country, have sped up their campaign across Fighting on the outskirts of Aybak, the capital of Samangan Province, began on Monday morning as the pushed into the city, having toppled a nearby district two days earlier. By the afternoon, most of the city was under insurgent control, and most government forces had fled. Aybak fell to the Taliban, and all officials and security forces retreated, said Assadullah, a dispatcher at Samangan Police headquarters who uses just one name. Now I am hiding in the city. Raaz Mohammad Mowahid, a member of the Samangan provincial council, said that the city had collapsed but that there had not been much fighting between government troops and the Taliban. Security forces retreated to a mountain to the south, Mowahid said. Aybak sits on the main highway that connects Kabul, the countrys capital, to Afghanistans northern provinces. The citys fall means that the Taliban have effectively placed a stranglehold on much of Balkh Province and its immensely important capital, Mazar-i-Sharif. Nazir Ahamad, a cellphone seller in the city, said that the Taliban had seized all of the government buildings in Aybak and that shops were closed. Hundreds of prisoners were also released from the jail. The Taliban entered without a gunshot, he said. Contributing to the collapse of the city on Monday was the defection of a former member of Parliament and prominent militia commander who joined the Taliban, bringing hundreds of fighters with him, two officials said. The move spread panic in the Afghan forces ranks as Taliban fighters closed in. An epochal new report from the worlds top climate scientists warns that the planet will warm by 1.5 Celsius in the next two decades without drastic moves to eliminate greenhouse gas pollution. The finding from the United Nations-backed group throws a key goal of the Paris Agreement into danger as signs of climate change become apparent across every part of the world. The latest scientific assessment from the UNs Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change for the first time speaks with certainty about the total responsibility of human activity for rising temperatures. The scientists forecast no end to warming trends until emissions cease. It is unequivocal that human influence has warmed the atmosphere, ocean and land, wrote the authors of the IPCCs sixth global science assessment since 1990 and the first released in more than eight years. The crucial warming threshold of 2C will be exceeded during the 21st century, the IPCC authors concluded, without deep emissions cuts in the coming decades. The assessment released on Monday is the work of more than 200 scientists digesting thousands of studies, and an accompanying summary was approved by delegates from 195 countries. More than any other forecast or record, this reports determinations establish a powerful global consensusless than three months before the UNs COP26 climate talks. Among the headline findings: The past decade was most likely hotter than any period in the last 125,000 years, when sea levels were as much as 10 meters higher. Combustion and deforestation have also raised carbon dioxide in the atmosphere higher than theyve been in two million years, according to the report, and agriculture and fossil fuels have contributed to methane and nitrous oxide concentration higher than any point in at least 800,000 years. The full, 3,949-page assessment was released in conjunction with the 42-page summary for policymakers. While the latter went through a diplomatic approval process in addition to a scientific one, the former comes directly from scientists. Chapter one of the underlying report includes strong language admonishing Paris signatories, calling their pledges so far under the agreement insufficient to reduce greenhouse gas emission enough to keep well below 2C. The document is a code red for humanity, said Antonio Guterres, secretary-general of the United Nations, in prepared remarks tied to the release. This report must sound a death knell for coal and fossil fuels before they destroy our planet. Even as the IPCC authors have done away with some of the cautious uncertainty that marked past assessments, the last few months have seen a series of rapid-fire climate disasters that underline the new language. Summertime in the Northern Hemisphere has been marred by severe flooding across Europe and China, as well as alarming drought and the early onset of large wildfires in the Western U.S. and Canada. One of the coldest places on the planet, Siberia, has experienced severe heat and forest fires. Just this past weekend brought disturbing footage of people fleeing sprawling wildfires in Greece. Nearly all of this can be attributed to human influence. The IPCC found that the combined effects of human activity have already increased the global average temperature by about 1.1C above the late 19th-century average. The contribution to of natural factors, such as the sun and volcanoes, is estimated to be close to zero. In fact, humans have dumped enough greenhouse gas into the atmosphere to heat the planet by 1.5C, according to the report, but fine-particle pollution from fossil fuels provides a cooling effect that masks some of the impact. In its fifth assessment, published in 2013, IPCCs volunteer scientists introduced the idea of a carbon budget, setting an upper bound on the amount of carbon dioxide that can be added to the atmosphere before it will breach certain temperature thresholds. Now we have much more confidence in those numbers, said Joeri Rogelj, a lecturer in climate change and the environment at Imperial College London and one of the reports authors. Humanity will have about a 50% chance of staying below the 1.5C threshold called for by the Paris Agreement if CO emissions from 2020 onwards remain below 500 billion tons. At the current rate of emissions, that carbon budget would be used up in about 13 years. If the rate doesnt come down, the planet will warm more than 1.5C. Our opportunity to avoid even more catastrophic impacts has an expiration date, said Helen Mountford, vice president of climate and economics at the World Resources Institute. The report implies that this decade is truly our last chance to take the actions necessary to limit temperature rise to 1.5C. If we collectively fail to rapidly curb greenhouse gas emissions in the 2020s, that goal will slip out of reach. The new publication lands in the middle of the ramp-up to COP26, to be held in Glasgow in November. A global deal to pursue faster emission cuts would depend on poor countries securing $100 billion a year in climate finance from rich countries, something envisioned in previous climate agreements but not yet achieved. National governments would also need to agree to rules governing the trading of emissions permits, to ensure those moving faster towards cuts are rewarded for doing so. Unlike the IPCCs somewhat anomalous 2018 special report, of 1.5C, the publication released Monday doesnt explicitly state that net-zero emissions must be achieved by 2050 to meet the goals set out in the Paris Agreement. Thats because this groups mandate was to assess new scientific knowledge, not prescribe policy actions. Upcoming IPCC assessments expected next year in February and March will address climate impacts, adaptation and mitigation. The authors of the new IPCC publication add that, after accounting for global emissions since the 2018 special release, its estimate of the worlds remaining carbon budget is of similar magnitude to the one in its prior publication, implying that the finding stands. This latest assessments most ambitious scenario shows emissions falling to net zero around 2050, which is as close as it comes to restating the top-line conclusion of the special report. All five of the new reports temperature scenarios show the 1.5C marker passed by 2040, before cooling down below that mark in only one of five scenarios. Achieving that cooling will depend on large-scale removal of carbon dioxide from the air. An independent analysis conducted by the group Climate Action Tracker suggests that current global policies may track either the IPCCs medium or high scenarios, which lead to 2.7C and 3.6C of warming by 2100. New Scientific Tools Enter the Mainstream The climate science profession has seen entire specialties emerge and mature in the years since the IPCCs previous mega-report on science. None of these is more resonant than the ability to analyze extreme weather events in real-time to determine the role of climate change. Twenty years ago, researchers couldnt link a specific weather event directly to human-made climate change, meaning that the scientific likelihood of a specific storm or heat wave being tied to warmer temperatures wasnt knowable. Today, many of these weather attribution studies can be produced within days or weeks of an event. The deadly heat wave that gripped the western coast of North America in June had detectable evidence of human responsibility. World Weather Attribution, an research group, needed just days after the heat broke to conclude that the extraordinary temperatures would be virtually impossible without climate change. This ability of scientists to parse the probability that any one disaster is driven by warming temperatures highlights one of the IPCCs core findings: The entire globe is warming, although not uniformly. Regions will still experience natural swings in temperature, particularly in coming years, as it takes time for heating to have a significant effect on the Earths processes. Another research breakthrough in the field of climate sensitivity now allows scientists to make even more confident projections about future warming. Drawing from research on ancient climates, as well as advanced satellite technology that monitors clouds and emissions, IPCC authors were able to narrow their temperature projections for the rest of the century, giving humanity a clearer picture of what lies in store if we dont act quickly to curtail emissions. The Earths response to a theoretical doubling of preindustrial CO levels is now thought to be between 2.5C to 4Ca much smaller range than 1.5C to 4.5C in previous IPCC reports. The top end is being reduced, which means that some of these really bad outcomes, where we roll sixes on the climate sensitivity dice, seems a little less plausible than they did, said Zeke Hausfather, director of climate and energy at the Breakthrough Institute, who wasnt an author of the summary. This development helped the IPCC authors cope with another headache: Some Earth-system models updated for this assessment began showing surprisingly high projections for future warming. But the breakthrough allowing greater confidence in the Earths potential response to CO gave scientists welcome evidence to balance the modeling approach with other research. The improvements in projections came, in part, from a stronger grasp of so-called climate feedbacks such as the way melting ice and greenhouse gases escaping from thawing permafrost compound on each other in previously unpredictable ways. Scientists are now more confident that lowering emissions will mean less chance of activating feedbacks. That also means that the actions humanity takes in the near term to limit emissions will be a determining factor in whether we see these dramatically accelerating effects in the longer term. The IPCCs new findings rule out the possibility that unrestricted emissions will have only a mild effect on global temperatures, a hope few if any observers were still clinging to. But the updated science, particularly the narrowed range for climate sensitivity, provides powerful evidence of the worlds best pathway to safety: swiftly ending the release of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. What Comes Next? There is an endgame, if nations choose to try and reach it. The data continue to show a straightforward relationship between CO and temperature. That means that when atmospheric carbon concentrations stop rising, the temperature will, too, soon thereafter. Scientists have broken ground by projecting what happens when our emissions cease. As the world reduces its use of fossil fuels, for instance, the cooling effect of aerosols will start to decline. Scientists are confident that one way to counter that decline would be to pursue strong, rapid and sustained reductions in methane emissions. Beyond CO, methane, and nitrous oxide, there are four other greenhouse gases that also provide opportunities to slow warming. Even at 1.1C, climate change is taking lives and destroying property and forcing retreat, migration and conflict. The effects of human activity are continuing to melt glaciers and sea ice. Heating oceans means raising themat a rate more than 2.5 times faster in this century than the last, according to the IPCC. Some of that harm is now baked in for centuries to come. This last year has proven that climate change is no longer a distant threat, said Katharine Hayhoe, chief scientist at the Nature Conservancy, who wasnt involved in the summary. We can no longer assume that citizens of more affluent and secure countries like Canada, Germany, Japan and the United States will be able to ride-out the worst excesses of a rapidly destabilizing climate, even as those in more vulnerable latitudes suffer. In a press conference Monday morning, IPCC leadership emphasized that the disparate effects of climate change are being felt in every region of the world. The new report also comes with an interactive tool that enables users to apply its underlying datasets to the world map. That could, for example, help India reckon with the impact warming could have on economically crucial rainfall patterns under different emissions scenarios. When we put everything together, for almost all of the 44 regions in the world, coastal climate impact drivers were increasing, said Roshanka Ranasinghe, professor of climate change impacts and coastal risk at the University of Twente and one of the authors of the assessment. The IPCC is inherently conservative. It emphasizes information in which scientists have the most evidence and agreement. At the same time, the new scientific consensus doesnt rule out continued investigation of its lower-confidence findings. The authors indicate that some potentially sweeping changes are not as well understood, such as unlikely but still possible heat extremes or ice-sheet collapse. Another low-likelihood high-impact outcome flagged by IPCC authors is a sudden, dramatic change in ocean circulation. A study released last week in the journal Nature Climate Change documented changes in the powerful churn of Atlantic water as potential indicators of an almost complete loss of stability. The IPCC itself foresees further weakening of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation in the decades ahead, with disagreement over the possibility of collapse before 2100. Such an event would weaken monsoons in Africa and Asia, strengthen them in the Southern Hemisphere and dry out Europe. There are always more questions to ask, and the perpetual churn of research means even the most comprehensive assessment can never be truly complete. Thats just what science is, right? said Tamsin Edwards, an IPCC author and a reader in climate change at Kings College London. Its constantly evolving and refining and adding new studies, and improving our knowledge. The intensity of the effort that goes into assessing the literaturethe 14,000 papers for this reportmakes it an authoritative, comprehensive, coherent synthesis in a way that a single paper can never be. Shares of company hit a new high of Rs 3,795.45 as they rallied 12 per cent in Monday's session, gaining 33 per cent in the past two trading days on reporting a net profit of Rs 197.28 crore for the quarter ended June 2021 (Q1FY22) on the back of strong operational performance. It had posted a net loss of Rs 31.18 crore in Q1FY21 and a profit of Rs 55.81 crore in Q4FY22. The companys revenue from operations grew 69 per cent year-on-year (YoY) and 7.4 per cent quarter-on-quarter (QoQ) at Rs 3,012.90 crore during the quarter under review, on account of higher volumes and better price realisation. Most business segments of the company including agricultural solutions, segments focused on the automotive industry as well as the industrial solutions and surface technologies delivered profitable growth. BASF India, a 73.33 per cent subsidiary of BASF SE, is the flagship company of the BASF group in India. The portfolio of BASF SE is organised under six segments: Chemicals, Materials, Industrial Solutions, Surface Technologies, Nutrition & Care and Agricultural Solutions. The company receives strong operational as well as product support from BASF SE, one of the leading chemical companies in the world. A high level of integration between the parent and the Indian arm reflects synergies arising from similar businesses. CRISIL Ratings believes the parent will extend timely, need-based financial support in case of pressure on cash flows, and also support financing of any large capex, if undertaken. The company received external commercial borrowings (ECBs) to fund its Dahej expansion in the past, and the parent also rearranged the repayment terms when cash generation was impacted. Entire ECBs have now been repaid. The companys products cater to various end-user industries, including automotive, personal and home care, agriculture, petrochemicals, and refining. As seen in fiscal 2021, wherein the agricultural solutions and nutrition and care segments were less affected by the pandemic and outperformed other segments, the diversified revenue streams mitigate the impact of cyclicality and competitive pressures in any particular business segment, CRSIL Rating said. On July 27, 2021, the rating agency CRISIL revised the outlook on the non-convertible debenture programme of to Stable from Negative. It reaffirmed the rating on the non-convertible debentures at CRISIL AAA. The ratings on the fixed deposits and commercial paper also reaffirmed at FAAA/Stable and CRISIL A1+, respectively. At 10:29 am, was trading 9 per cent higher at Rs 3,684.90 on the BSE, as compared to a 0.40 per cent rise in the S&P BSE Sensex. The trading volumes on the counter jumped over five times, with a combined around 810,000 equity shares having changed hands on the NSE and BSE. The initial public offer (IPO) by Corp (NVCL), a part of Nirma Group Company, kicked off on Monday, August 9. The company which is the fifth largest cement manufacturer in India in terms of capacity and the largest in East India is looking to raise Rs 5,000 crore via the share sale issue. The is a mix of an offer for sale (OFS) worth Rs 3,500 core and fresh issue of Rs 1,500 crore. The company will not receive any proceeds from the OFS portion. Of the money raised via fresh issue, Rs 1,350 crore will be used to retire debt and the rest for general corporate purposes. The is priced in the range of Rs 560 - 570 per share and is valued at 18.5x of FY21 EV/EBITDA and $164 FY21 EV/tonne, which according to analysts looks reasonable compared to peers. The company raised Rs 1,500 crore from anchor investors ahead of its initial share sale. Financial Snapshot As of December 31, 2020, Nuvoco's cement production capacity constituted ~4.2 per cent of total capacity in India. Furthermore, the firm is also one of the leading ready-mix concrete manufacturers with 49 RMC plants across India. The companys cash flow generation has been impressive with its cumulative OCF and FCF standing at Rs 3600 crore and Rs 1900 crore, respectively over FY19-FY21. Over FY18-21, Nuvoco's EBITDA (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation) grew at 11 per cent CAGR (though revenue was flat at 3 per cent CAGR), supported by margin expansion of 395 bps to 19.5 per cent. Despite healthy operational performance, higher depreciation and interest cost have led to an inconsistent performance at the PAT level. The company reported a net loss in two of the four fiscals over FY18-21. With the repayment of debt from the proceeds and synergy benefits playing out from the recent acquisition, the profitability is expected to improve going ahead, analysts at Motilal Oswal said in an IPO note. Grey Market Trend According to grey market watchers, the company was trading at a premium of Rs 15-20 per share or 3 per cent over the issue price. "The listing for may not be fanciful due to the issue being large and fully priced in but is expected to garner good response due to the brand of Nirma Group and future prospects," said Manan Doshi, co-founder of UnlistedArena.com. While the company has delivered inconsistent performance, the company had made acquisitions in the recent past and hence the real picture of its performance would get more clear when its operations are integrated and stabilised, Doshi added. He believes the focused development policies of the government in North-Eastern India is likely to benefit the company. Analyst Take Here's a look at what analysts from leading brokerages are recommending on the issue: Motilal Oswal Financial Services: Subscribe for long-term We like due to its leadership position in fast-growing East market, wide premium product portfolio and ability to successfully integrate large acquisitions. The issue is valued at $146 FY21 EV/ton (USD) and 16.6x EV/EBITDA on post-issue basis, which is at a discount to the industry average given slightly weaker financials. As NVCL has a short history of existence, we believe it has the potential to improve its financials in the long run and come at par with its peers as operating leverage kicks in. It is expected to witness strong growth going ahead led by its expansion plans, integration of NU Vista and debt reduction. Reliance Securities: Subscribe We believe ongoing integration of operations, the recent rise in realisation in the Eastern region and steady improvement in capacity utilisation are likely to aid the companys operating performance. Additionally, capacity expansion and reduction in debt are likely to aid NVCL to see a remarkable improvement in net profit in the ensuing years. OCF yield and FCF yield at 8.4 per cent and 5.7 per cent, respectively in FY21 appear to be superior. Choice Broking: Subscribe for long-term With favorable macros like reviving real estate sector, continued governments focus on infrastructure creation and lower per capita consumption on a national level, the sector will continue to have a secular growth trend going forward. NVCL with its presence in high-growth East & Central India and a key focus on the trade segment is likely to benefit from the growth in the sector. Thus considering the above observations, we assign a Subscribe for Long Term rating for the issue. KR Choksey: Subscribe for long term NVCL gives investors an opportunity to invest in leading cement manufacturers. We assume NVCL is well-positioned to tap the increasing demand in the north and west parts of India followed by its focus in the central region. We are also optimistic about the sector and expect opportunities to scale up with government's continuous push for the infrastructure sector. This could drive sustainable business and profitable growth in the medium to long term for NVCL, with its well-diversified product portfolio and focus on premiumisation. The smart acquisition of Nu Vista from Emami group would remain our focus to rerate our view on the company. Thus, considering all the above factors we recommend investing for the long term. Anand Rathi: Subscribe for long term On the financial front, NVCL is backed by a sound Balance sheet and steady cash flows which makes NVCL set for next round of growth. Further with the planned expansion, lowering debt and other cost control measures, we are also confident that the company will maintain the growth levels which is mirroring in the pricing of the IPO. Considering these and the growth prospects in light of affordable housing push by the government, investors may consider an investment with a long-term perspective. IDBI Capital: Subscribe NVCL's valuation is at discount to its large-cap peers at 12x-19x FY23E EV/EBITDA. Discount partially factors high debt in its books and low ROCE (return on capital employed). But given the up-cycle in the cement industry and expectation of improvement in margin and balance sheet deleveraging over FY21-23E we recommend Subscribe. Hem Securities: Subscribe for long term The company is bringing the issue at price band of Rs 560-570 per share at post issue EV/EBIDTA multiple of 16 on FY21 EBIDTA basis. The company being largest cement manufacturing company in East India in terms of total capacity with market-leading brands that and experienced individual promoter and professional management team has strong future potential. The (SAT) has given a split verdict in the appeal filed by against the market regulators directive that restrained the mortgage lender from going ahead with the preferential allotment of shares to a bunch of investors unless the valuation was done by an independent valuer. The matter was heard by a two-judge Bench comprising Presiding Officer Justice Tarun Agarwala and Judicial Member Justice M T Joshi. In the absence of a consensus judgment, SAT's interim order -- prohibiting PNB Housing from disclosing the result of the June 22 EGM (extraordinary general meeting) vote -- will continue to hold. While the two members were broadly in agreement with the application of various laws for preferential allotment, they differed on whether the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) had jurisdiction over the matter and whether it acted correctly in intervening before the EGM and not letting the shareholders decide on the resolution. According to the law, if a SAT Bench consisting of two members differs in opinion, both will state the points of difference and refer the matter to the presiding officer (PO). Experts said the current situation was unprecedented as the tribunal is functioning with just two members. In such cases, the order impugned remains and therefore the next stage would be to carry it in appeal to the Supreme Court, said Somasekhar Sundaresan, an independent legal counsel. Justice Agarwala held that had acted against natural justice, and its view that holding the EGM was ultra vires of the company's Articles of Association (AoA) was incorrect. Adjudicating an issue without giving notice or an opportunity of hearing is otherwise violative of the principles of natural justice in gross violation of Article 14 of the Constitution of India, he observed. ALSO READ: PNB Housing aims to bring corp loan book below Rs 10k cr by March 2022: MD In a limbo May 31: announces preferential allotment of shares worth Rs 3,200 crore and Rs 800 crore worth of warrants to the Carlyle Group, Aditya Puris family investment vehicle Salisbury Investments, General Atlantic and Alpha Investments at Rs 390 apiece June 6: Proxy advisory firm SES had called the deal unfair to public shareholders of the company and shareholders of PNB June 18: directs the company to halt preferential allotment of shares unless the valuation is done by an independent valuer June 21: The mortgage lender then moved SAT, challenging the regulators directive June 21: The appellate tribunal allowed the company to conduct its scheduled extraordinary general meeting, but with the caveat that the outcome of the vote would not be disclosed June 25: writes another letter to the company questioning its corporate governance practices and role of independent directors July 12: questions Sebi's powers to direct valuation by independent valuer Aug 9: SAT gives a split decision on the matter; parties may approach SC He further added that Sebi had no jurisdiction to issue a direction before the EGM. The right of the shareholders to accept or reject an agenda is supreme and paramount which cannot be whittled by any executive action of the respondent," said Agarwala. "If the agenda was accepted by the majority of the shareholders as per the provisions of the Companies Act and if that resolution was in violation of the ICDR Regulations, it would have been open for Sebi to step in at that stage and question that resolution, but it was not open to the respondent to pre-empt the shareholders from passing the resolution." Justice Joshi, however, concurred with Sebi's actions. There is no bar in the Sebi Act to pass such orders, though extraordinary in nature. Sebi is mandated to take such decisions as it may find necessary to protect the interests of investors. The decisions are subject to the scrutiny in appeal by this tribunal and thereafter by the Supreme Court. Sebi's main contention was that it had power to regulate the transfer of securities under Section 24 of the Companies Act and that the price arrived at for the preferential allotment by PNB Housing Finance was not in accordance with the applicable provision in the companys AoA. It reckoned that the proposed allotment would have impacted the market and minority shareholders, who hold a little over 15 per cent in the company. It said the preferential allotment would result in a change in ownership and an open offer, and that the preferential issue price would have a direct bearing on the open offer price. PNB Housing Finance had argued that the market regulator cannot compel it to follow the AoA as it is just a contract and that it cannot override the ICDR regulations, which listed firms have to follow for issuing preferential allotments. The law does not require engaging the services of registered valuers when a listed company makes a preferential issue, PNB Housing had told the tribunal. PNB Housing had announced in May a preferential allotment of shares worth Rs 3,200 crore and Rs 800 crore worth of warrants to the Carlyle group, Aditya Puris family investment vehicle Salisbury Investments, General Atlantic and Alpha Investments at Rs 390 apiece. It was deemed unfair to public shareholders of the company a week later by proxy advisory firm SES. On June 18, Sebi directed the company to halt the allotment unless the valuation is done by an independent valuer. The mortgage lender then moved SAT, challenging the regulators directive, and the appellate tribunal allowed the company to conduct its scheduled EGM but with the caveat that the outcome of the vote would not be disclosed. Commenting on the monetary policy Mr Uday Shankar, President, FICCI said, "The Central Bank's indication yet again to continue with the accommodative stance, until necessary, to revive growth is encouraging. This is especially comforting when there was an expectation about the normalization of the monetary policy. The Central Bank has thoughtfully navigated the monetary policy through the pandemic. We are confident that the same thoughtfulness will continue in the future especially in view of an anticipated third wave and the continuing softness in the economy." "On the economic front despite the uptick, FICCI believes that it is important that a stimulus is provided by the government to give a thrust to consumption. The timing of such measures will be apt at this juncture as the festive season is about to begin," added Mr Shankar. FICCI also welcomes the announcement on the extension of the on tap TLTRO Scheme until December 31, 2021, and the extension of the period of relaxation for banks to avail funds under the marginal standing facility by dipping into the Statutory Liquidity Ratio. However, the outreach of the TLTRO scheme has been very limited especially in case of NBFCs. "Also, the extension of deadline by six months to the meet the financial parameter requirements under the Resolution Framework 1.0 announced last year comes as a respite. However, given the way the COVID situation has evolved, some of the deeply stressed sectors may need a longer time period to be able to meet the financial parameters. We also feel that for such sectors the extant provisions of the RBI circular should be extended for one more year with invocation for such Resolution being allowed no later than 31st Dec 2021, and resolution plan implementation to be completed by 30th June 2022," said Mr Shankar. "In addition, announcements pertaining to export credit in foreign currency and restructuring of derivative contracts amid the circumstance of transition away from the London Interbank Offered Rate are welcome. This is a landmark change that will have an impact on businesses throughout the world. We will look forward to further guidance on this from the Central Bank", added Mr Shankar. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The domestic equity barometers pared losses and re-entered the positive terrain in mid afternoon trade. The Nifty continued to trade above the 16,200 mark. Metal shares declined across the board. At 14:29 IST, the barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, was up 9.5 points or 0.02% to 54,287.22. The Nifty 50 index skid 17.60 points or 0.11% at 16,220.60. The broader market underperformed the benchmark indices. The S&P BSE Mid-Cap index shed 1.02%. The S&P BSE Small-Cap index lost 0.81%. Sellers outnumbered buyers. On the BSE, 1288 shares rose and 2066 shares fell. A total of 136 shares were unchanged. Monsoon Session of the Parliament: The Lok Sabha on 9 August 2021 passed three crucial Bills including The Limited Liability Partnership (Amendment) 2021 and The Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation (Amendment) Bill, 2021. The Limited Liability Partnership (Amendment) Bill, 2021 seeks to amend the Limited Liability Partnership Act, 2008 to facilitate greater ease of living to law-abiding corporate and to decriminalize certain provisions of the Act. The Finance Minister said that the Bill aims at bring in easy-of-doing business between smaller and big partners. The Bill has already been passed in Rajya Sabha. Further, the Lower House also passed The Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order (Amendment) Bill, 2021. Buzzing Index: The Nifty Metal index fell 1.67% to 5,743.95. The index had gained 1.41% in the past two sessions. Welspun Corp (down 2.91%), Ratnamani Metals Tubes (down 2.72%), Adani Enterprises (down 2.36%), Coal India (down 2.09%), Hindalco Industries (down 1.72%), NMDC (down 1.54%), Vedanta (down 1.40%), JSW Steel (down 1.09%), Tata Steel (down 1.08%) and MOIL (down 1.01%) declined. National Aluminium Company (NALCO) slumped 10.24% to Rs 84.55. The company's consolidated net profit soared 1982% to Rs 347.48 crore on 79.2% jump in net sales to Rs 2,474.55 crore in Q1 June 2021 over Q1 June 2020. Increase in revenues was mainly propelled by strong demand, higher volumes, better realization and effective capacity utilization of its operational units. Steel Authority of India (SAIL) fell 3.65% to Rs 135.85. The company reported consolidated net profit of Rs 3,897.4 crore in Q1FY22 as against net loss of Rs 1,226.5 crore in Q1FY21. Total income jumped to Rs 20,754.75 crore from Rs 9346.21 crore YoY. Numbers to Track: In the foreign exchange market, the partially convertible rupee slipped to 74.2575 from its previous closing of 74.1575. MCX Gold futures for 5 August 2021 settlement fell 0.83% to Rs 46,255. The US Dollar index (DXY), which tracks the greenback's value against a basket of currencies, was down 0.01% to 92.79. The yield on 10-year benchmark federal paper fell to 6.230% from its previous close of 6.234%. In the commodities market, Brent crude for October 2021 settlement fell $2.64 or 3.73% to $68.06 a barrel. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The issue received bids for 1,313.79 crore shares as against 11.25 crore shares on offer. The initial public offer of quick-service restaurant chain (QSR) operator Devyani International received bids for 1,313.79 crore shares as against 11.25 crore shares on offer, according to stock exchange data. The issue was subscribed 116.71 times. The qualified institutional buyers (QIBs) category was subscribed 95.27 times. The retail individual investors (RIIs) category was subscribed 39.52 times. The non-institutional investors (NIIs) category was subscribed 213.06 times. The issue opened for bidding on Wednesday (4 August 2021) and it will close Friday (6 August 2021). The price band of the IPO is fixed at Rs 86-90 per share. The IPO comprised of fresh issue of equity shares aggregating upto Rs 440 crore and an offer for sale (OFS) of 15,53,33,330 crore equity shares by Dunearn and RJ Corp, the investor shareholders. The promoters of the company are Ravi Kant Jaipuria, Varun Jaipuria and RJ Corp. The promoters holds an aggregate of 87,43,39,464 equity shares, aggregating to 75.79% of the pre-offer issued and paid-up equity share capital. Post issue, the selling shareholders will have about 67.99% of the share capital. The objectives for the fresh issue are repayment/ prepayment of Rs 324 crore of borrowings and remaining amount to be used for general corporate purposes. Ahead of the IPO, Devyani International on 3 August 2021 finalized allocation of 9,16,52,499 equity shares to anchor investors, at Rs 90 per equity share, aggregating to Rs 824.87 crore. Devyani International is the largest franchisee of Yum Brands in India and is among the largest operators of chain quick service restaurants (QSR) in India on a non-exclusive basis. Yum Brands Inc. operates brands such as KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell and has presence globally with more than 50,000 restaurants in over 150 countries, as of 31 December 2020. As of 31 June 2021, Devyani International operate 696 stores across 166 cities in India. The company is a franchisee for the Costa Coffee, Pizza Hut and KFC brands and stores in India. Other than Pizza Hut, KFC, and Costa Coffee company operates brands such as Vaango, Taco Bell, coffee chain Costa Coffee, Food Street, Masala Twist, Ile Bar, Amreli, and Ckrussh Juice Bar. The business is broadly classified into three verticals: core brands (includes stores of KFC, Pizza Hut and Costa Coffee operated in India) which contributed 81.95% of total revenue in FY 2021, International business (stores operated outside India primarily comprising KFC and Pizza Hut stores operated in Nepal and Nigeria) contributing 12.23% of total revenue and other business contributing 5.81% of total revenue (includes certain other operations in the F&B industry, including stores of its own brands such as Vaango and Food Street). The core brands and international segment together accounted for 94.19% of total revenue in FY 2021. Out of this, 70.20% is said to be earned due to delivery sales, a jump of 19% in delivery sales compared to 51.15% in FY 2020. The company reported a net loss of Rs 55.21 crore and sales of Rs 1,134.84 crore in the twelve months ended 31 March 2021. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Easy Trip Planners is introducing a special travel carnival initiative to enable the travel industry to bounce back from the effects of the pandemic. With the easing of travel restrictions, drop in cases and reopening of domestic and international borders, EaseMyTrip has introduced this initiative to boost travel confidence and cater to the pent-up demand for travel. As a part of this initiative, EaseMyTrip has collaborated with leading banks and payment wallets including HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, Bank of Baroda, Payzapp and Mobikwik, through which travellers can save up to Rs.10,000. As an additional incentive, EaseMyTrip has partnered with hospitality chains including Trident Hotels, Lords Hotels, Sterling Holidays and Justa Hotels, and also leading brands such as Beardo, Bewakoof.com, Medibuddy, Licious and Wakefit, to provide additional discounts for customers. The travel carnival offer is available to all EaseMyTrip users, and is valid till 22 August 2021. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Dear Reader, Business Standard has always strived hard to provide up-to-date information and commentary on developments that are of interest to you and have wider political and economic implications for the country and the world. Your encouragement and constant feedback on how to improve our offering have only made our resolve and commitment to these ideals stronger. Even during these difficult times arising out of Covid-19, we continue to remain committed to keeping you informed and updated with credible news, authoritative views and incisive commentary on topical issues of relevance. We, however, have a request. As we battle the economic impact of the pandemic, we need your support even more, so that we can continue to offer you more quality content. Our subscription model has seen an encouraging response from many of you, who have subscribed to our online content. More subscription to our online content can only help us achieve the goals of offering you even better and more relevant content. We believe in free, fair and credible journalism. Your support through more subscriptions can help us practise the journalism to which we are committed. Support quality journalism and subscribe to Business Standard. Digital Editor The benchmark indices were trading with small gains in early afternoon trade. The Nifty index hovered a tad below 16,250 level. At 12:20 IST, the barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, rose 48.55 points or 0.09% at 54,326.27. The Nifty 50 index gained 5.55 points or 0.03% at 16,243.75. In the broader market, the S&P BSE Mid-Cap index fell 0.77% while the S&P BSE Small-Cap index lost 0.49%. The market breadth was negative. On the BSE, 1,411 shares rose and 1,761 shares fell. A total of 131 shares were unchanged. Economy: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will release the next instalment of financial benefit under Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme on 9 August 2021 at 12:30 PM via video conferencing. This will enable the transfer of an amount of more than Rs 19,500 crore to more than 9.75 crore beneficiary farmer families Under the PM-KISAN scheme, a financial benefit of Rs 6,000 per year is provided to the eligible beneficiary farmer families, payable in three equal 4-monthly installments of Rs 2,000 each. The fund is transferred directly to the bank accounts of the beneficiaries. In this scheme, Samman Rashi of over Rs 1.38 lakh crore has been transferred to farmer families so far. Union Agriculture Minister will also be present on the occasion. Coronavirus Update: Total COVID-19 confirmed cases worldwide stood at 20,27,29,434 with 42,94,362 deaths. India reported 4,02,188 active cases of COVID-19 infection and 4,28,309 deaths while 3,11,39,457 patients have been discharged, according to the data from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India. India has reported 35,499 new cases and 447 deaths in the last 24 hours, as per a government health bulletin. Active caseload in the country currently stands at 4,02,188. A recovery rate of 97.40% was recorded. Meanwhile, Johnson and Johnson's single-dose COVID-19 vaccine has been given approval for emergency use in India. Now India has five Emergency Use Authorization vaccines. Mumbai Suburban local train services will be available for common man from 15th August. Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray announced that those people who have completed 14 days after taking 2nd dose of covid vaccine will be allowed to commute via local trains. Derivatives: The NSE's India VIX, a gauge of market's expectation of volatility over the near term, rose 0.53% to 12.6750. The Nifty 26 August 2021 futures were trading at 16,265.60, at a premium of 21.85 points as compared with the spot at 16,243.75. The Nifty option chain for 26 August 2021 expiry showed maximum Call OI of 20 lakh contracts at the 16,500 strike price. Maximum Put OI of 49.2 lakh contracts was seen at 15,000 strike price. Buzzing Index: The Nifty Oil & Gas index fell 1% to 6,588.65. Adani Total Gas (down 2.26%), Gujarat State Petronet (down 1.93%), Mahanagar Gas (down 1.76%), Gujarat Gas (down 1.72%) and Indraprastha Gas (down 1.44%) were the major losers in the Oil & Gas segment. Stocks in Spotlight: Karnataka Bank rose 0.41%. The bank said that the bank is empaneled by the Reserve Bank of India to act as an 'agency bank' to facilitate transactions related to Government businesses. Vishwaraj Sugar Industries rallied 2.03% after the company said that its board will consider stock split on Wednesday, 18 August 2021. The board will also consider and fix record date for the purpose of dividend and sub-division of shares. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Prime Minister, Narendra Modi released the next installment of financial benefit under Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) today through video conference. The Prime Minister also interacted with farmer beneficiaries during the event. This enabled the transfer of an amount of more than Rs. 19,500 crores to more than 9.75 crores beneficiary farmer families. It was the 9th installment of the financial benefit under Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN). Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister talked of the sowing season and expressed the hope that the amount received today will help the farmers. He also mentioned that the scheme of Kisan Infrastructure Fund with 1 lakh crore rupees corpus also completes one year today. The Prime Minister touched upon initiatives like Mission Honey-Bee and making saffron from Jammu & Kashmir in the NAFED shops. Honey mission has led to 700 crore export of honey resulting in extra income for farmers. The Prime Minister said the government has made the biggest ever purchase from farmers at MSP, be it Kharif or Rabi season. With this, about Rs 1,70,000 crore have reached directly into the accounts of rice farmers and about Rs. 85,000 crore have gone directly into the account of wheat farmers. The Prime Minister reminded that he urged the farmers to increase the production of pulses, when there was a shortage of pulses in the country, a few years ago. He said that as a result, there has been an increase of almost 50 percent in the production of pulses in the country in the last 6 years. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Quick Heal Technologies slumped 14.8% to Rs 254.65 after the software product company posted a 75% fall in consolidated net profit to Rs 6.18 crore on 25.4% decline in net sales to Rs 54.78 crore in Q1 FY22 over Q1 FY21. Consolidated profit before tax tumbled 78.3% to Rs 7.35 crore in Q1 FY22 over Q1 FY21. EBITDA slumped 84% to Rs 52 crore in Q1 FY22 from Rs 321.36 crore in Q1 FY21. EBITDA margin tumbled to 9.49% in Q1 FY22 from 43.75% in Q1 FY21. Quick Heal's retail segment revenue stood at Rs 42.8 crore as compared to Rs 66.8 crore in the corresponding period of the previous year. Enterprise and government segment revenue came at Rs 14.5 crore as compared to Rs 10.4 crore in the corresponding period previous year. Enterprise segment's contribution of 25% has been in line with the company's strategy to boost market share in this segment. Kailash Katkar, MD & CEO of Quick Heal Technologies said, We have delivered good performance in yet another challenging quarter which was severely disrupted by the second wave of Covid-19.If the revenue spill over of Rs 28 crore in Q1 FY21 is left aside, we have registered double digit growth YoY. The growth in enterprise segment has been promising and we expect the momentum to continue in the coming quarters. Our accelerated efforts towards new product development are bearing positive fruit with 'Seqrite Hawkk' range of next-generation cybersecurity solutions making its debut with 'Seqrite HawkkEye'. With more product launches planned under the 'Seqrite Hawkk' umbrella, we are looking forward to explore future growth opportunities. Nitin Kulkarni, chief financial officer of Quick Heal Technologies said, Our performance remains robust in challenging times of COVID-19 during the quarter. We continue to maintain financial discipline while growing our business to capitalise on the industry tailwinds with improved EBIDTA margins. The company enjoys comfortable liquidity position with strong balance sheet and cash in hand of Rs 296 crore and are rightly positioned to tap the growth opportunities. Quick Heal Technologies is one of the leading providers of IT security and data protection solutions with a strong footprint in India and an evolving global presence. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The offer received bids for 13.74 crore shares as against 61.36 lakh shares on offer. The initial public offer of Windlas Biotech received bids for 13.78 crore shares as against 61.36 lakh shares on offer, according to stock exchange data. The issue was subscribed 22.47 times. The qualified institutional buyers (QIBs) category was subscribed 24.40 times. The retail individual investors (RIIs) category was subscribed 24.27 times. The non-institutional investors (NIIs) category was subscribed 15.73 times. The issue opened for bidding on Wednesday (4 August 2021) and closed on Friday (6 August 2021). The price band of the IPO was fixed at Rs 448-460 per share. The IPO comprised of fresh issue of equity shares aggregating up to Rs 165 crore and an offer for sale (OFS) of up to 51,42,067 equity shares by existing shareholders Vimla Windlass and Tano India Private Equity Fund II. Ashok Kumar Windlass, Hitesh Windlass, Manoj Kumar Windlass, and the Promoter Trust are the promoters of the company. Promoters and promoter group holds an aggregate of 14,201,352 equity shares, aggregating to 78% of the pre-offer issued and paid-up equity share capital. The post IPO shareholding for the same is expected to be around 65.16%. While the company will not get any proceeds from the OFS, Rs 50 crore out of the proceeds from fresh issue will be used for purchase of equipment required for capacity expansion of existing facility at Dehradun Plant - IV and addition of injectables dosage capability at existing facility at Dehradun Plant - II; Rs 47.5 crore will be spent on funding incremental working capital requirements; Rs 20 crore will be spent on repayment/prepayment of certain borrowings; and remaining amount will be spent on general corporate purposes. Ahead of the IPO, Windlas Biotech on 3 August 2021 finalized allocation of 26,18,706 equity shares to anchor investors, at Rs 460 per equity share, aggregating to Rs 120.46 crore. Windlas Biotech is amongst the top five players in the domestic pharmaceutical formulations, contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) industry in India, in terms of revenues. The company operates three distinct strategic business verticals (SBVs): CDMO Services and Products (contributing 84.66% of total FY2021 revenues), domestic trade generics and over the counter (OTC) brands (10.22 % of total) and, lastly, exports (5.12 % of total). The company provides comprehensive range of CDMO services ranging from product discovery, product development, licensing, and commercial manufacturing of generic products (including complex generics) with a focus on improved safety, efficacy and cost. The company reported a net profit of Rs 15.83 crore and sales of Rs 427.60 crore in the twelve months ended on 31 March 2021. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) PDP president on Monday described the NIA raids against Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) in as a self-goal for the Centre, saying instead of fighting an ideology with a better idea, the government was crushing contrarian thought with an iron fist. NIA raids on Jamaat is emblematic of GOI (Government of India) waging a war against its so called 'integral part'. Instead of fighting an ideology with a better idea it is crushing contrarian thought with an iron fist, Mufti wrote on Twitter. She said such oppressive measures may seem to work temporarily, but in the long run it will prove to be counter-productive. The gulf between J&K and rest of the country widens with every passing day. It is a self-goal, she said. The NIA on Sunday carried out multiple raids against Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) linked members across Jammu and Kashmir, over two years after the religious group was banned by the Centre under anti-terror laws. The joint raids by the NIA along with the police and CRPF were conducted at 56 locations in all the 10 districts of Kashmir and four districts of Jammu province -- Ramban, Kishtwar, Doda and Rajouri -- in a case related to the terror funding. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) New Delhi [India], August 9 (ANI/PNN): The launch of Hoppup Sonic adds huge value to the On-Ear Headphone category in India. The comfortable earphones are foldable and adjustable for all head sizes to create an immersive experience to play its HD sound quality. The integrated buttons on the headphones allow the user to control the sound input mode, manage calls, play-pause the music, and adjust the volume without dragging the smartphone out. Hoppup Sonic is available online at affordable pricing, empowering users to enjoy the engaging stereo sound with no burden on their wallets. Hoppup Sonic Specifications and Features Hoppup Sonic is available in three color variants - Black, Red, and Blue. Powered with Bluetooth 5.0, Hoppup Sonic connects to Bluetooth-enabled devices seamlessly. The user can play music and attend calls without any lag. Hoppup Sonic has a thumping bass with HD sound quality, making the best combo for listening to music. Hoppup Sonic is loaded with three playing modes - SD Card, Wireless, and Aux. The C-type charging port in these on-ear headphones will restore the battery to the maximum fast. HOPPUP SONIC Design and Availability Hoppup Sonic Headphones are designed to be lightweight and comfortable on the user's ears. 20 hours of playtime without any fatigue or pressure make HoppupSonic the best product in the & lt;1000Rs/- Pricing range. The foldable and robust build makes it easier to carry them, and the adjustable design allows a free-size fit for all. The buttons are designed to be tactile for feather-touch press-play; come with control buttons - mode, volume, and power. The Hoppup Sonic is available for purchase online on the website - (https://myhoppup.com) and through our online distribution partner Flipkart.com. You can also purchase the best quality earbuds, earphones, neckbands, and monopods from Hoppup online. Price- Rs 799 Website- (https://myhoppup.com) Hoppup, a homegrown brand started its journey in 2020. One of the leading brands in the TWS segment in India, Hoppup aims to become a global lifestyle brand by using its Technical Expertise & Technological Advancement in the field of Audio Output Devices. Our team of experts is Constantly Building Audio Tech that is gaining popularity amongst the Millenials, majorly for their high bass products like Headphones, Neckband & Wireless Stereo Buds with Premium Quality at affordable prices. This story is provided by PNN. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/PNN) DISCLAIMER (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Calidi Biotherapeutics Announces Agreement with Northwestern University for Exclusive Commercial Rights to their IND for Treatment of Malignant Glioma Become A Subscriber A subscription opens up access to all our online content, including: our interactive E-Edition, a full archive of modern stories, exclusive and expanded online offerings, photo galleries from Caledonian-Record journalists, video reports from our media partners, extensive international, national and regional reporting by the Associated Press, and a wide variety of feature content. N.C. Coastal Federation staff and volunteers prepare in May to plant a living shoreline, a nature-based method of coastal habitat protection, in Pine Knoll Shores. (Mike Shutak photo) State to pilot risk-limiting audit, a process of sampling ballots from across voting methods, to provide more transparency and confidence in results Click the button below to find out where you can pick up a copy of Carriage Towne News. Production tracking Shotgrid (formerly known as Shotgun) is the standard production management tool. It has allowed us to keep track of the status of the nearly 10,000 shots, and thousands of backgrounds and assets. It has also enabled us to coordinate the work of the teams in Helsinki, Barcelona, Ireland, and Belgium, as well as reviews for most parts of the process. Behind its initially overwhelming interface, there is a powerful tool that provided us with control and flexibility to build a pipeline adapted to our hybrid production. I had worked with Shotgun before, but this was the first time I built the pipeline from the ground up as opposed to jumping on a moving production with a strange pipeline structure no one owned, with too many tasks. It pays to design the pipeline in advance, consider the review flow, customize entities you will need, etc. The downsides of Shotgrid are its high price, the lack of better integration with tools like Blender, and the difficulty of setting up a remote asset management system, which could have been handy with all the remote work in the pandemic. We worked around that with a strict naming convention and cloud storage services like Google Drive. The recent transition to Autodesk has unfortunately bumped the price up even more, which seems to create an excellent opportunity for more affordable alternatives like Kitsu. Backgrounds. No shoots? No problem. From the beginning, one of the most immediate charms of Royals Next Door was its hybrid style combining photographic backgrounds and 2d character animation. This technique represented an interesting technical challenge, as surprisingly enough there are not that many antecedents with this combination. Following the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, the possibility of shooting live backgrounds was limited and unpredictable, so we turned to cgi for 99% of the locations, with the exception of Malahide Castle in Ireland, where Queen Mother lives in the series. The tool of choice was Blender, the number one open-source 3d authoring program in the known universe. We used it to model and render the backgrounds, as well as some of the comp tasks. A radical change of pipeline in the middle of production is generally not a great idea, and brings delays and extra expenses. Ironically in our case, the shift to cgi became an opportunity that gave us more control over the aesthetics of the locations and the cinematography of the series without losing the unique effect of mixing 2d and realistic backgrounds. It also gave us the chance to test Blender in a real-life production. Storyboarding, animation, and comp For storyboarding, animation, and the rest of the comp we used Storyboard Pro, Harmony, and After Effects. These are industry standards, so no big surprises here. In future projects, it would be nice to build an integrated pipeline in Blender to create the storyboards, 3d layout, and 2d animation in the same environment. This approach would make our lives simpler on a hybrid production like this. Reviews Shotgrid is great for reviews and notes on individual shots and assets because it provides context. We use it extensively to discuss the multiple intricate elements of the shots, keeping everything clearly in order. We continued to use Vimeo to update on the status of the episodes to stakeholders and parts of the team who didnt need an expensive Shotgrid seat. We also kept using Syncsketch for the reviews of storyboards and animatics. Its modern interface is friendlier than the one Shotgrid has, is better for reviews of full sequences or episodes, and worked great for remote reviews. We use Syncsketchs ability to screen materials together remotely and without latency in our weekly meetings on Fridays, when the whole teams in Pikkukala Helsinki and Barcelona meet and share the progress on the latest episodes of the series. Communication and cloud storage We kept our communications and documents within the Google suite. Slack and Discord provide a much better user experience than Google Chat, but we deliberately chose to favor Chat to simplify and reduce the amount of tools and environments the team would have to depend on. When the pandemic broke and forced us to work as distantly and distributedly as possible, we first tried some syncing solutions like Syncthing. These could have been perfect for a smaller, more technically oriented team, but they required too much maintenance. Google Drive was our best alternative and it worked out-of-the-box-ish with the already existing users. By the time we had decided this, the Irish team working on the live shooting and cg backgrounds had already settled for the combo Slack + Dropbox. So I guess we ended up being a bit hybrid for that part of the production as well. A final word Simplicity and clarity are paramount in a production of this caliber. Productions are living processes, so no matter how you strive for simplicity, things will get complicated! Photo: Contributed Heidi was on her deathbed. The elderly grandmothers skin draped over a skeletal frame, a far cry from the robust Amazonian German she once was. Her late husband, Gunter, now beckoned her home. Heidi resorted to her native tongue and said, Gunter, es war schon dich zu sehen, ich werde dich bald wiedersehen. Which translated: Gunter, it was nice to see you; Ill be joining you soon. She was delirious, reliving the past, pulling a plough as a 13-year-old human beast of burden. The landowners had given their oxen a break forcing Heidi and others to pull the cultivator instead. The teenage girl endured hard labour for another eight years and looked much older because of it. Fate intervened one day when Gunter, a neighbour, arrived to find Heidi struggling in her harness. Appalled, he took a strip off the taskmaster, then removed Heidis yoke from her shoulders, and whisked her away in his wagon. Her enraged handler stood there shaking his fist at them while dust and gravel flew up in his face from the wheels. It was the early 1900s when they fled their respective European homelands during Stalins reign of terror. The same oppression that followed them to North America also brought the couple together. Heidi was distressed, and out of options, so Gunter offered to marry her. She accepted his proposal and the local padre wed them. Oma Heidi wore a black dress, the same used to attend Mass, weddings and memorial services. Their wedding photo looked more like a funeral. Life was no picnic, as they endured generational trauma, along with their own personal horrors. Over a brief span, the young couple produced 13 children. One baby died at six months. The other 12 gave them 63 grandchildren. However, Oma Heidis hard existence as a Canadian prairie pioneer was now coming to a close. Zinnia, her granddaughter, heard the frail womans breath as it rattled in her throat, and a putrid smell exuded, which frightened the five-year-old. Oma noticed the child and motioned her over with a bony finger. In a raspy voice, Heidi asked Ziny what she wanted from her and Ziny replied, Id like a dog, please. Her gnarled, liver-spotted hand reached out from under the wool blanket and dropped a dime in Zinys eager palm. She looked at the shiny coin with furrowed brows and stated that it wasnt enough to buy a dog. The ancient woman cackled as she gasped for air, while the room full of people cracked up laughing. Zinys mom and dad blushed and scolded her; children should be seen and not heard. Shamed and bewildered, Ziny wondered what was wrong with her request. Besides, Ziny wanted a puppy more than anything, and after all, Oma asked. Soon thereafter, Ziny got her wish, but had to share the pooch with nine siblings when Heidi passed away. Contrarily, Zinys other Grandma, Maisy, was a petite and robust Irishwoman, a force to contend with at 42 and 90 pounds of fury. What she lacked in size, she made up for in spirit. Maisy had a charming Irish brogue and a wonderful sense of humour, but could be intense when protecting her own. Maisy emigrated from Ireland alone at 18 years of age. Years later, she married Graham, a Scotsman, from Ontario, and they moved to Alberta. The couple had three girls and three boys. Sadly, Zinys mothers twin died at 18 months of spinal meningitis. It was the dirty 30s, and the family was malnourished. Maisy and Graham didnt own a farm, therefore, could not grow their own produce; even so, they survived on oatmeal and beans. Their brood eventually married and supplied them with 29 grandchildren. Maisy enjoyed her grandkids once relieved of her mother-bear role. She was always laughing and joking, with Ziny bouncing on her knee. Mamo treasured the girls artwork and made her feel like Picasso. Ziny weathered lifes storms better when Mamo Maisy was around. The child followed in grandmother's footsteps as her young protege. While visiting Mamo in the nursing home, Ziny was proud of the fact that Maisy didnt take any guff. Her golden years were no exception. Maisy tussled with a roommate whom she thought had stolen family photos and other treasures; but they pilfered from each other because of dementia. The nurses were astounded to find the elderly women lying on the floor in fisticuffs, screaming and yelling with their walkers strewn about the room. Maisy was a shocking sight, with two black eyes, and scoffing said to her granddaughter, Hah, you should see what I did to her. A part of Ziny died when they buried Mamo Maisy in that small graveyard close-by, where shed raised a family a eons ago. In death, Maisy rested next to her predeceased husband, Graham, on a rainy day in 1977. Ziny stood there stone-cold, feeling at one with the tombstones that surrounded her as the priest delivered the Rite of Committal ceremony. Mamo what will I do without you, she asked her descending casket. A mourning wind howled in response. Zinnia went to visit Maisy once again with her adult daughter 22 years later. It was odd how they honed in on her grave amongst the hundreds of sites. An unseen force guided them. Although they knew Maisy was asleep in death, Zinnia was undeterred and introduced Mamo to her great granddaughter Mila. An unforeseen wind picked up as the women stood by the crypt. They held their breath as a dust devil swirled beside them. Was it Mamo, they wondered? Based on a true story, though names have been changed Photo: The Canadian Press Roberta Kaplan poses for a photo in Atherton Calif. Times Up leader Roberta Kaplan resigned Monday over fallout from her work advising Gov. Andrew Cuomos administration when the first allegations of sexual harassment were made against him last year. Kaplan cited her work counseling the administration last winter and her more recent legal work representing Melissa DeRosa, a top aide to Cuomo who resigned Sunday, nearly a week after a report by the state attorney general concluded that the governor had sexually harassed 11 women. I therefore have reluctantly come to the conclusion that an active law practice is no longer compatible with serving on the Board at Times Up at this time and I hereby resign, Kaplan wrote in her resignation letter, according to The New York Times. Messages went sent to Kaplan requesting comment on her resignation. Kaplan was the Chair of the Board of Directors of Times Up and cofounder of the Times Up Legal Defense Fund, which aids women who have experienced sexual harassment and discrimination in the workplace. Meanwhile, the Human Rights Campaign said Monday its launching an internal investigation over the advocacy organizations leader Alphonso David inclusion in the attorney generals report. Over the past several days, HRCs employees, supporters, board members and partners have raised questions about the appropriateness of Alphonso Davids actions and whether they align with HRCs decades long mission of fighting for equality and justice for all. Both Kaplan and David, a former legal counsel for the governor, were consulted by the Cuomo administration when he was first accused of harassment by a former economic development adviser, Lindsey Boylan. At the time, Boylan was alone in accusing Cuomo of misconduct and the governor and his administration had drafted a letter attacking her credibility and motives, with the intent of circulating it publicly. Kaplan and David both agreed to review the letter. A report by New Yorks attorney general, released last week, said Kaplan told the administration that with some adjustments, it would be fine to send out. David declined to sign the letter, but agreed to contact other people to see if they would. Other advisers, though, said that it was a bad idea and the letter was never widely disseminated. Kaplan and Tina Tchen founded the Times Up Legal Defense Fund in 2018 to provide legal defense for sexual violence victims. She successfully represented marriage equality pioneer Edith Windsor before the U.S. Supreme Court in 2013, winning the case that struck down laws against same-sex marriage across the United States. She later published a book about the case titled Then Comes Marriage. Kaplan also represents writer E. Jean Carroll, who filed a defamation lawsuit against Donald Trump in 2019 related to her claim that the former president raped her in a department store dressing room in the 1990s. Kaplan is an adjunct professor at Columbia University Law School and was a partner at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison before starting her own firm in 2017. Photo: North Shore News files Multiple agencies are investigating the death of a West Vancouver pedestrian killed in a collision with a West Vancouver Blue Bus. The incident happened on July 30, according to Sgt. Paul Faris, patrol supervisor for the West Vancouver Police Department. Just before 9:30 p.m., a 60-year-old woman was crossing Marine Drive at 25th Street, along with family members, when the driver of an eastbound bus struck her in the crosswalk. She was transported to Vancouver General Hospital where she later succumbed to her injuries, Faris said. Faris could not say what stage of its cycle the traffic light was in at the time. The bus, which was not in service at the time of the crash, was towed for inspection by the provinces Commercial Vehicle Safety and Enforcement unit. The RCMPs Integrated Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Service has been called in to investigate the fatal collision. The BC Coroners Service will also file a report on the death. There were no eyewitnesses to the crash, Faris said, although officers did canvas the area for surveillance footage, and the bus would have had multiple cameras on it. The footage from those is now with ICARS. In a statement, District of West Vancouver spokeswoman Donna Powers said the municipality is treating the incident seriously. Any loss of life in our community is very distressing and our thoughts are with everyone affected. As this is an active police investigation, the district staff have no details about the incident at this time. Nathaniel Smith, MD, MPH is the acting director for the Center for Global Health (CGH) where he leads CDCs efforts to protect and improve health globally through science, policy, partnership, and evidence-based public health action. Dr. Smith also serves as Deputy Director for Public Health Service and Implementation Science (DDPHSIS) where he leads, promotes, and facilitates programs and policies that identify and respond to public health threats, improve health domestically and internationally, and puts science into action. Dr. Smith received a bachelors degree from Rice University in Houston, Texas, and a Master of Arts from Dallas Theological Seminary, also in Texas. He completed his Doctor of Medicine from Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas, and his MPH from the University of Texas School of Public Health, Houston. Dr. Smith is board-certified in Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases. He received his Diploma in Tropical Medicine and Hygiene from the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene in the UK. His clinical interests include HIV, global health, and emerging infectious diseases. Dr. Smith previously served as Secretary of Health and State Epidemiologist for the state of Arkansas and voluntary Professor of Epidemiology at the University of Arkansas College of Public Health. He also served for 7 years as a medical missionary at Kijabe Hospital in Kenya. During part of that time he was faculty lead and Country Medical Director for the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Kenya and Senior Medical Technical Advisor for the PEPFAR-funded AIDS Relief program in East Africa. Smith is an ordained minister in the Anglican Church. He and his wife have four children adopted from Kenya. India's government urged to reopen cement works 09 August 2021 Indias Union government has been urged by a Telangana state minister to revive Adilabad's Cement Corp of India (CCI) plant in the state. In a letter to Heavy Industries Minister, Mahendra Nath Pandey, a request was made for the reopening of the plant which has remained closed since 1996. The CCI plant in Adilabad began production in 1984, serving the cement requirements in the Marathwada and Vidarbha regions of Maharashtra and north Telangana. The plant stopped manufacturing in 1996 due to the lack of working capital and as per the scheme of the Board for Industrial and Financial Reconstruction (BIFR), according to The News Minute. The cement works has a live mining lease with limestone deposits of around 48Mt. The unit also has a power supply connection of 32kVA and water availability. Published under Missed Delivery? If missed delivery or wet paper please call our office 909-628-5501 ext 110 Leave a detailed message with name, address, and phone number. Readers must call before 1 p.m. on Saturday. Re-deliveries are available for Chino residents until 1 p.m. Saturdays. Click Here Chatham, VA (24531) Today Scattered clouds with the possibility of an isolated thunderstorm developing late. Low 72F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 30%.. Tonight Scattered clouds with the possibility of an isolated thunderstorm developing late. Low 72F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 30%. American Queen Steamboat Company, part of the Hornblower Group, announced that the American Queen welcomes her first revenue guests in 18 months today, becoming the fourth vessel to return to service for the U.S. flagged cruise line. As the worlds largest and grandest paddlewheeler, the American Queen sets sail from New Orleans resuming the 2021 season on the Mississippi and Ohio rivers. As the flagship vessel, the American Queens return to service is an important milestone as it marks American Queen Steamboat Companys 10th anniversary of the company closing on the purchase of the storied paddlewheeler (Aug. The purchase and restoration of the American Queen ushered in a new renaissance of U.S. River cruising ten years ago, said John Waggoner, founder and chairman of American Queen Steamboat Company. Our close-to-home cruise experience resonates more than ever, and I feel such pride seeing how far our offerings have expanded. Today the American Queen embarks from New Orleans, the American Empress welcomes guests in Clarkston, Wash.; our boutique paddlewheeler, the American Duchess, is docked under the Gateway Arch in St. Louis and our newest riverboat, the American Countess, is calling on Nottoway Resort in White Castle, La. American Queen Steamboat Company bookings for 2021 and well ahead into 2022 and 2023 continue to reflect pent-up demand for cruising close-to-home. In addition, the cruise line reports 10+ record-breaking individual booking days in 2021, and the current sailing season is almost sold out with limited availability on remaining 2021 Thanksgiving- and holiday-themed voyages. American Queen Steamboat Company is also offering the FREEDOM sale, a bonus savings of up to $2,000 on select 2022 bookings made by August 31, 2021. Tourism represents the second-largest economy on the Mississippi River according to The Mississippi River Cities and Towns Initiative (MRCTI), a coalition of 101 mayors. The return of the American Queen Steamboat Company fleet to the Mississippi and Ohio rivers is a welcome boost to the regions hospitality industry. American Queen guests will have an immediate economic impact on the port cities she calls on from pre-cruise hotel stays to visiting attractions and patronizing small businesses along the river, shares Shawn Bierdz, president of American Queen Steamboat Company. To meet the needs of having the entire fleet operational, our company is up to over 500 team members once again and continuing to grow with open shipboard and shoreside positions. American Queen Steamboat Company began a phased restart in March under SafeCruise protocols and became the only fully vaccinated U.S. river cruise line for both guests and crew effective July 1. The 100% vaccination policy allows guests the freedom to cruise with confidence in accordance with the most current CDC guidelines. All guests must show proof of COVID-19 vaccination with their vaccination card prior to pre-cruise hotel check-in. SafeCruise policies are subject to municipality and state rules based on current regional conditions and may be modified without advance notice to adhere to local health and safety guidelines. For more information on American Queen Steamboat Company or to book a cruise on the American Queen, American Duchess, American Empress and American Countess, please visit www. americanqueensteamboatcompany. com , call 888-749-5280 or contact your travel agent. 8, 2011) almost a decade to the day. Hamilton County General Sessions Court Judge Lila Statom announced that she will seek re-election for the Aug. 4, 2022 election. My commitment to the citizens of Hamilton Count is to foster a system of justice for all who seek a remedy in our General Sessions Courts, said Judge Statom, who serves in Division IV of Hamilton County General Sessions Court. It is truly an honor to serve the citizens of Hamilton County. She was appointed by Governor Bill Haslam in 2012 to complete the term of Judge Ron Durby and was elected to serve a full term in 2014 with nearly 70 percent of the vote. Her campaign said, "Judge Statom has dedicated her entire legal career to the citizens of the State of Tennessee and Hamilton County. She had a distinguished legal career as a Hamilton County Assistant District Attorney for 14 years following a decade of service as an Assistant District Attorney in the Nashville Davidson County District Attorneys Office." In addition to both a criminal, civil and mental health hospital docket in General Sessions Court, Judge Statom presides over the Hamilton County General Sessions Mental Health Court. Mental Health Court "assists justice-involved mental health consumers transform their lives, enhances public safety and provides good stewardship of taxpayers dollars," it was stated. Individuals are screened and placed in a structured program under the supervision of the court and its team if determined appropriate for the program. She said, As the incidences of mental illness, substance abuse and addiction rise, the value of this specialized court program increases. Incarcerating the mentally ill, who cycle in and out of our criminal justice system on lower-level crimes, is not justice. The goal is to get these individuals appropriate care to become contributing members of our community, which benefits all citizens of Hamilton County. Judge Statom said, Our courts play a critical role in the safety of our citizens as well as the protection of their property and well-being of our community. Equal protection of the law and our Constitution must be applied to each case and party involved." Judge Statom is a graduate of Red Bank High School, the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law at Memphis State University (now the University of Memphis) and subsequently earned an LL.M. in Litigation from Emory University School of Law. Judge Statom is vice-president and president-elect of the Tennessee General Sessions Judges Conference (TGSJC) for 2021-2022. Since 2013, she has served on the Impaired Driving Advisory Council for the State of Tennessee. She served on the Board of the Mary Ellen Locher Scholarship Foundation and is a member of the Harrison Ruritan Club, Chattanooga Women's Leadership Institute, Chattanooga Bar Association, Tennessee Bar Association, National Association of Women Judges, National Association of Drug Court Professionals, American Judges Association and Southeast Tennessee Law Association for Women. She is married to Harry Spillman and has two adult children, Zack and Rose, and one grandchild, Kaleah. Lila and her family attend Clear Creek Church of Christ. Will Clegg, MBA and partner at HHM, will serve as the treasurer for Friends of Judge Lila Statom in the non-partisan race to be held on Thursday, August 4, 2022. A District 9 County Commission race is shaping up next year involving two finalist candidates for the recent open seat and the compromise candidate who got it. Jeff Eversole and Dean Moorhouse were among the finalists when the commission went to replace Chester Bankston, who moved to Florida. But neither could manage to get a majority on the then eight-member commission. The panel fell back on Steve Highlander, who had been serving District 9 on the school board. Mr. Eversole, Mr. Moorhouse and Commissioner Highlander have all filed notice with the election office that they are starting to raise money for the race. They have each named a campaign treasurer. A two mile section of Apison Pike, from Patten Town Road to Ooltewah-Ringgold Road in Collegedale, will be formally designated as the Veterans Memorial Drive on Friday. At a special ceremony beginning at 9 a.m., government officials will unveil new signs disclosing the name that has been several years in the approval process. Collegedales Commissioner Garver suggested the idea of Veterans Memorial Drive to his fellow commissioners at a meeting in 2019. He believed this designation would display respect to all veterans and military personnel. The Collegedale City Council unanimously approved and passed a resolution in support of this proposal - and the process began. Cities requesting an honorary or commemorative name for a highway must appeal to the Tennessee General Assembly, as only they have the authority to approve these requests. The late Rep. Mike Carter was contacted in November 2020 to gain his support. Since this process requires legislation, both Rep. Carter and Senator Bo Watson filed an amendment to the Omnibus Road Naming bill during the 2021 legislative session to have a specific portion of Apison Pike to be designated as Veterans Memorial Drive. Once the bill passed both the House and Senate and was signed by Governor Bill Lee, the designated name of Veterans Memorial Drive became official. One can never do enough to repay the debt owed our fallen heroes in service of their country, said Rep. Joan Carter, wife of the late Rep. Mike Carter. We can never thank them enough. This is truly a great day for our veterans and a small token of our appreciation. I'd like to thank the Collegedale City Council for passing this resolution. When Eric Sines reached out to the legislature for help at the state level, Mike was honored to sponsor this amendment to the Omnibus Road Naming bill. Thank you, again, to all who serve. The special unveiling ceremony will be held on Friday beginning at 9 a.m. in front of the Little Debbie Thrift Store at 9515 Apison Pike. The public is invited to attend. Designating a major road in Collegedale as Veterans Memorial Drive speaks volumes about the respect and the appreciation this community has for those who serve honorably to preserve the freedom we love, said Commissioner Garver. Its great to live where the men and women of the United States Military, past and present, are honored in this very special way. Today is a memorable day for all. Thank you Collegedale! A woman on Poplar Street showed police where someone had superglued the locks to her front door and broke a side window of her apartment. She believes her ex-boyfriend caused the vandalism. However, there was no evidence to support her beliefs. * * * A woman on Wilson Street said during the night someone broke into her 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe and stole several items. She said the car was parked in her driveway. She found the driver's door was not closed all the way and doesn't know how entry was made. There is a police camera outside of her residence that may have picked up this incident. * * * A man on Mimosa Circle said during the night someone came onto his driveway and stole the catalytic converter off of his 2001 Land Rover Discovery 2 SUV. He said he doesn't have any type of camera and at this time does not have the license plate number of his vehicle, but will email it to officers. He doesn't know the cost of repair. * * * A woman on Hickory Valley Road said her neighbor, who resides in apartment 501, came to his door with a gun in his hand, after she knocked on his door to ask about an item he left hanging on her front door knob. She said she previously had accidentally dropped a gallon of milk she bought from the store. The woman reported she wrapped the milk in a plastic bag and sat it outside of the complex building. After leaving for some time and coming back, she forgot to get the milk to bring it inside. After realizing this, she opened her front door to get it but found someone had placed the dripping milk on her door knob. The woman reported the only person who saw her put the milk outside was the resident of apartment 501. She also said another neighbor told her he witnessed the resident of apartment 501 place the milk on her door knob. The woman reported this is why she went to talk to the resident of apartment 501. The woman reported at the time the resident of 501 came out with the gun, he did not threaten her verbally or point the gun at her, just held it to his side with his finger on the trigger. The woman said the only thing he said was, "Are you the girl that had her car repo?" The woman reported she replied to him that has nothing to do with this incident. She said the man then went back inside. The woman said she did file a complaint with the complex management as well. * * * A man at the Comfort Inn and Suites at 2341 Shallowford Village Dr. said that he had his ATV in an open trailer, which he left parked there overnight and he left the motel the next morning when he went home with it to Florida. While unloading the ATV off the trailer at home, he discovered that the key switch on it was messed up and there were some wires hanging down and he believes someone may have possibly been trying to steal it. Also, he said there was some grease around the key switch but no visible fingerprints. He said even though this wasn't discovered until unloading the ATV at home this morning, this had to have happened at the hotel. He said he spoke to hotel staff but he was told they didnt have video of this. Also, he said he had heard there were other possible break-ins in the area and an officer had been by at some point. He had no estimate yet but he said it could possibly cost around $1,500 to repair it. * * * A man on East 46th Street said he was in a verbal disorder with his neighbor. The man was upset because she drove up to the house in her car and honked her horn so that her sister would hear and come outside. The man was upset because the neighbor honked her horn and so he started a verbal argument with her. Both parties said the argument was only verbal. Police told both of them that nothing illegal had transpired, and the man was wrong for telling his neighbor that she could not honk her horn. The man was very upset. The woman got in the car and left with her sister. * * * A woman on Pineville Road said sometime during the night someone broke into her 2006 Honda Pilot and stole several items. She said the vehicle was locked but found no damage. She doesn't know how entry was made. The apartment complex will be checking the security cameras and she will call back should the incident be found on video and is helpful. * * * A woman said she last saw her wallet while pumping gas at the Mapco at 5500 Highway 153. She said she may have left it on top of her car before driving off or it could have been stolen at some point. She discovered she no longer had it when an employee later messaged her on Facebook, notifying her that he had found her driver's license in the parking lot of Circle K on Ashland Terrace. She said she later discovered that she had a charge for $540.31 that was done online at Ally. * * * A man said he had gone into FedEx at 5646 Brainerd Road to ship several items for work. He said when he left he forgot to pick up his wallet off the counter. When he returned to FedEx his wallet was gone. Store staff checked their cameras and said a woman came up to the counter and looked at the wallet sitting there. The female then positioned herself in front of the wallet. Staff said the woman was not seen physically picking up the wallet but said she told them she was going outside to wait on a fax and when she left the wallet was gone and she never returned for any fax. Police were given a picture of the woman but were unable to identify who she is. The man said his wallet had around $700 and $400 in Canadian currency inside, along with several debit cards and his ID. Police checked the area and were unable to locate anyone matching the woman's description. * * * A man at 7540 East Brainerd Road said a man was in the parking lot in front of his workplace and was acting strange. He stated the man was talking to himself and walking around the parking lot. He said he tried talking to him, but the man just ignored him. Police arrived and found a man that matched the description given by the caller. The man identified himself and said he just needed a ride. The officer gave him a ride to the intersection of Lee Highway and Shallowford Road where he asked to go. * * * A man on Workman Road said he couldn't find his four-month-old Rottweiler dog. He said he had left him in the back yard and he went inside the residence for roughly 10 minutes. When he returned outside he was unable to locate the dog. The dog was not on a chain or leash. The man is unsure if the dog was stolen or in the area lost. He wanted police documentation of this incident. * * * Officer responded to 12th Avenue where a man who goes by the name "Savannah" and identifies as a female explained that she parks her moped at the community center. She left her moped, a black Tao Tao Pony 50, behind the building and last saw it the night before but now it is gone. She still has the keys to the moped. There are scratches on the left side of the moped, and a sticker of the Disney character Elsa with tattoos and also a sticker of Alice in Wonderland. Savannah did not have VIN information at this time, and so the vehicle could not be entered into NCIC. There is no suspect information. * * * Police were called to Wilson Street on a disorder with a weapon. Upon arrival it was determined that no weapon was involved. A woman said a man and her boyfriend were arguing and she wanted the man to leave. The woman was highly animated and unable to keep from outbursts of shouting throughout speaking with police. The man agreed to leave the area and he was on his way out with his bags when the officer arrived. * * * An officer responded to an abandoned car on Gadd Road and found a red Lexus CT200h parked in the middle of the roadway beside the 700 building of the apartment complex. Both driver window and driver's side rear passenger window were rolled down. The vehicle was unoccupied and actively running while parked and the keys for the vehicle were still inside. A nearby resident in the complex shouted to the officer that the vehicle was as observed for approximately an hour prior to the officer's arrival. With these observations and the fact it had been raining actively throughout the night, the vehicle appeared to have been stolen and the suspect fled the car and location for unknown reasons. The officer moved the vehicle out of the roadway to avoid further resident traffic obstruction. The officer notified dispatch of his findings and was informed the registered owner was a man whose address was not listed at Gadd Road, however the vehicle was not listed as stolen. Police notified the on-duty courtesy officer and will attempt to make contact with apartment management to see if the man lives at the location. If unable to locate the man, the officer will turn the car keys into Property for safekeeping. The Hamilton County Democratic Party say they are taking the alarming rise in Covid cases in the region as a very serious concern. With an abundance of caution, the HCDP Executive Committee has approved a framework for handling its biennial Reorganization Committee as an interactive online event. Originally scheduled as an in-person event at the South Chattanooga Youth and Family Development Center on Aug. 21, the virtual meeting will take place on Aug. 28.The HCDP Reorganization Convention takes place every two years and serves to elect local party leaders. At the Aug.28 meeting, participants will vote on the chair, vice chair, treasurer, and secretary, as well as district leaders, for nine Hamilton County districts. Only registered voters are allowed to participate. The new leadership team will sign a pledge to fully support the Democratic Party and its candidates.Rodney Strong, chair of the local Democrats, stated The Delta Variant of Covid is dangerous and there is simply too much risk to the health and safety of our community members to meet in-person. It is disappointing that we have to take this action. However, we have been successfully using online tools such as Zoom to meet and conduct our business for well over a year. We are confident that we can create an experience for our local Party that is interactive, transparent and fair. The HCDP has received approval from the Tennessee Democratic Party to move to an online format.We will be able to personally help our Democrats who need assistance with the technologies that we will employ for the Reorganization Convention. We feel that in some ways our online approach will actually extend the opportunity to engage in the election of our leadership team, said Mr. Strong.The complete details on the event and how Hamilton County Democrats can play a part in shaping the future direction for the Party will be announced early next week. Representative Chuck Fleischmann will hold Tennessees Third Congressional Districts Military Service Academy Day at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga on Saturday, Aug. 28. Prospective students, parents, teachers, guidance counselors and principals will all have the opportunity to meet with representatives from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, U.S. Naval Academy, U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, U.S. Coast Guard Academy and the U.S. Air Force Academy. Our nations military academies are the finest in the world and prepare the next generation of leaders. I am honored to nominate patriotic young men and women from our community to attend these prestigious institutions. We are the land of the free and home of the brave, thanks to the dedication and sacrifice of those who wear our nations uniform. I am looking forward to hosting this important event on August 28, and I hope all who are interested can attend, Congressman Fleischmann said. Chattanooga Mayor Tim Kelly announced the appointment of Mary Beth Ikard a veteran policy and public-relations practitioner for local, regional, and state government as the citys Director of Communications, effective Monday. Mayor Kelly also announced the appointment of Karitsa Mosley Jones, a member of the Hamilton County School Board, fellow at the citys Office of Early Learning, and licensed social worker, to head up the citys Community Forward Schools Partnership, also effective on Monday. Ms. Ikard is the outgoing director of sustainability for Mayor John Cooper and the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County. She was originally appointed in 2015 by then Mayor Megan Barry to advance policy on transit and transportation, in addition to sustainability. Prior to working in the mayors office, for more than five years she led communications for the Nashville Area Metropolitan Planning Organization the lead policy, planning, and funding authority for surface transportation throughout the greater-Nashville region. She also directed communications and marketing for Governor Phil Bredesens Books from Birth Foundation, where she generated support for county affiliates of Dolly Partons Imagination Library. While at Katcher Vaughn and Bailey Public Relations, she also worked on BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessees health-prevention programs for children and youth. She began her career in the press office for the late Indiana Governor Frank OBannon, and then moved into public affairs for the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration. Ms. Ikard holds a B.A. in Journalism from Indiana University and Accreditation in Public Relations, and is an MFA candidate with the Sewanee School of Letters. Mary Beths yearslong commitment to public service and proven track-record of policy successes for local government make her uniquely qualified to lead communications for my administration, said Mayor Kelly. Theres no substitute for experience: Having worked directly for three mayors, as well as a board of city and county mayors from across Middle Tennessee, she knows exactly the types of challenges and opportunities that cities are facing in our state. Ms. Mosley Jones is serving her second term on the Hamilton County School Board as the District 5 representative, where she has advocated for greater community engagement and closing achievement gaps in schools. She is a Pritzker Fellow in Chattanoogas Office of Early Learning, and is an adjunct professor in the Department of Social Work at UTC. She is also a licensed social worker who has spent more than 12 years working to help families in our community, and was a member of the 2015 inaugural class of the Harvard Business Schools Young American Leaders program. Ms. Mosley Jones earned her masters degree in social work, and her bachelors degree in sociology and criminal justice from Alabama A&M University. As the director of the Community Forward Schools, Ms. Mosley Jones will oversee a staff of seven who will work to connect students and parents to city resources and leverage the citys community centers to better serve our students. Ensuring that every single child has access to an excellent education is the most important challenge and the most important opportunity facing our city, Mayor Kelly said. These young people are the future of Chattanooga; we have no greater opportunity or more urgent need for investment. I know that Karitsa is up to the task of leveraging city resources, community support, and critical partners for our schools and our students. Kathy Griffin revealed she has lung cancer last week, shocking her fans. The controversial comedian and My Life on the D-List TV star announced the news on social media just before heading into surgery. And she just revealed that shes refusing narcotic painkillers post-surgery. Kathy Griffin disclosed stage 1 lung cancer on Instagram Kathy Griffin attends the 2018 Writers Guild Awards L.A. Ceremony | . Ever approachable, Griffin revealed the news on Instagram and Twitter in a down-to-earth tone, writing as though she were casually speaking to a friend. Ive got to tell you guys something, Griffin wrote. Im about to go into surgery to have half of my left lung removed. Yes, I have lung cancer even though Ive never smoked! Griffin said her doctors were optimistic and shared that she had the coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine. The consequences for being unvaccinated would have been even more serious, the comedian said before encouraging her followers to keep up-to-date on medical check-ups. Per USA Today, Alex Spieller, Griffins rep, said on Monday that the procedure went well and as planned. Griffin herself posted an update Monday, as well. Its been a helluva 4 years, trying to get back to work, making you guys laugh and entertaining you, but Im gonna be just fine, she wrote. On Saturday, she shared a video of herself via Instagram. In a hoarse voice, she joked, For some reason, I laugh at everything now. And if its horrible, I laugh way more! She shared that she wont take prescription drugs for pain In a recent interview with Nightline, Kathy Griffin opened up about the fallout after her controversial photoshoot scandal with a prop that looked like a severed head of Donald Trump. She said that she had become both suicidal and addicted to prescription drugs. She also took to Instagram to share with fans that she is in recovery and free and clear of drugs. Tonight will be my first night without any narcotic pain killers, she wrote Wednesday. Hello Tylenol, my new best friend! Griffin continued on a much more serious note, discussing her emotional spiral. The last time I was in a hospital was in June 2020 when I tried to take my life and overdosed on prescription pills, she wrote. With over a year clean and drug free, I now know I can do this and anything I want without those devil pills. On Nightline Monday, Griffin detailed the emotional hell of the public backlash she endured and the physical agony of withdrawing from prescription drugs. I had become very severely addicted to prescription pills, she told Nightline. Kathy Griffin isnt taking any chances now She suffered death threats, investigations, industry alienation, the cancellation of a tour, online hate, public humiliation, and the pill addiction she fell into to cope with all the former. Cumulatively, the brutality of the backlash led to an intense desire to end her own life. She noted not only the irony that a woman who is famously smoke-free had succumbed to drug addiction, but also the irony that just as shed genuinely wanted to live again, she was diagnosed with cancer. Now, shes simply not taking any chances, and shes speaking out about her private suffering. Healing from surgery without painkillers is her way of staying in control of the bright future shes rebuilding. Yknow what? she wrote via Instagram. I fear drugs and addiction more than I fear cancer. So, I think Ill be OK. RELATED: How to get help: In the U.S., contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration helpline at 1-800-662-4357. How to get help: In the U.S., call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. Or text HOME to 741-741 to speak with a trained crisis counselor at the free Crisis Text Line. One of the most modern infrastructures for automated process control in chemistry is being built by the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) together with BASF: The facility will initially produce new substances in parallel for applications in fields ranging from biology to materials science. In the long term, the facility will also enable a high-throughput process for chemical reactions. KIT is investing about four million euros in this project. The facility is located in the Karlsruhe Nano Micro Facility (KNMFi) and is open to internal and external scientists. The development of automated facilities for chemical reactions to produce new materials for various applications in biomedicine, pharmaceuticals, electronics and many other fields is the goal of scientists worldwide. "Such synthesis plants allow chemical reactions to be carried out in a reproducible and standardized manner thanks to automated processes without exposing humans to chemicals," explains Professor Stefan Brase, director at KIT's Institute of Biological and Chemical Systems (IBCS). "In addition, automated processes increase the throughput of reactions and thus the efficiency of research projects. This leads to new findings more quickly. Over the next two years, KIT will invest around four million euros in the development of a plant for the automated synthesis of new chemical substances.. The facility will be located at KNMFi to provide interested internal and external researchers with permanent access to one of the most modern infrastructures for automated process control in chemistry. As a strategic partner, BASF will run projects in the facility to identify for example new active ingredients for agriculture. Modular design facilitates future expansions This project combines several projects prepared by researchers in the working group of Professor Stefan Brase and other KIT scientists. Wherever possible, the system will integrate components of free hardware and software to enable transparent development and later use also by other researchers. In addition, the individual components of the system will be assembled in a modular way so that future extensions can be realized in an uncomplicated way. KIT is involved in various consortia of the National Research Data Infrastructure (NFDI), especially also in NFDI4Chem, which specializes in chemistry. Close coordination with the consortia and implementation of the software and standards developed in NFDI4Chem within the facility will ensure long-term sustainable research and promote the provision of research data according to established best practice models. Process control, robotics, software development and design work together Initially, the synthesis plant will be geared to projects in organic synthetic chemistry: It will produce small organic molecules on a scale of around ten milligrams to several hundred milligrams, for example for chemical intermediates or active pharmaceutical ingredients. In the future, however, the facility will also be able to be used flexibly and carry out reactions on a small scale so that researchers can investigate many reactions simultaneously in a parallelized process. For both use cases, BASF brings extensive expertise to the project as it is already running an automated, high throughput platform at its global headquarters in Ludwigshafen, Germany. "We are very much looking forward to working with the KIT groups involved" says Andy Wieja, Team Leader Combinatorics & Thermal Characterization at BASF. "The development of new technologies at KIT will provide new impulses for synthesis projects and process automation at BASF to accelerate research and development for future innovations. The project brings together experts in process control, robotics, software development and design to combine state-of-the-art technologies and established processes. Further partners from research as well as from industry are welcome. In this July 23 photo, John OConnor speaks after being sworn in as Oklahomas new attorney general at the state Capitol in Oklahoma City. Oklahomas new attorney general is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn its own historic ruling last year on tribal sovereignty. In a petition with the high court on Aug. 6, Attorney General John OConnor says the high courts 5-4 decision was wrongly decided and has led to a criminal-justice crisis. Chickasha, OK (73018) Today Thunderstorms likely this evening. Then a chance of scattered thunderstorms overnight. Low around 70F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%.. Tonight Thunderstorms likely this evening. Then a chance of scattered thunderstorms overnight. Low around 70F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Antifa throws flash bombs at children, injures pastor at Christian prayer event in Portland Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Dozens of black-clad Antifa militants carrying shields and melee weapons on Saturday assaulted Christians, including children, who were attending a prayer and worship event in downtown Portland, Oregon, featuring Canadian Pastor Artur Pawlowski. Portland police looked on as Antifa bear-sprayed Christians and their children, lobbed flash bombs into the crowd, and reportedly threw the sound equipment being used for the prayer event into the Willamette River, PJ Media reported. In black bloc and riot gear, armed Antifa could be seen in a video physically confronting the Christian attendees. One of the members sprayed a congregant with what appeared to be pepper spray. The attendees stepped back to evade the assault, The Post Millennial reported. Where is your God now? one of the Antifa members can be heard shouting in the video. A woman attending the prayer event described the group as ruthless. Antifa just rolled in like an angry mob, started throwing flash bombs at everybody, macing everybody ... rotten eggs, CBN News quoted her as saying. They threw a flash bomb into a group of kids that were out there from 4 months old to like 10. Pawlowski, who serves as pastor of Street Church and Cave of Adullam Church in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, and has been seen in viral videos documenting his encounters with law enforcement over COVID-19 restrictions, was also sprayed in the face with mace. An attendee who helped the pastor was quoted as saying, Walked up to ask them to stop throwing things at the children. Theres kids down there. I mean, theyre toddlers and they sprayed me too. Welcome to Portland. You wont like it here, pastor, tweeted an Antifa member, who identifies herself as Melissa Lewis on Twitter. In an earlier interview with The Christian Post, Pawlowski spoke about his interactions with authorities over the past year and doubled down on his characterization of local law enforcement as Nazis and communists. Pawlowski has compared the measures taken by law enforcement officials to enforce novel coronavirus restrictions on churches to the actions taken by authorities in his native Poland when it was under communist rule. In March 2020, he was informed that Street Church would have to shut down and stop taking care of the poor. Pawlowski refused to obey that order, concluding that by issuing orders to stop feeding them [and] giving them necessities of life, they were sentencing them to death. [And] some of them did die. All of those people wandering the streets, if I dont feed them or someone like me does not feed them theyre going to attack your house or break into your car, he added. You got to provide people with food if they cannot get it on their own for whatever reason. Addictions or mental illness or whatever it is, those people will eat this way or that way. I prefer to feed them instead of letting them go and hurt other people to get what they need. The Saturday prayer and worship event in Portland was announced a month ago, which gave Antifa enough time to plan the attack. Antifa has also attacked several churches in Portland. Evangelical church in Nigeria demands action to stop Fulani jihadists slaughter of Christians Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment A church leader in Nigeria has called for urgent action to stop mass killings that many have described as a genocide being committed by Islamic Fulani herdsmen. At least 70 people have been killed in an area of Plateau state in two weeks. Apart from the 70 killed, at least 15 villages were destroyed, more than 400 houses were burned down, including churches and an orphanage, nearly 20,000 people were displaced and thousands of hectares of farm crops were destroyed in a series of attacks targeting Christians between July 23 and Aug. 2 in Irigwe area in central Nigeria, says the president of the Evangelical Church Winning All, the Rev. Stephen Baba Panya. Authorities must stop the genocide taking place in Irigwe land, he said in a statement, adding that the continual violence has become a nightmare for the Christian Irigwe ethnic group, who are indigenous to Bassa Local Government Area in Plateau State, and to Kaura LGA in neighboring Southern Kaduna. Many of the villages, where these killings and burnings are taking place, are basically located behind the 3rd Armoured Division Barrack of the Nigerian Army, yet, these militias are allowed to continue their heinous murders and carnage without any intervention by the Nigerian Army and other security agencies ..., eroding the confidence of the populace in the military and security agencies, as unbiased protectors of all, devoid of tribe, ethnicity or religion, he added. Baba Panya points out that no single AK-47 wielding militia has been arrested, and the indigenous youth who tried to defend themselves with crude instruments are paraded as aggressors. The U.K.-based group Christian Solidarity Worldwide reports that the assailants also attacked Ungwan Magaji, Kishicho, Kigam and Kikoba Irigwe villages in Kaura LGA, southern Kaduna, where at least 48 people were killed, over 100 homes were razed to the ground and at least 68 farmlands were destroyed. It is time for the international community to put aside debates about the origins and nature of this violence and to focus instead on pressing and assisting Nigeria to address this network of organized armed non-state actors, CSWs Press and Public Affairs Team Leader Kiri Kankhwende said. It is a tragic indication of failing or failed governance that groups with ready access to small arms, which reportedly include foreign elements, can continue to unleash the most appalling violence across the country, with minority ethnic and religious groups bearing an alarming burden of death and loss. The U.S.-based persecution watchdog International Christian Concern designates Fulani radicals as the fourth-deadliest terror group globally, which has surpassed the Boko Haram terrorist group as the greatest threat to Nigerian Christians. Many believe that the attacks are motivated by jihadist Fulanis' desire to take over farmland and impose Islam on the population and are frustrated with the Muslim-dominated government that is believed to be enabling such atrocities, ICC warned in May. The Anambra-based International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law estimated in May that as many as 1,470 Christians were killed in Nigeria during the first four months of 2021, the highest estimate in the first four months of any year since 2014. The number also surpasses the estimated number of Christians killed in 2019. The report estimated that as many as 300 people had been killed in Kaduna in the first four months of 2021. In the first four months of this year, the organization estimates that at least 2,200 Christians were abducted. Kaduna state recorded the highest number of abductions at 800. The Global Terrorism Index ranked Nigeria as the third-most affected country by terrorism and reported over 22,000 deaths by acts of terror from 2001 to 2019. Texas mayor pleads for help as migrant COVID cases surge: 'A crisis the city did not create' Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment The mayor of a Texas border town is pleading for help in responding to the immigration surge as an influx of positive COVID-19 cases flow across the border, leaving the town of McAllen overwhelmed. We finally need help, Mayor Javier Villalobos of McAllen, Texas, shared on Fox News The Ingraham Angle" last week, adding that politicians in Washington could change this with the stroke of a pen. People blame us sometimes here in the municipality and we tell them its outside of our jurisdiction, he shared. If you want to place blame, we know exactly where to do it and thats in Washington. And whether its the president, Congress, the Senate, whatever it is, theyre the ones who can take care of it. McAllen is a town of over 144,000 people located at the southern tip of Texas in the Rio Grande Valley. Watch the latest video at foxnews.com The lack of support from the White House and U.S. Congress places a heavy burden on local governments to contain the immigration surge, which puts a strain on their resources and workforce. At the very end, this is not our responsibility. We dont do this. We dont deal with immigration, the mayor of McAllen said. Villalobos also said the city is running out of money, and shared how the overflow of immigrants has led the city to set up emergency tents and issue an emergency disaster declaration. The declaration warned that U.S. Customs and Border Protection "is releasing an alarmingly substantial number of immigrants into the City, including individuals that are positive for COVID-19." The city of McAllen announced over 7,000 COVID-positive migrants had been released by CBP since mid-February, including over 1,500 COVID-positive immigrants released in the past week, Fox News reported. Immigrants released by CBP are sent to be tested by Catholic Charities, a third-party, and are asked to quarantine in a room if they test positive, according to Fox News. In its declaration, the city warned that nonprofits, including Catholic Charities' Humanitarian Respite Center, are "overwhelmed with the unanticipated influx of individuals and can no longer adequately feed, house, provide medical attention or otherwise accommodate the individuals being released into the City." The city said the "rapidly escalating" surge in immigration is developing a crisis bigger than the city can handle. "Despite the City of McAllen and its community partners best efforts, the sheer number of immigrants being released into the city has become a crisis: a crisis the City of McAllen did not create and has proactively tried to avoid for seven years," the city said in a statement. "This significant change increases the threat of COVID spread or other lawlessness within the city." Fox News Laura Ingraham asked the mayor if he had noticed a difference in the handling of immigration between the transition from former President Donald Trump to President Joe Biden. Without trying to be political, the mayor said that six, seven, eight months ago, we did not have the issues we have now." "Its totally different, the mayor stressed. Biden has reversed many Trump-era immigration policies on the first day in office, including halting construction on the border wall. Many Republicans blame the new administration's border policies for the uptick in immigrants crossing the southern border in 2021. According to numbers released by the CBP, over 188,000 border enforcement encounters took place in June. In June 2019, the last year before the pandemic, there were over 104,000 border enforcement encounters. The year 2021 has seen the highest number of unlawful border crossings in over 20 years. Vice President Kamala Harris, who was tapped to be the border czar, has been criticized by Republicans for not being proactive in response to the border, instead focusing her efforts on the root causes in the countries of origin. Fears of COVID-19 surging because of an increase in immigrants testing positive and the introduction of the delta variant has sparked an order restricting some immigrants from crossing the border. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention extended an order last week restricting the introduction of certain immigrants coming from Canada and Mexico to protect public health and the spread of COVID-19 through Title 42 public health protections. In effect, the order means that the Biden administration will continue the Trump-era policy of quickly expelling migrants and asylum seekers from the U.S. to Mexico, CBS News reports. The order also includes an exemption for unaccompanied minors. "As part of the United States mitigation efforts in response to the rise in COVID-19 cases due to the delta variant, the Department of Homeland Security has begun to transport individuals expelled under Title 42 by plane to the Mexican interior," a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson told Fox News on Friday. Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Someone once said, "Be grateful for the doors of opportunity and for friends who oil the hinges." That's how I feel about a recent magnanimous offer made to Southern Baptists by apologist Alex McFarland about six weeks ago. In the wake of the departure of Russel Moore, previous president of the SBC's Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, OneNewsNow.com reported McFarland offered to fill the position pro-bono. "I would like to give back to the denomination that invested itself in me. It will not cost the SBC a penny, and I can virtually guarantee giving to the Cooperative Program will go up," said McFarland. In my estimation, the ERLC couldn't find a more qualified candidate. He's been with Southern Baptists since his conversion to Christ. He has zealously proclaimed the Gospel of Christ in over 2,000 churches both nationally and internationally. Having been the third president of Southern Evangelical Seminary in Matthews, North Carolina, which specializes in apologetics, and served as director of apologetics at North Greenville University in South Carolina, McFarland has been teaching believers how to effectively defend their faith for quite some time. Moreover, he has never hesitated to boldly address the controversial social issues of our day from a solid Christian worldview. His resume is stellar, and lest I be perceived as exaggerating, I'm only mentioning a fraction of what he's done for the cause of Christ. Still, one other thing should be added. Some leaders can be quite knowledgeable but not so communicable; not McFarland. He's been a frequent spokesperson on Fox News and interviewed by numerous national media outlets, including "Fox and Friends," Billy Graham's Decision radio broadcast, Focus on the Family radio, NPR's "All Things Considered," The New York Times and The Washington Post, to name a few. He's a prolific author, having written numerous books on Christian themes and been a contributing writer to the L.A. Times, Boston Herald, OK! magazine, Charisma, On Mission, Billy Graham's Decision magazine and many more. Being Southern Baptist myself, since Moore took the reigns of the ERLC, I have had grave concerns that the Christian convictions of fellow Southern Baptists were not sufficiently represented. For those of us who look to the ERLC as our advocate in the public arena, Moore's leadership was unquestionably a departure from the strong conservative direction it had under Dr. Richard Land for 25 years. Like many, I hesitated to criticize because I wanted to give the ERLC leadership every chance to prove itself. It didn't. Instead, it did more to divide Southern Baptist churches and leaders on key Gospel issues in society and split their ability to successfully engage the culture with a sure word from the Scriptures. Southern Baptists are the largest protestant denomination in the United States. The Convention is made up of many theological and political views. Nevertheless, generally speaking, there is a consensus on most social issues and considerable leverage for political persuasion that ought to be tapped and brought to the table. After Land, it was never appropriately utilized. The ERLC should have partnered with other dynamic nationally conservative activist groups and been in the very vanguard of influence for traditional Christian values. Instead, Moore seemed to stand aloof from the religious right while also disparaging the robust kind of leadership provided by former evangelical leaders who elevated social and political-religious conservatism to a place of prominence. Furthermore, I thought the ERLC was too distracted with telling everyone why they should reject Donald Trump. Mind you; Trump directed the friendliest administration to conservative evangelicals in American history. Yes, I agree Trump was not perfect and didn't always behave in a thoroughly Christian manner. Nevertheless, for once, a president demonstrated he was taking conservative evangelicals and their contentions seriously. It was an unprecedented opportunity squandered. I want to see the ERLC trending in the right direction again. Its positions and actions shouldn't even smell of progressivism. Still, I fear it won't happen unless a new guard is restored to prominence more like the old guard. Today, Southern Baptists need a strong man of God in the office of the ERLC, who will say to our wayward country, "Thus saith the Lord." McFarland has written: "We live in an age in which entire denominations are abandoning biblical principles for the sake of cultural acceptance. Yet our Lord has not called us to convenient lives, but lives of conviction. In addition, Southern Baptists stand in need of spiritual awakening. We cannot overlook past sins in our churches, including pride, immorality, and discrimination, but instead, look to the Lord for the solution to our weaknesses and as the power for our future. We will not change our culture by embracing it. Our culture stands in need of change, and it is a change too big to accomplish in our own strength. We need the power of God's Holy Spirit if we desire to live with the eternal impact our Lord Jesus demands." Just as the Apostle Paul asked how shall people hear without a preacher (Rom. 10:14), I ask how Southern Baptists will lead America back from the precipice without sound Christian leadership in the ERLC? Has anyone contacted McFarland about his offer? Has anyone taken up his name for consideration? Or are we about to miss another exceptional opportunity? Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Its back-to-school season. Like every year, children are excited about new teachers, new experiences, new clothes and maybe even some new friends. But for many families, back-to-school is not business as usual this year. In many cases, the temporary changes to education brought on by COVID-19 have become permanent. Perhaps the biggest change is the number of families that have decided to homeschool their children. The number of families who homeschooled during the 2020-2021 school year doubled compared to the previous year. That doesnt count those who have been doing school from home. The data on private school has been mixed. While the economic impacts of the coronavirus forced some private schools to close, other private schools have seen a sharp rise in enrollment from families looking for alternatives to government schools. Its possible that strong private schools have taken advantage of a growth in demand while those that were already struggling were forced to close. What is undeniable is that there has been significant change in the relationship between the public and their local public schools, and its possible that this change is only just beginning. There are several reasons for this. First, schooling from home gave parents a chance to peek behind the curtain of public education and many didnt like what they saw. For years, parents have been concerned about sex ed curriculum that is too much too soon and tells children they can choose to be a boy or a girl. In addition, school districts and individual teachers are increasingly prioritizing components of critical race theory and curriculum like the 1619 Project, which teaches that the American Revolution was fought in order to protect slavery. Parents are beginning to realize that school is much different today than in years past and have chosen to do something about it. Second, COVID opened the eyes of many families to the fact that public schools arent the only option. When schools closed, families were forced to adjust. Some families began homeschooling and discovered, despite doubts, they could do it. They also discovered homeschool co-ops, churches and other groups that provide support for parents and community for families who reclaimed control of their childs education. In addition, legislative action in many states has made private school more realistic for many families. States like Ohio have greatly expanded the number of schools that are eligible for school choice programs. Indiana expanded a school choice program so that most middle-class families can use state education dollars to send their kids to private schools. As a result, families who have newfound options are finding that they like the alternative better than what were the only options. Third, the ongoing response to the coronavirus from their local public school continues to be untenable for many families. From the beginning, public and private schools responded in radically different ways to the coronavirus. During the fall and winter of 2020, 60% of private school students were receiving in-person instruction while only 24% of public school students were. That disparity likely would have been even greater but for jurisdictions that made it illegal for private schools to hold in-person classes. This also reflects the difference between systems that are responsible primarily for parents and systems that are responsible primarily for politicians. While teachers unions fought to keep schools closed, parents were desperate to keep their children from falling behind. Many of those who found options outside the public school system now have no intention of returning. Many public schools that parents relied on and trusted all but abandoned students and families during a crisis a fact parents arent likely to forget. There is reason to believe that COVID-related movement away from public schools will continue. Nine states (California, Washington, New Mexico, Nevada, Louisiana, New York, Connecticut, Delaware and Hawaii) will require all students to wear masks as they begin the 2021 school year. Individual school districts in other states are taking it upon themselves to require students to wear masks. Families who were willing to endure one very difficult educational year for their children may not be willing to put up with a second. Mask mandates in schools are particularly galling given the fact that other states (South Carolina, Florida, Iowa, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Arizona and Utah) have forbidden local jurisdictions from requiring masks. Increasingly, the experience of living in different states feels more like the experience of living in different countries. In a world in which so many things that were once choices have become mandates, many parents are choosing to exercise choice where they still have some. So for many families, back-to-school is different this year, either because theyve already made a change or because theyre about to. 'A gift from God: Fla. church vaccinates hundreds after 6 members died from COVID-19 Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Over 260 people were vaccinated this weekend at a Florida church after six of the congregations members passed away from COVID-19 over the course of 10 days. Impact Church, a non-denominational church based in Jacksonville with multiple satellite campuses in the United States and abroad, held the vaccination event on Sunday. Impact Church Pastor George Davis told The Christian Post that this was the second vaccination event his congregation had held, the first held in March before any of the church's members died from the virus. Around 800 people were vaccinated at the March event. The church estimates that 269 people received COVID-19 vaccinations on Sunday, with more than a third of the recipients being teenagers. Despite the attention the church has received after six of its members died, Davis explained that the six recent deaths were not the only reasons the church held the second vaccination event. Weve been encouraging people to get vaccinated, Davis said. We need to give even more people another chance because obviously, we still have people in our audience who have not gotten vaccinated. So, we just decided, on the heels of that, yes, we would host a second event," he added. "We didnt come up with the idea to do an event period because of this, but to host a second one, it was in part motivated by what we saw happening with some of our members. Impact Church leadership will be meeting on Tuesday to look into follow-up efforts, such as partnering with the local public health department to mitigate the virus. When asked by CP about how important it was for churches to help get people vaccinated, Davis responded that he felt it was a tough question since there are some churches that dont believe that you should take the vaccination at all. We are a faith-teaching church. We are a faith-believing church. We believe in divine healing, Davis noted. But, I just happen to believe that faith and science are not at odds, especially medical science. God gives wisdom to doctors and scientists to come up with cures for the body," he continued. "And when cures are available and they have not proven to be detrimental, I believe its wise for us to take advantage of them. Davis believes it is important for leaders to follow their own conscience." "And for us, our conscience is that we believe the vaccination is a gift from God that helps people to not have to pass away or be extremely sick," Davis stressed. According to reports, four of the six church members who died of COVID were under the age of 35 and were said to be healthy when they contracted the virus. All of those who died from the church were unvaccinated. In addition to those who died, 15 to 20 other church members are reportedly battling COVID-19 in the hospital. Another 10 are reportedly battling the virus from home. Davis told local news outlet WJXT that after speaking with families, he believes the members didnt contract the coronavirus at church. Supreme Court shown 4D ultrasound images, urged to uphold Mississippi 15-week abortion ban Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment A nonprofit organization has submitted an amicus brief to the U.S. Supreme Court featuring ultrasound imagery over time to demonstrate how scientific advancements justify overturning the long-standing precedent in American abortion jurisprudence. As the U.S. Supreme Court is slated to hear a major challenge to Roe v. Wade, a lawyer writing on behalf of the Catholic Association Foundation and three medical doctors filed the brief in support of the state of Mississippi in the case of Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization last month. In this case, billed by pro-life advocates as a landmark opportunity to chip away at the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion nationwide, the state of Mississippi is asking the justices to reverse a lower court decision finding that its 15-week abortion ban is unconstitutional. The Catholic Association Foundation was granted special permission from the Supreme Court to include ultrasound imagery as part of its amicus brief, according to information obtained by The Christian Post. The brief noted that when striking down Mississippis ban on abortions after 15 weeks gestation, the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals cited the 1992 Supreme Court decision Planned Parenthood v. Casey, which determined that [n]o state interest is constitutionally adequate to ban abortions before viability. The term viability refers to a fetus ability to survive outside the womb. In 1973, when Roe was decided, 28 weeks was seen as the point of viability. By 1992, the term viable applied to babies born at 23 or 24 weeks gestation. Roe and Caseys viability standard is incomplete and outdated according to current science, the brief declared. The counsel for the amici explained that babies born at 21 weeks gestation are now capable of surviving outside the womb. Additionally, the brief lamented that the human form of the child, regardless of its viability, is unaccounted for by Casey. It pointed to ultrasound technology as a source of a clear window into the womb to witness the humanity of the unborn child. The brief included ultrasound images from the 1970s and the 1980s and modern ultrasound images incorporating the use of three-dimensional and four-dimensional technology. Sonograms in the 1970s were rudimentary, the document argued. While sonograms in the late 1980s were still blurry and indefinite, the technology has since improved substantially. A caption accompanying one set of modern ultrasound images detailed how 3D and 4D images, surface rendered, reveal the human face of the fetus: plump cheeks, delicately formed lips, and tiny noses. In 4D renderings, we can observe movement. The baby can be seen yawning, sucking her thumb, and kicking," the brief continued. "4D technology also shows fleeting expressions: the grimace of a cry, a frown wrinkling the forehead, a curve of the lips into a smile. The babys mouth opens, and we can even see the tongue moving. These detailed images have opened a window into the womb, allowing us to witness the human form of the child." The brief contends that unborn babies at 15 weeks gestation look unmistakably human, and the state has an interest in protecting them. "At 15 weeks gestation, all major organs are formed and functioning, including the liver, kidneys, pancreas, and brain, the brief reads. Although the child receives nutrients and oxygen through the umbilical cord, the digestive, urinary, and respiratory systems are practicing for extra-uterine life. At 15 weeks, the fetus swallows and urinates; she even breathes, filling her lungs with amniotic fluid and expelling it. The cardiovascular system is fully formed. Not only is the babys heartbeat detectable, as it has been for nine weeks, but the four chambers of the fetal heart are visible." In addition to highlighting a clear fetal profile consisting of a gently sloping nose ... distinct upper and lower lips and chin, one ultrasound image featured in the brief is credited with making external genitalia visible. This enables sonographers to inform families whether their baby is a son or daughter. Although ultrasound images account for most of the pictures in the brief, the document also includes photographs of fetal surgeries to emphasize that modern medicine now views the fetus as a patient in her own right. The brief concluded that the Court should relinquish its role as nationwide abortion regulator and return the job to the States and elected officials where it belongs. The court is expected to hear oral arguments in Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization in its upcoming October term. A decision is expected by next spring. Ayaan Hirsi Ali says critical race theory is 'worst philosophy,' teaches kids to 'hate' each other Somali-born activist urges Americans not to be divided by the 'crazy people' Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment A Somali-born human rights activist and bestselling author condemned critical race theory (CRT) as divisive and the worst philosophy she has ever come across as some media and public school systems continue to endorse it. Ayaan Hirsi Ali, a former Muslim survivor of female genital mutilation and former member of the Dutch Parliament, warned in a recent interview with Fox News that critical race theory will teach children to hate" each other. "It divides us into people of different races, and it says that these racial differences are irreconcilable," the womens activist and Hoover Institution fellow stated, adding that the ideology seeks to divide along the lines of race, immigration, gender identity and gender. It sees no reconciliation, no coming together unless the people that they describe as eternal victims, black people, people of color, women, transgender people, unless they unite to destroy and dismantle our existing institutions, she continued. It's a very nihilistic, zero-sum game. It's the worst philosophy I've ever come across. Ali has stood against various political oppressive political philosophies across the globe. She has garnered international attention over the years as a critic of Islam. She has advocated for the rights of Muslim women and has openly criticized forced marriages, honor killings, female genital mutilation and child marriage. The solution to the advancement of CRT in America, Ali said, is to come together, not be driven apart by these crazy people. Ali said CRT teaches young children to relate to one another based on skin color and gender, which she believes will lead to them hate one another. She believes white children will grow to hate America because "they will feel that its the legacy of America that has saddled them, burdened them with this terrible history." Both sets of children will look at America and America's legacies and institutions and all that they have either with contempt or with hatred and anger or a combination of all, she said. Ali contends mainstream media have promoted CRT because they "decided that what sells is divisiveness." She warned that the way to counter CRT is to expose it. In another interview with Fox News Dana Perino, Ali addressed the comments of Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., who said the American system must be dismantled. Watch the latest video at foxnews.com We cant stop at criminal justice reform or policing reform, Omar said during a press conference last year. We are not merely fighting to tear down the systems of oppression in the criminal justice system. We are fighting to tear down systems of oppression that exist in housing, in education, in health care, in employment, [and] in the air we breathe. Ali, however, believes the American system is not perfect but is made to self-correct and address these problems on its own. I dont think we need a revolution, she said. I think what we have the American Declaration, the American Constitution, the American values, our system, gives us the tools to address social injustice, to address inequality, to address all the issues that we face. I think we need to resist and say, you have come to America in search of freedom, youve come to America in search of equality. We find it here. Our system is not perfect. We can fix it, and we do it through conversations. Ali said that even though loud minority seek to dismantle the American system, it must be preserved. Despite its young age as a nation, she said the United States has accomplished so much in its short history. [America] is the one nation that has abolished slavery," she said. "It is the one nation that has stood up for civil rights and has passed laws and has allocated huge resources to achieving or aspiring to achieve free equality. I do not believe in guaranteeing equality of outcomes. I believe in equality of opportunity. I think we should reject and stand up to crazy people who say that our system, the United States of America, our America, is made up of systemic racism, she said. Ali said the system helps Americans strive to make things better and is unlike any other countrys system. So, the Ilhan Omars of this world, the Ocasio-Cortezs of this world, I think they need to take time out to travel in the real world, other countries where you dont have that, where there are really bad systems, she said. Critical race theory is defined by Encyclopedia Britannica as an intellectual movement and loosely organized framework of legal analysis based on the premise that race is not a natural, biologically grounded feature of physically distinct subgroups of human beings but a socially constructed (culturally invented) category that is used to oppress and exploit people of colour. The reference source reports that critical race theorists hold that the law and legal institutions in the United States are inherently racist insofar as they function to create and maintain social, economic, and political inequalities between whites and nonwhites, especially African Americans. Proponents of CRT criticize the U.S. and Western nations as being oppressive and promoting institutional systemic racism or white supremacy, teaching that systemic racism is ingrained in many aspects of American life. Critics contend that proponents of CRT use Marxist tactics of class struggle to divide people among race, gender and ethnicity. Components from the theoretical framework are being taught in some public schools, government agencies and business training programs. CRT has been a source of controversy in school board meetings across the country. Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Early results of the 2020 U.S. Census suggest that the United States population is growing at its slowest pace since the 1930s. U.S. birth rates were down by 4% in 2020, declining for the sixth consecutive year. Offsetting an ongoing decline in birthrates, immigration has been a consistent source of population growth for our nation until the number of legal immigrants admitted to the U.S. annually was cut nearly in half during the Trump administration. This population stagnation is the dream come true and the fruit of the labor of the population control movement, which, as a recent ad from an organization called Negative Population Growth proclaimed in the National Review, focuses on drastically reducing legal immigration, enforcing all immigration laws to completely end illegal immigration, and encouraging smaller family sizes. This ad in a longstanding conservative publication puts out in the open a reality that has long been true but not often understood by pro-life conservatives: the movements to decrease family sizes (population control) and to restrict immigration are rooted in the same worldview that fundamentally sees human beings as a problem. The pro-abortion Left has long proposed that the solution to human suffering is fewer humans, as weve seen through recent efforts to repeal the Hyde Amendment, sadly now championed by even President Biden. Behind the guise of advocacy on behalf of poor women, the utilitarian argument to use taxpayer dollars to reduce poverty by reducing human lives through abortion is not far behind. Anti-immigration advocates on the Right follow largely the same ethos, though expressed differently in a desire to restrict immigration of people groups they likewise deem undesirable. Despite being situated at opposite ends of our current political spectrum, what these movements have in common is at best a misunderstanding of, and worst, disregard for, human dignity. Pro-life Christians who rightly dissent from a philosophy that would sanction abortion so as to restrict population growth should likewise reject arguments in favor of dramatically reducing legal immigration, because a biblical view of the human person sees all human life born or unborn, native-born or immigrant as made in Gods image with dignity and potential. Whatever the motive, efforts to reduce human life are at odds with this ethic. The hard truth is this: anti-natalist and anti-immigrant views spring from the same ideological foundation, from to borrow a phrase from an eviscerating, decades-old column by Tucker Carlson the same intellectual roots. And pro-life Christians may not realize how those views have infiltrated our debate around immigration policy. Though not a household name, few have been more effective in advancing population control goals than the late John Tanton, whose influence on American politics over the past half-century was profound. He was closely involved in the founding of several of the most prominent organizations advocating for reduced immigration levels in the United States NumbersUSA, the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) and the Center for Immigration Studies. These organizations have been remarkably effective at advancing the narrative (contrary to the view of most economists) that immigrants present a drain on the U.S. economy and the view (contrary to publicly available crime data) that immigrants are disproportionately a threat to public safety. They have been known to shut down congressional switchboards with oppositional phone calls when Congress has debated immigration reforms. Progressives have been quick to label Tanton as a racist, citing evidence such as memos warning of a Latin onslaught and the need to retain a European-American majority, and a clear one at that. But pro-choice liberals rarely mention that Tanton founded not just groups designed to restrict immigration, but also a Planned Parenthood chapter. Likewise, conservatives dont appear to understand the connection. While there is evidence that Tanton held animus toward people of particular backgrounds, his overarching concern was U.S. population growth in general: he believed there were simply too many human beings in this country. He in fact went so far as to describe as unfortunate that India had not halted population growth as effectively as China did with its drastic one-child forced abortion policy. Pro-life conservatives would rightly be repulsed by these views, but when the arguments are today echoed by conservative politicians who have adopted extreme positions on immigration, many conservatives have uncritically, if unwittingly, accepted Tantons philosophy on immigration. This is not to dismiss immigration policy as simple or diminish the obligation of our country to prioritize the safety and wellbeing of its citizens. But the language used to strip immigrants of their humanity is not unlike language used to rob the unborn of theirs. Immigrants do not just take jobs, they create them. A human being in utero is not analogous to a parasite as some pro-choicers flippantly assert but a separate, distinct human life growing and developing exactly where it biologically should. Policy does not need to be a zero-sum game: we do not have to destroy the humanity of another to secure our own. Rather we can support improved immigration processes that would keep families together while still honoring the law, just as we can support policies that protect both vulnerable women and their unborn children. My plea to fellow pro-life Christians is to acknowledge that efforts to deprive others of recognition of their full humanity, whether based on their country of origin, skin color or location inside the womb, creates policy antithetical to a belief in human dignity. When we begin to see other humans as a threat merely for existing, we ought to pause and question our own motivations and the motivations of others. Anti-immigrant rhetoric should be treated with the same skepticism we would apply to Planned Parenthoods references to pregnancy options, mindful of a darker subtext that may be incompatible with a biblical view of the human person. Most importantly, let us ensure that the ways we speak about human beings made in Gods image unborn or undocumented, retirees or refugees reflect the dignity and potential that God has placed in each of them. 'Let us worship': Church, Muslim sue Ugandan govt over draconian COVID-19 worship ban Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment A congregation and a representative of an Islamic community have filed a lawsuit against the Republic of Uganda over pandemic lockdown restrictions that have halted in-person worship. ADF International, a partner organization to the United States-based Alliance Defending Freedom, announced their litigation against the Ugandan government on Thursday. At issue are lockdown measures enacted last week that, while allowing secular entities to remain open and public transportation to be at 50% capacity, nevertheless banned houses of worship from meeting in-person. Agnes Namaganda, a member of the Christian fellowship supporting the legal challenge, said in a statement included in the announcement that the measures were draconian. As a woman of faith, its been difficult to see my community deprived of access to public worship at a time when we need it most, Namaganda said. At this hard moment for our country, the government must remember that we dont only have physical needs, but spiritual needs too. Im glad to stand with my church, with support from ADF International, in challenging this disproportionate, unnecessary, and draconian restriction on freedom of worship. Imaam Bbaale Muhammed, who is part of the litigation, said in comments included in the announcement that he believed participating in public worship is as essential as taking food and water. Why are people of faith being treated as more contagious than others? Muhammed asked. Of course, it is vitally important to keep our communities safe at this time. This can and must be done while also upholding the right to gather for worship. In response to an increase in COVID-19 cases, long-serving Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni enacted strict lockdown measures. Considered one of the African continents tightest limits, the initial lockdown included closing businesses and schools, as well as prohibiting the use of private and public vehicles. Last Friday, Museveni announced an easing of the restrictions, allowing for the opening of businesses and other entities, as well as vehicle transportation albeit with limits on passengers. In his televised address, the Ugandan president explained that the easing of restrictions came after he considered the economic considerations for the country and a decline in cases. During the period of the lockdown data generated by the ministry of health has shown a consistent reduction in daily confirmed cases, said Museveni, as reported by Reuters. Around 1.1 million Ugandans have had at least one shot of the COVID-19 vaccine, according to Reuters, while as of July 28 there were more than 93,000 recorded cases of coronavirus and over 2,600 deaths. Yellow Cab San Antonio is now under new ownership a month after the longtime business' parent company filed for bankruptcy. Missouri-based WHC Worldwide LLC finalized Monday the purchase of Greater Houston Transportation Company, which operates taxi services in Houston, Austin and Yellow Cab San Antonio, also known as Greater San Antonio Transportation Company, says WHC CEO Bill George. WHC Worldwide owns zTrip, a company that provides a ride-hailing app for taxis like Uber and Lyft. The acquisition comes after Greater Houston Transportation Company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on July 19. Yellow Cab has been providing rides to the Alamo City since 1967, according to its website. The company had a little over $8 million in secured and unsecured debt and listed $73,910 in assets, according to documents filed in bankruptcy court. George says bankruptcy court approved the assets purchase last Friday, and the company closed on the transaction today. The zTrip app will allow riders to hail rides, and has been in a partnership with the Yellow Cab SA since 2016. The acquisition brings new services and a new fleet of vehicles that will be rolled out over the next six months. The first 30 vehicles are expected to hit the streets next week, George says, including new wheelchair accessible vehicles. He expects 100 more vehicles as zTrip increases in usage. The taxis will also feature new technology that includes an upgraded reservation system, dispatching technology and in-vehicle cameras with full telematics. George says Yellow Cab will retain all its current employees with plans to create additional full-time positions. The company will also continue to service all contracts held before the acquisition. SYDNEY Australias most populous state is reporting a new daily high of 356 coronavirus infections. The New South Wales government also reported four more COVID-19 deaths Tuesday. The death toll since the latest outbreak was detected in Sydney in mid-June is now 32. One of the latest deaths is a man in his 80s who was infected overseas, while the rest caught the virus locally. More than 80% of the states 8.2 million people are in lockdown, including the greater Sydney region. The Sydney lockdown began June 26, and hopes are fading that restrictions will be eased as planned on Aug. 28. Only 22% of Australian adults had been fully vaccinated by Monday. Officials hope that by getting the number above 70% will enable restrictions to be eased even if the virus is continuing to spread. ___ MORE ON THE PANDEMIC: Canada begins allowing vaccinated US citizens to visit again France widely introduces a virus pass that is needed to enter restaurants, trains The pandemic's impact on Tokyo Games is making Olympians dream of Paris Find more AP coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic and https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-vaccine ___ HERES WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING: DALLAS Texas is looking for out-of-state health workers to help fight its third wave of coronavirus infections. Gov. Greg Abbotts move Monday came as a county-owned hospital in Houston raised tents to accommodate its COVID-19 overflow. Abbott directed the Department of State Health Services to use staffing agencies to find additional medical staff from outside Texas. He also is urging the Texas Hospital Association to request that hospitals postpone all elective medical procedures. The governor also ordered an expansion of coronavirus vaccine availability in underserved communities. Abbott is not lifting his emergency order banning local governments from requiring mask use and social distancing. He says people are able to make their own decisions on protecting their health. ____ MINNEAPOLIS The University of Minnesota has shifted gears on coronavirus vaccinations, saying it will require the shots if the U.S. Food and Drug Administration fully approves a vaccine. The FDA has issued emergency-use approval for the Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines, and full approval for the Pfizer vaccine is expected in the coming weeks. University President Joan Gabel announced the mandate in a letter to students and employees on Monday, joining hundreds of colleges across the country in requiring vaccinations. The board of regents will need to approve the measure, which would join a mask mandate for all indoor spaces already in place across the university systems five campuses. Under the new measure, faculty and staff will either need to be vaccinated or submit to regular coronavirus testing. ___ ATLANTA Georgia hospitals are raising alarms about being overwhelmed by COVID-19 patients as coronavirus infections rise rapidly across the state. Clinical leaders from four coastal Georgia hospitals said at a news conference Monday that their institutions are rapidly running out of beds and pleaded that more people get vaccinated and wear masks. Donna Cochrane is the chief nursing officer at Liberty Regional Medical Center in Hinesville and says her 25-bed hospital has 33 patients as of Monday morning, holding eight additional patients in the emergency room. Many are ill with COVID-19. Georgias seven-day average for new coronavirus cases rose to nearly 5,700 on Monday, the highest level since Feb. 1. The number of COVID-19 patients in hospitals statewide rose to nearly 3,500, eight times the lowest level earlier this summer. ___ LITTLE ROCK, Ark. Arkansas has set a new high for the number of people in the state hospitalized for COVID-19. The state said Monday that hospitalizations rose to 1,376. The previous high for COVID-19 hospitalizations was in January, when Arkansas had 1,371 virus patients. The Department of Health says there are only eight ICU beds available in the state now. There are 509 COVID-19 patients in ICUs. Arkansas ranks third in the country for new virus cases per capita, according to numbers compiled by Johns Hopkins University researchers. The states cases have been skyrocketing in recent weeks, fueled by the delta variant of the virus and states low vaccination rate. Only about 37% of the states population is fully vaccinated against the virus. ___ PORTLAND, Ore. Officials in Oregons most populous county are reimplementing an indoor mask mandate. All people age 5 and older vaccinated and unvaccinated in Multnomah County will be required to wear masks in indoor public spaces including stores, restaurants and gyms as of Friday. In addition, officials said Monday that for the first time the mask requirement will be accompanied by an enforcement mechanism that includes a fine of up to $1,000. The Oregon Health Authority recommends that people, vaccinated or not, wear masks while in indoor public spaces, but has stopped short of reinstating an indoor mask mandate. Multnomah is the first county in the state to require masks in all indoor public spaces. It has the second-highest vaccine rate in the state. ___ LAS VEGAS -- Schools have reopened in the Las Vegas area, with masks required for the more than 300,000 students and about 18,000 teachers returning to in-person classes at the fifth-largest district in the nation. The Clark County schools that were shuttered through most of the last school year began a new semester Monday still shadowed by the pandemic but with classrooms open for all grade levels and some online options available. Washoe County schools also opened amid plans to follow Gov. Steve Sisolaks requirement that public and private school students, employees and volunteers who arent fully vaccinated get tested for the coronavirus at least once a week. State officials say almost 60% of people in Nevada ages 12 and older have received at least one dose of vaccine. About 49% are fully vaccinated. Vaccines are not yet available for children under age 12. ___ TOPEKA, Kan. Kansas is seeing coronavirus vaccinations rise while the more contagious delta variant is increasing new cases, hospitalizations and deaths. State data show Kansas averaged 1,080 new virus infections daily for the seven days ending Monday. It was the first time the average topped 1,000 since Feb. 2. Kansas averaged 30 new hospitalizations for COVID-19 and eight new deaths a day for the period. Hospitalizations had dropped below 10 per day in mid-June. The latest average for deaths was the highest in five months. Federal data, meanwhile, show Kansas averaged 6,330 vaccine shots daily for the seven days ending Monday. The average had dropped below 3,000 in July. ___ SEATTLE Most state workers in Washington, as well as private health care and long-term care employees, will be required to show proof of vaccination for the coronavirus by Oct. 18 or will lose their jobs. Gov. Jay Inslee said Monday that weekly testing for the virus rather vaccination will not be an option. The only opt-out of the requirement is either a medical or religious exemption. The order applies to about 60,000 employees of the 24 state agencies that are part of the governors executive Cabinet. Those include the departments of corrections, social and health services and transportation, as well as the Washington State Patrol. Employees in the private sector who are covered under the order include those who work in health care and long-term care and other congregate settings, including nursing homes, assisted living and treatment facilities. ___ CHARLESTON, W.Va. West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice said the rate of COVID-19 cases in his state is probably going to continue to get tougher in the weeks ahead. Justice has said he will not consider reinstating an indoor mask mandate and has continued to urge residents to be vaccinated. The number of active cases statewide has reached at least 4,010, after bottoming out at 882 cases on July 9, according to state health figures. School began Monday in West Virginias largest county. Schools in many other counties are set to open their fall terms this month. About 57% of state residents ages 12 and up are fully vaccinated, while about 69% have received one dose. ___ MIAMI The superintendent of the school district in the capital of Florida said Monday that he will require masks amid an increase in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations fueled by the delta variant. Leon County Schools Superintendent Rocky Hanna said children from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade will be required to wear masks when classes resume in Tallahassee on Wednesday. He said students who want to opt out need a note from a physician or a psychologist. Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis issued an order in late July for the education and health departments to come up with ways of punishing school districts that mandate mask-wearing in classrooms. The Florida Department of Health issued a rule last week that districts must allow parents to decide. And the Floridas Board of Education approved an emergency rule granting private school vouchers for children who feel they are being harassed by a districts COVID-19 safety policies, including mask requirements. ___ MONTGOMERY, Ala. The number of COVD-19 patients in Alabama hospitals topped 2,000 Sunday, the highest figure the state has seen since January. Medical officials have blamed low vaccination rates for a rapid rise in cases and hospitalizations as the highly contagious delta variant of the virus spreads throughout the region. On Sunday, there were 2,047 patients with COVID-19 in state hospitals, including 581 in intensive care units and 300 patients on ventilators, according to numbers provided by the Alabama Hospital Association. Decatur Morgan Hospital is treating 26 COVID-19 patients, up from 15 last week, hospital president Kelli Powers said Monday. She said the ill included a 38-year-old person who is on a ventilator in intensive care and that the sickest patients infected by the virus arent vaccinated. We have a lot of people who are on their deathbeds begging for the vaccine, but at that point its too late, she said. ___ JACKSON, Miss. -- Mississippis top public health official says that as COVID-19 cases continue to surge with the highly contagious delta variant, no intensive care beds are available in 35 of the states top-level hospitals. Dr. Thomas Dobbs also said Monday that more than 200 people are waiting in hospital emergency rooms to be admitted. The wait times affect not only people with COVID-19 but also those with other health conditions. The state Health Department said Monday that more than 6,900 new cases of COVID-19 were confirmed in Mississippi from Friday through Sunday. Dobbs said the intensive care units were full in Level 1, 2 and 3 hospitals in the states acute care systems. Those include the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson; North Mississippi Medical Center in Tupelo; Forrest General Hospital in Hattiesburg; Memorial Hospital in Gulfport and Singing River Health System in Pascagoula. ___ RALEIGH, N.C. One of North Carolinas most vaccinated areas is instituting a mask mandate for indoor public places regardless of vaccination status. Durhams city and countywide emergency order took effect at 5 p.m. Monday and is an effort to combat the rapid spread of the highly contagious delta variant of the coronavirus. Durham Mayor Steve Schewel says its time to go back to the basics to combat what he views as a pandemic of the unvaccinated. He called face masks a common-sense, non-economically damaging way of limiting transmission. The order has no expiration date, but Schewel says the city and county will reevaluate the order every week or two. ___ MEXICO CITY Mexico will ask the United States to send at least 3.5 million more doses of COVID-19 vaccine as the country faces a third wave of infections President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said Monday that he planned to discuss a transfer of vaccine with U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris during a call scheduled for later in the day. Lopez Obrador said the U.S. government had initially offered the Moderna vaccine, but Mexican health authorities could not get the necessary approvals in time so now they are considering Pfizer or another approved vaccine. Mexico has vaccinated more than 50 million people with at least one dose, representing about 56% of the adult population. It has received 91.1 million doses of five different vaccines. ___ BATON ROUGE, La. Hospitalizations for COVID-19 have hit a record high again in Louisiana, with the state health department reporting 2,720 hospitalizations on Monday. Thats 299 more hospitalizations than were reported in Fridays figures. The state hit a record number of coronavirus pandemic hospitalizations Tuesday, and the number has grown each day. Mondays report from the state health department says there have been 16,541 new cases reported since Friday and 50 more deaths. A spokesperson for the governors office said the new infection figures include 3,106 children under age 18 since Friday. The highly contagious delta variant of the coronavirus is being blamed for the spread. Click here to read the full article. The world is on a dire climate path, and the commitments of global governments to curb greenhouse-gas emissions are still woefully insufficient to blunt dangerous warming. Thats the takeaway from the latest report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the United Nations climate agency, released Monday morning. The U.N. secretary general, Antonio Guterres, called the report a code red for humanity. The IPCC report the sixth major assessment since the panel began its work in 1988 does not include much new science but is notable for its clarity and bluntness. Many of the changes humans are setting in motion, the IPCC warns ominously, are likely to be irreversible for centuries to millennia. The report underscores that the evidence of climate change is all around us, already driving weather and climate extremes in every region across the globe including heatwaves, heavy precipitation, droughts, and tropical cyclones. The U.S. this summer has seen evidence enough of that, with record-shattering heat waves and expansive drought and wildfire throughout the west. The 2015 Paris climate accord seeks, as an ambitious target, to limit warming to 1.5C above preindustrial levels, while vowing to constrain warming to well below 2C. But the commitments to date by the worlds governments are insufficient to assure either target, the report says. Indeed, both the 1.5C and 2C thresholds will be breached this century unless deep reductions occur in the coming decades. According to the report, the 1.5C future is now all but assured, even under the lowest emissions scenarios modeled by the U.N. agency. Securing that best-case scenario would require complete elimination of carbon emissions by 2050. The difference between 1.5C and 2C warming may seem marginal to the lay person. But the IPCC published a special report in 2018 that made clear that the extra warming of a 2C world could have catastrophic consequences exacerbating threats to ecosystems, human health and well-being. (Read Rolling Stones analysis of that report here.) The new report emphasizes that each additional 0.5C of global warming causes clearly discernible increases in the intensity and frequency of heat waves, heavy precipitation, and drought. For example, a heat event that would have been expected to occur once in 50 years prior to human-induced warming is already five times more likely to occur at current warming levels (about 1C). But the IPCC projects that such a heat event would be 8 times as likely at 1.5C of warming, and nearly 14 times as likely under a 2C scenario. At an unchecked 4C of warming, the risk becomes a whopping 39 times worse. That future is a possibility. The IPCC report projects a range of possible temperature increases, from a best-case 1.4C to a worst-case 4.4C by 2100. The IPCC report lands as the House and Senate are weighing trillion-dollar investments in the nations infrastructure, seeking to lower greenhouse-gas emissions through investments in technology such as electric cars and a modern electricity grid powered by renewable sources. Democratic Sen. Ed Markey, a proponent of the Green New Deal, described the IPCC report as a final warning to the world. Markey added: If senators truly followed the science in this report, wed have 100 votes for climate action to match the 100 percent certainty that human-caused climate change is destroying our planet. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., may have poked a sleeping bear recently when he vowed to go to war to protect Chick-fil-A from a group of Notre Dame students and faculty who oppose a planned restaurant on campus. Graham's comments were the latest chapter in the political jousting over the chicken chain's conservative politics and religiosity. RELATED: In the future, robots could harvest our crawfish But what many don't know is that Chick-fil-A is far from atypical in fast food. Many chains have roots in two pillars of 20th-century conservatism: Christianity and free markets. Maybe the best illustration of these roots came on Christmas Eve, 1987. Richard Snyder, then chief executive of his family's chain In-N-Out Burger, heard its jingle on the radio. "In-N-Out: That's what a hamburger's all about!" Snyder, a born-again Christian, decided the song needed something more. Instead of temptingly describing the juiciness of a Double-Double burger or the smooth sweetness of a vanilla milkshake, Snyder decided to add a question: "Wouldn't you like salvation in your life?" This edit reflected the culture that gave birth to and nourished fast food. The quest for spiritual freedom and the search for the nearest drive-through may seem like two disparate experiences, but they have long intersected in the United States. Although companies such as In-N-Out and Chick-fil-A are increasingly identified with other national and global big brands rather than their founding families, the religious roots of fast food remain evident in their philanthropic and political activities as well as their packaging. Many conservative Christian fast-food chains date to the post-war period. That was the moment when, in 1946, Southern Baptist businessman S. Truett Cathy launched what would become Chick-fil-A. Cathy was a Sunday school teacher who decided to close his restaurants on Sundays so his employees could go to church and spend time with their families. The decision also ensured that the chain reminded diners that obedience to the Christian Sabbath superseded the buying and selling of sandwiches. In the competitive world of fast food, forgoing a weekend day of profits shored up Chick-fil-A's values-forward reputation. Two years later, in 1948, In-N-Out debuted in Southern California. At the helm were Esther and Harry Snyder, who were raised in the Catholic and Methodist traditions. Their son Rich, however, later discovered the evangelical Christianity that flourished on the West Coast alongside their burger business, and he inspired his mother to join him after his conversion in the 1980s. Rich and other members of his generation of In-N-Out heirs were and are prominent fixtures and supporters of the Calvary Chapel in Costa Mesa, one of the leaders of the Jesus Movement of the mid-1960s. As In-N-Out was spreading beyond its initial outpost, so too was Calvary Chapel, which created its own national chain of churches. While they were originally designed to minister to wayward countercultural types, the church also developed its own dominant culture in Ronald Reagan's Southern California; Reagan became governor in 1966. This culture insisted on strict interpretations of the Bible, motivated church members to engage in political battles against LGBTQ people and embraced capitalism, preaching the prosperity gospel. Calvary and other churches that transformed into megachurches did so by integrating market principles in their strategies for spreading The Word. This model included mirroring the franchising system employed by fast-food chains by opening locations all over the world, with pastors playing the role of spiritual franchisees. The Snyders may have learned as much about branding at their church as at In-N-Out's corporate headquarters. For American Catholics, fast-food menus were a more pressing issue than the beliefs of chain owners, especially during the Lenten season. In the early 1960s, McDonald's franchisee Lou Groen introduced the Filet-o-Fish sandwich to his largely Catholic Cincinnati clientele because he noticed that business slowed during the Fridays before Easter. Fellow Catholic Ray Kroc, the head of McDonald's, loved the idea, and the menu item became a regular fixture at the Golden Arches. The rest of the beef-heavy fast-food industry followed McDonald's lead and began to offer an array of Church-approved tartar-sauced fish patties. In addition to the hours they operated and their menu items, the conservatism and religiosity of their owners influenced fast-food chains in two other ways: in their food packaging and their political and philanthropic activities. When Rich Snyder took over In-N-Out in the 1980s, he put Bible verses on the company's cups and other packages, thanks to a conviction that being a Christian company meant sharing the family's beliefs. MORE FOOD: How to get the most out of Houston Restaurant Weeks Similarly, Catholics Carl and Margaret Karcher, friends of the Snyder family and founders of Carl's Jr., used their wealth to fund an array of faith-based institutions and guide their company. A 1990 incident when the Karchers' personal attorney Andrew Puzder - Donald Trump's first labor secretary nominee, who was not confirmed - ran the company showed how important a particular kind of capitalistic religious identity was for fast-food titans and their chains. Puzder faced calls to resign from the board of a Catholic college because of an ad campaign by Carl's Jr. sister chain Hardee's, featuring born-again hedonist Hugh Hefner and Playboy Playmates. His response to the criticism summed up the realities of his industry and the contradictions of Christian America: "I don't think there's anything wrong with a beautiful woman in a bikini, eating a burger and washing a Bentley or a pickup truck or being in a hot tub," Puzder told CNNMoney in 2015. "I think there's probably nothing more American." Although the advertisements alienated Puzder from Thomas Aquinas College, he remained at the helm of Carl's Jr. and Hardee's, reminding that the Christianity of fast food was a prosperity gospel-infused one that valued the almighty dollar. The conservative uproar over the ads exposed how the politics of fast-food chains started receiving more scrutiny in this era - with Chick-fil-A becoming a national story. Throughout the 2000s, Chick-fil-A's individual franchises were embroiled in controversies ranging from allegations that a Muslim employee was fired for refusing to engage in Christian prayer to criticism for support of local, anti-LGBT groups. Beginning in 2011, the company came under considerable pressure for its support of anti-LGBTQ marriage organizations globally and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes after Cathy expressed support for "traditional marriage." The company decided to address the criticism, not by changing policy, but by rebranding itself as just another place to get chicken - though not on the Lord's Day. Chick-fil-A hired a new communications outfit to help turn it away from the scripture and consult the book of corporate relations speak. The company claimed that its more than 100,000 franchisees, employees and executives, "represent and welcome all people, regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation or gender identity." It refused to comment on LGBTQ marriage. Despite the change in tone and a few donations, Chick-fil-A has not entirely divested from conservative groups that advocate for anti-LGBTQ legislation globally or discriminate against LGBTQ people, including the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and the Salvation Army. And the chain hasn't lost business. This move reflects how even as fast-food companies have grown, customers, whether they share the chains' politics and religiosity or not, have remained faithful to them. In-N-Out's current majority owner, heiress Lynsi Snyder, who took over in 2010, has expanded the selection of Bible verses that customers can encounter on "the fry boat, coffee and hot cocoa cups." Yet In-N-Out has mostly avoided criticism and protest for this practice or its support of Republican politicians, possibly because of its uniquely generous practice of paying workers way above industry standards and focusing on employee development, which endears the chain to left-leaning customers. The religious values of the first families of fast food not only inspired their respective businesses and shaped their corporate images, but they also provided tangible markers of success for those who believed in an almighty God and valued the almighty dollar. The enduring popularity of these fast-food companies, even in light of criticism and concerns about the exclusionary potential of their religious commitments, proves that a tasty meal or a profitable balance sheet can ease the concerns of consumers and investors alike. STARTUP SPIRIT: The Houston women turned their hobby into a successful brewery Ironically then, while opposition to Chick-fil-A at Notre Dame may not be successful, activists at the Catholic college may notice the presence of another fast-food brand on campus. After Kroc, the longtime McDonald's leader and a Richard M. Nixon ally, died in 1984, his widow Joan spent decades donating her fortune to liberal causes - including the Joan B. Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies at Notre Dame. BOSTON (AP) Gunfire erupted early Monday in Boston's Dorchester neighborhood, killing a woman and wounding five other people, authorities said. Shots were fired just before 12:30 a.m., said Sgt. John Boyle, a Boston police spokesperson. The name of the slain woman was not released. Boyle said the five others who were shot did not suffer life-threatening wounds. CANBERRA, Australia (AP) Australian special envoy and former Prime Minister Tony Abbott said a free trade agreement between his nation and India would signal the democratic worlds tilt away from China. Abbott visited New Delhi last week as Australias special trade envoy for India as the Australian government gives priority to sealing a bilateral trade deal. In an opinion piece likely to anger Beijing that that was published in The Australian newspaper on Monday, Abbott said the answer to almost every question about China is India. With the worlds other emerging superpower becoming more belligerent almost by the day, its in everyones interests that India take its rightful place among the nations as quickly as possible, Abbott wrote. Because trade deals are about politics as much as economics, a swift deal between India and Australia would be an important sign of the democratic worlds tilt away from China, as well as boosting the long-term prosperity of both our countries, Abbott added. Abbott was prime minister when China and Australia finalized a bilateral free trade deal which took effect in 2015. He also hosted a state visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping a year earlier. Relations have since soured over issues including Australia banning Chinese telecom giant Huawei from major communications infrastructure projects, outlawing covert foreign interference in Australian politics and calling for an independent investigation into the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic. Abbott accused Beijing of capricious boycotts of Australian exports including coal, barley, wine and seafood that demonstrated Chinese use of trade as a strategic weapon. The basic problem is that Chinas daunting power is a consequence of the free worlds decision to invite a communist dictatorship into global trading networks, Abbott said. China has exploited the Wests goodwill and wishful thinking to steal our technology and undercut our industries; and, in the process, become a much more powerful competitor than the old Soviet Union ever was, because its now a first-rate economy thats rapidly developing a military to match; and spoiling for a fight over Taiwan, a pluralist democracy of 25 million thats living proof theres no totalitarian gene in the Chinese DNA, Abbott added. The Chinese Embassy in Australia did not respond to a request for comment on Monday. Negotiations between India and Australia on a Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement began in 2011 but were suspended in 2015. India is particularly concerned by freer trade in Australian farm exports. New Delhis demands for less restrictive visas for Indian workers is a major sticking point for Australia. Australias current Prime Minister Scott Morrison and his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi last year upgraded the bilateral relationship with a raft of agreements that strengthened defense ties and committed both nations to expanding trade. Abbott visited India last week to propel our economic relationship to its full potential, to the mutual benefit of the Indian and Australian people, Australian High Commissioner to India Barry OFarrell said in a statement. As experts continue to probe what is causing the illness that is killing songbirds across the eastern United States and parts of the Midwest, officials in Connecticut say the deaths are likely not connected with this years cicada emergence. Songbirds like robins, cardinals, blue jays, finches, sparrows, ravens, orioles and chickadees have been showing up dead in the mid-Atlantic area and some areas of the Midwest as far back as April. Researchers have since been testing for potential diseases. Many known diseases have been ruled out, but the cause remains unknown, according to the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. Earlier this month, officials said, cases seemed to be dropping in some states. Over the weekend, DEEPS Fish and Game division said two more birds a European starling and a chipping sparrow were sent to the Connecticut Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory at the University of Connecticut last week for testing. The final results for the three other birds with symptoms consistent with the regional illness that were previously submitted to the lab for testing are still pending, the agency said. There has been a lot of speculation regarding what is causing this die-off, Connecticut Fish and Game said. One initial thought was that the emergence of the Brood X cicadas and possible bioaccumulated toxins may have played a role since the early geographic extent of the disease was similar to the range of the cicada emergence. Expansion of the reported geographic extent of the songbird die-off, and lack of detection of toxic agents to date, make this unlikely. Connecticut Fish and Game said while there have been recent reports of dead birds, it doesnt mean all of them were killed by the mysterious illness. As young, inexperienced birds leave the nest, they frequently die from impacts with windows or are killed by house cats and other predators, the agency said. Birds, especially fledglings, are also susceptible to known diseases like West Nile virus and avian influenza. The birds submitted to CVMDL for testing have been consistent with symptoms of the mystery die-off reported in other states. Symptoms include swollen, crusty eyes or discharge, and neurological issues including loss of balance, head shaking and seizures. As experts continue to work to identify the cause of the mystery illness, officials said state residents should still refrain from feeding birds, including hummingbirds, and temporarily remove bird baths from their property for the time being. DEEP said songbirds and hummingbirds have an abundant supply of insects, seeds, fruit and nectar at this time of year. SRINAGAR, India (AP) Assailants fatally shot a husband and wife who were both politicians for Indias governing party in disputed Kashmir, police said, blaming militants fighting against Indian rule for the attack. Police said militants entered the home of Ghulam Rasool Dar in southern Anantnag town on Monday and fired at him and his wife. Doctors declared them dead at a hospital. Dar was the local president of the governing Bharatiya Janata Partys farmers wing. Both he and his wife were village council members. Police Inspector-General Vijay Kumar said the two were staying in a government-provided secure hotel room in neighboring Kulgam town but were allowed to go home when they wished. Suspected militants conducted a series of deadly attacks last year on BJP members in Kashmir. Among those killed was a top BJP politician and his father and brother, who were also party members. In June, assailants killed a BJP politician in the southern Tral area. Rebels in Indian-controlled Kashmir have been fighting New Delhis rule over the region since 1989. Most Muslim Kashmiris support the rebel goal of uniting the territory, either under Pakistani rule or as an independent country. India insists the Kashmir militancy is Pakistan-sponsored terrorism. Pakistan denies the charge, and most Kashmiris consider it a legitimate freedom struggle. Tens of thousands of civilians, rebels and government forces have been killed in the conflict. MEXICO CITY - The most sought after marijuana being trafficked across the U.S.-Mexico border is now the weed entering Mexico, not the weed leaving it. Cannabis sold legally in California is heading south illegally, dominating a booming boutique market across Mexico, where buying and selling the drug is still outlawed. Mexican dealers flaunt their U.S. products, noting them in bold lettering on menus sent to select clients: "IMPORTADO." Traffickers from California load their suitcases with U.S.-grown marijuana before hopping on planes to Mexico, or walking across the pedestrian border crossing into Tijuana. One car was recently stopped entering Tijuana with 5,600 jars of gummies infused with THC, the active ingredient in marijuana. But relatively few of the southbound traffickers are caught - even as their contraband doubles or triples in value as soon as it enters Mexico. "The demand here for American weed has exploded," said one dealer in Mexico City, who estimated that 60% of the marijuana he sells now comes from California. The dealer spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of arrest. "It's aspirational for many of my clients. They want to be seen smoking the best stuff, the stuff rappers brag about smoking." Over nearly a century, the United States spent billions of dollars combating drug trafficking from Mexico - and for many years marijuana was at the center of that effort. The strains smoked by American actors and rock stars pointed to Mexico's geography: Acapulco Gold, Michoacan Cream, Jarilla Sinaloa. The weed in those days arrived on speedboats, through tunnels and even by slingshot. Sometimes the marijuana drug "mules" that crossed the Rio Grande were actually horses. But as some states, including California, legalized cannabis and professionalized its production, the world's most famous cannabis strains - with a new string of American names like Girl Scout Cookies and Bubba Kush - could suddenly be purchased just north of the U.S.-Mexico border, including at outlet malls walking distance from Mexican territory. At Urbn Leaf, a marijuana dispensary in San Ysidro, Calif., a few hundred yards from the border into Mexico at Tijuana, owner Josh Bubeck estimates that 55 percent of his customers are Mexican nationals. His employees warn them that bringing marijuana back to Mexico is a violation of Mexican law, but to work at Urbn Leaf is to understand the draw. "Nobody is going to grow cannabis better than California probably ever," Bubeck said. Back in Mexico, he said, especially for younger smokers, the appeal is clear: "You're showing 'This is what I'm about. I'm a bad ass. I got this from America.'" For years, advocates of legalizing marijuana in Mexico have argued that the country could establish an enormously profitable industry, given its years of producing the drug illicitly. The Sinaloa Cartel has reportedly been looking into establishing its own legal cannabis subsidiary in Mexico. But legalization has moved much faster in parts of the United States than in Mexico, giving places like California a huge advantage. Some California weed farms have even hired Mexican migrant workers to tend their fields. The state's cannabis industry produced $4.4 billion in sales in 2020. This July, Mexico's supreme court struck down laws which criminalized the cultivation of cannabis for personal use. But lawmakers have not yet passed legislation that would allow for a commercial marijuana market. It is still technically illegal to buy or sell marijuana, and it is nearly impossible to regulate the quality of Mexican cannabis products available on the illegal market. "Mexicans want to try what they see in music video, in movies, in media, and that's usually American," said another dealer in Mexico City, who also spoke on the condition of anonymity because of fear of arrest. "We still have this idea that the best products come from the U.S." Over the last year, Mexican customs agents have occasionally released information about the American marijuana products seized at the border. In one seizure earlier this month, agents reported a confiscation of just three pounds: 10 cartridges and 14 vape pens. In another, they confiscated 619 cartridges of cannabis oil, worth approximately $30,000 in Mexico. In a statement, the country's customs chief, Horacio Duarte Olivares, said that such seizures are increasing, adding that traffickers, "are going to run into a wall, with a firm hand from customs." As legal marijuana has become easier to access in the United States, Mexico's production of the drug has fallen dramatically. Last week, Mexico's president, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, pointed out that the decline was likely to have an impact on employment. "What is going to happen to the regions where marijuana and poppies were planted?" he asked at a news conference during a visit to Sinaloa, the home state of jailed cartel kingpin Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman. "What are people going to live on?" Meanwhile, California-grown marijuana has developed star power here. Consumers know the names of U.S.-based brands, which are now as desirable for some upper class Mexicans as hard-to-find Nike shoes or a new Supreme hoodie. Almost any product made for a U.S. consumer base can be found in Mexico at a premium. Marijuana is no different. High-end strains of U.S.-grown marijuana can cost $500 an ounce in Mexico, dealers said, for what might cost $150 in San Diego. Psychedelic groups of the 1970s might have sung about Acapulco Gold, but American rappers of the 2000s are rhyming about strains produced in U.S. greenhouses. The lyric "Smokin' on Cookie in the hotbox," rapped by Migos in the song "Bad and Boujee," - referencing the multimillion-dollar Cookies dispensary chain based in Maywood, Calif. - inadvertently prompted a surge in Mexican demand. Cookies cannabis products are now trafficked frequently into Mexico - and can be purchased across major Mexican cities for a 200% to 300% markup. "All these years we've had marijuana come from Mexico to the U.S., and now it's the opposite," said Raul Elizalde Garza, the chief executive of Monterrey, Mexico-based HempMeds. Garza's company is one of few companies selling CBD products in Mexico. But because of Mexican law, even those products (which do not contain THC) cannot be made with Mexican hemp. "Companies like us that want to produce legally, who want to invest - we have to wait for complete regulation," he said. "Marijuana from California has a huge advantage on us." NORWALK Starting this week, Norwalk residents receiving their COVID-19 vaccine at select city-run clinics will also get a grocery store gift card. The gift card program is part of a push to increase vaccination rates in the city amid the return of mask mandates and a spike in coronavirus cases in Connecticut, city spokesperson Josh Morgan said Monday. Using funds from the $446,000 the city received earlier this year from the state to increase vaccine access, Norwalk purchased 500 gift cards with $10 each to distribute at vaccine clinics, Morgan said. Once the first round of gift cards were distributed, the city plans to purchase another 500 vouchers later this month. Maybe this is the nugget someone needed or they wanted to put it off, Morgan said. Lots of research and stories, outside of persuasion, said incentives can make a difference. We are hopeful and optimistic. Vouchers are only offered at Norwalk health department-run vaccination clinics and will be given to each person attending the city-run clinic regardless of the vaccine brand or whether the dose is a residents first or second shot, Morgan said. Norwalk will spent a total of $10,000 to purchase 1,000 grocery store gift cards. The first batch of gift cards will be for Norwalks Connecticut Avenue ShopRite, but the city is in discussion with other stores for the second 500 cards. The first 500 are going to be through ShopRite, Morgan said. Theyve been great to work with. The turn-around time was really helpful and we know its a popular store. ShopRite representatives did not respond to a request for comment Monday. The funding was part of Gov. Ned Lamonts vaccine equity partnership, granting more than $13 million to 27 municipalities in the state. The grants were announced in a statement from the governors office in May. About three weeks ago, municipalities learned from the state the grant funding may be put toward incentives for vaccination, which prompted Norwalk to begin looking into incentivising their clinics, Morgan said. Once we heard that, we said lets think about what could be a good incentive and we thought local supermarket vouchers made a lot of sense, Morgan said. It could help with food, medicine, hygiene products. The grocery store gift cards follow the announcement Friday that Norwalk will participate in a localized version of the statewide Rock the Shot campaign. Through Aug. 16, one attendee at each of the clinics will receive a pair of tickets to one of the campaign concerts. City-run clinics this week include Wednesday at Monterey Village from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Maritime Aquarium from 5 to 7 p.m., and Friday at Columbus Magnet School from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Pfizer and Johnson and Johnson vaccines are available at the aforementioned clinics, according to the citys vaccine portal. Attendees of the Aug. 9, 11 and 13 clinics will be entered for Rock the Shot raffle tickets as well. Norwalks vaccination efforts plateaued in recent weeks, with about 68 percent of residents having received at least one dose of the vaccine, according to city reports. Between July 2 and Aug. 6, the vaccination rate in Norwalk increased by 3 percent, according to the mayors weekly reports. Since July 30, there was an increase of less than 1 percent up to 68.63 percent of city residents who have received at least one dose of the vaccine, the mayors Friday report showed. The latest data showed Norwalk had 89 new COVID cases since July 29, according to the state Department of Public Health. The citys positivity rate as of Friday was 3.1 percent, according to the data. Residents can find additional city-run clinics at norwalkct.org/vaccine. abigail.brone@hearstmediact.com PHOENIX (AP) A west Phoenix teenager has been fatally shot by a relative who pointed a gun at her, according to police. Phoenix police responded to Saturday afternoons incident at a home and found the 15-year-old girl wounded. She was taken to a hospital, where she died from her injuries. LONDON (AP) Britain is tightening economic sanctions against Belarus as it seeks to punish President Alexander Lukashenkos regime for undermining democracy and human rights on the anniversary of fraudulent elections. The measures target trade with Belarusian state-owned companies, government finance and aviation, including a ban on British firms providing technical assistance to Lukashenkos fleet of luxury aircraft, the U.K. Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said Monday. The sanctions mark an escalation of sanctions against Belarus and its senior leaders imposed after a commercial airliner traveling from Greece to Lithuania was forced to land in the Belarusian capital, where dissident journalist Raman Pratasevich was arrested. These sanctions demonstrate that the U.K. will not accept Lukashenkos actions since the fraudulent election, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said in a statement. The products of Lukashenkos state-owned industries will not be sold in the U.K., and our aerospace companies will not touch his fleet of luxury aircraft. Asked about the new sanctions during his annual press conference on Monday, Lukashenko told a BBC reporter you in Britain can choke on these sanctions. The U.K. also restricted trade in potash, oil products, interception and monitoring technology and goods used in cigarette manufacturing. British investors are barred from buying securities issued by the Belarusian state or providing insurance and reinsurance to Belarusian state bodies. In addition, Belarusian air carriers will be barred from flying over or landing in the U.K. Britain also tightened an arms embargo on Belarus. In June, the U.K. and other western powers imposed asset freezes and travel bans on a number of officials in response to Pratasevichs arrest. The officials were linked to the security crackdown that rocked Belarus for months after Lukashenko was returned to power in the August 2020 election, which the EU and others branded as fraudulent. Earth is getting so hot that temperatures in about a decade will probably blow past a level of warming that world leaders have sought to prevent, according to a report released Monday that the United Nations called a code red for humanity. Its just guaranteed that its going to get worse, said report co-author Linda Mearns, a senior climate scientist at the U.S. National Center for Atmospheric Research. Nowhere to run, nowhere to hide. But scientists also eased back a bit on the likelihood of the absolute worst climate catastrophes. The authoritative Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report, which calls climate change clearly human-caused and unequivocal and an established fact, makes more precise and warmer forecasts for the 21st century than it did last time it was issued in 2013. Each of five scenarios for the future, based on how much carbon emissions are cut, passes the more stringent of two thresholds set in the 2015 Paris climate agreement. World leaders agreed then to try to limit warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) above levels in the late 19th century because problems mount quickly after that. The world has already warmed nearly 1.1 degrees Celsius (2 degrees Fahrenheit) since then. Under each scenario, the report said, the world will cross the 1.5-degree-Celsius warming mark in the 2030s, earlier than some past predictions. Warming has ramped up in recent years, data shows. Our report shows that we need to be prepared for going into that level of warming in the coming decades. But we can avoid further levels of warming by acting on greenhouse gas emissions, said report co-chair Valerie Masson-Delmotte, a climate scientist at Frances Laboratory of Climate and Environment Sciences at the University of Paris-Saclay. In three scenarios, the world will also likely exceed 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) over pre-industrial times the less stringent Paris goal with far worse heat waves, droughts and flood-inducing downpours unless there are deep emissions cuts, the report said. This report tells us that recent changes in the climate are widespread, rapid and intensifying, unprecedented in thousands of years, said IPCC Vice Chair Ko Barrett, senior climate adviser for the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. With crucial international climate negotiations coming up in Scotland in November, world leaders said the report is causing them to try harder to cut carbon pollution. U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken called it a stark reminder." The 3,000-plus-page report from 234 scientists said warming is already accelerating sea level rise and worsening extremes such as heat waves, droughts, floods and storms. Tropical cyclones are getting stronger and wetter, while Arctic sea ice is dwindling in the summer and permafrost is thawing. All of these trends will get worse, the report said. For example, the kind of heat wave that used to happen only once every 50 years now happens once a decade, and if the world warms another degree Celsius (1.8 degrees Fahrenheit), it will happen twice every seven years, the report said. As the planet warms, places will get hit more not just by extreme weather but by multiple climate disasters at once, the report said. Thats like whats now happening in the Western U.S., where heat waves, drought and wildfires compound the damage, Mearns said. Extreme heat is also driving massive fires in Greece and Turkey. Some harm from climate change dwindling ice sheets, rising sea levels and changes in the oceans as they lose oxygen and become more acidic is irreversible for centuries to millennia, the report said. The world is locked in to 15 to 30 centimeters (6 to 12 inches) of sea level rise by mid-century, said report co-author Bob Kopp of Rutgers University. Scientists have issued this message for more than three decades, but the world hasn't listened, said United Nations Environment Program Executive Director Inger Andersen. For the first time, the report offers an interactive atlas for people to see what has happened and may happen to where they live. Nearly all of the warming that has happened on Earth can be blamed on emissions of heat-trapping gases such as carbon dioxide and methane. At most, natural forces or simple randomness can explain one- or two-tenths of a degree of warming, the report said. The report described five different future scenarios based on how much the world reduces carbon emissions. They are: a future with incredibly large and quick pollution cuts; another with intense pollution cuts but not quite as massive; a scenario with moderate emission cuts; a fourth scenario where current plans to make small pollution reductions continue; and a fifth possible future involving continued increases in carbon pollution. In five previous reports, the world was on that final hottest path, often nicknamed business as usual. But this time, the world is somewhere between the moderate path and the small pollution reductions scenario because of progress to curb climate change, said report co-author Claudia Tebaldi, a scientist at the U.S. Pacific Northwest National Lab. While calling the report a code red for humanity, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres kept a sliver of hope that world leaders could still somehow prevent 1.5 degrees of warming, which he said is perilously close. Alok Sharma, the president of the upcoming climate negotiations in Scotland, urged leaders to do more so they can credibly say that we have kept 1.5 degrees alive. Anything we can do to limit, to slow down, is going to pay off, Tebaldi said. And if we cannot get to 1.5, its probably going to be painful, but its better not to give up. In the reports worst-case scenario, the world could be around 3.3 degrees Celsius (5.9 degrees Fahrenheit) hotter than now by the end of the century. But that scenario looks increasingly unlikely, said report co-author and climate scientist Zeke Hausfather, climate change director of the Breakthrough Institute. We are a lot less likely to get lucky and end up with less warming than we thought, Hausfather said. At the same time, the odds of ending up in a much worse place than we expected if we do reduce our emissions are notably lower. The report also said ultra-catastrophic disasters commonly called tipping points, like ice sheet collapses and the abrupt slowdown of ocean currents are low likelihood but cannot be ruled out. The much talked-about shutdown of Atlantic ocean currents, which would trigger massive weather shifts, is something thats unlikely to happen in this century, Kopp said. A "major advance in the understanding of how fast the world warms with each ton of carbon dioxide emitted allowed scientists to be far more precise in the scenarios in this report, Mason-Delmotte said. In a new move, scientists emphasized how cutting airborne levels of methane a powerful but short-lived gas that has soared to record levels could help curb short-term warming. Lots of methane the atmosphere comes from leaks of natural gas, a major power source. Livestock also produces large amounts of the gas, a good chunk of it in cattle burps. More than 100 countries have made informal pledges to achieve net zero human-caused carbon dioxide emissions sometime around mid-century, which will be a key part of the negotiations in Scotland. The report said those commitments are essential. It is still possible to forestall many of the most dire impacts, Barrett said. ___ Read more of AP's climate coverage at http://www.apnews.com/Climate ___ Follow Seth Borenstein on Twitter at @borenbears ___ The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institutes Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content. OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) Most state workers in Washington, as well as hundreds of thousands of private health care and long-term care employees, will be required to show proof of vaccination for COVID-19 by Oct. 18 or face losing their jobs, Gov. Jay Inslee announced Monday. Weekly testing will not be an option for those who want to avoid vaccination and maintain their employment, and the only way to opt out of the requirement is with a medical or religious exemption. Inslee said the new rules believed to be among the nations strictest were necessary because of an increase in cases and hospitalizations tied to the delta variant. We have what is essentially a new virus at our throats, he said at a news conference. The state of Washington is taking decisive action. The governor's order applies to about 60,000 employees of the 24 state agencies that are part of his executive Cabinet, which includes the departments of corrections, transportation and social and health services, and the Washington State Patrol. Vaccination will also be a requirement for any contractor wanting to do work with the state. The order applies to those working remotely, since they may need to go to a work site at some point, according to a fact sheet issued to employees. The governors office said the overall number includes those who have already been vaccinated, so its unclear how many people the new rule affects. Private sector employees who are covered under the order estimated by officials at about 400,000 include those who work in health care, long-term care and other group settings, such as nursing homes, assisted living and treatment facilities. Like the state workers covered by the order, it's unclear how many of the private sector health and long-term care employees are unvaccinated. Were hoping that a majority of those are already vaccinated and this is the additional folks that were now focusing on, said Department of Health Secretary Umair Shah. Republican Sen. Mike Padden blasted the mandate, saying in an emailed statement that people dont deserve to be bullied and threatened into putting something into their body that they dont want. "This is not only unnecessary and likely to result in greater rejection of the vaccine, but its a violation of basic civil liberties, he wrote. The order does not extend to: workers at state colleges and universities; teachers and staff at public K-12 schools; legislative employees; the judicial branch; and employees of Washington's eight other elected statewide officials, including staff for the lieutenant governor. Inslee's office said the governor who is mandating vaccines for his employees has spoken to elected officials and legislative leaders and encouraged them to follow suit. Last month, Attorney General Bob Ferguson issued a rule to employees that requires proof of full vaccination for those who don't have a medical or religious exemption by Sept. 13, or else they'll face termination. Following Monday's news conference, Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler announced he would require his agency's 243 employees to be vaccinated. Inslees announcement appears to be the most stringent of other states that have issued vaccination requirements for state or health care workers. In California, New York and Virginia, state workers must either be vaccinated or submit to weekly testing starting next month, but vaccination is mandated for California's health care workers, without a testing option, starting Sept. 30. In Oregon, health care workers will be required to be vaccinated or undergo weekly testing starting Sept. 30. President Joe Biden recently announced federal workers will be required to sign forms attesting theyve been vaccinated against the coronavirus, or else comply with new rules on mandatory masking, weekly testing, distancing and more. The U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs has mandated COVID-19 vaccines among its medical employees. Inslee announced Washington's mandate at Kaiser Permanente, which said last week it was making the vaccine mandatory for all employees and physicians. The city of Seattle and King County are requiring the same for their employees. At the end of last month, Inslee said the state was following federal guidance and recommending that everyone regardless of vaccination status wear a mask in public indoor settings in areas where there is substantial or high rates of COVID-19. As of this weekend, most of the state's 39 counties were in the high threshold, with three in the substantial range. There have been more than 445,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases plus another 43,000 probable cases in Washington state, and 6,168 deaths. State health officials say that most of the states new infections are caused by the delta variant, a more contagious version of the coronavirus. As of last week, nearly 70% of people age 12 and older had received at least one dose of the coronavirus vaccine. About 62% are fully vaccinated. ___ AP writers Adam Beam in Sacramento, Calif., Andrew Selsky in Bend, Ore., Sarah Rankin in Richmond, Va., and Zeke Miller in Washington contributed. I smoked my first joint when I was 15, Debbie Woodcock said. Then, when I was in my 40s, I spent 10 years being fully addicted to a lot of things. Now, thanks to a great 90-day recovery program and some terrific counselors, I can proudly say that Ive been clean and sober for the past four years, and its my turn to help others with substance abuse problems. At the age of 55, Woodcock graduated this past May with an Associate of Applied Science Degree in Alcohol & Drug Abuse Counseling from Midland College. I started college right out of high school, but never completed it, Woodcock explained. Im sure that substance abuse played a part in my not having the discipline to do what was necessary to stick with college the first time. Woodcock graduated from high school in Louisville, Kentucky, in 1984 and moved to Midland with her ex-husband in 1996 to work in her fathers oil & gas company, Hy-Bon Engineering. The couple have two daughters Ellie, who will soon begin her junior year at Southern Methodist University, and Lauren, a 2021 graduate of Trinity School of Midland and soon-to-be freshman at Oklahoma University. My daughters are very supportive, Debbie said. Theyve been through a lot with meaddiction and recovery, as well as my nervousness at going back to college as a 50-plus year-old! Woodcock recalled when she first decided to go back to college to become a drug addiction counselor. I met with the Alcohol & Drug Abuse Program Chair Stephanie Shelton; I explained my situation to her and that I was currently in recovery. She said, Im glad you have that knowledge. It will certainly help you become a good counselor. Now lets get to work. My first semester, I had to take remedial math. The other students in my class were very young, right out of high school. I felt very intimidated. The first day of school, I think I sweated through my whole shirt. I remembered the advice of my counselors: Take one day at a time and keep moving forward. So, I did, and I did very well in that math class, as well as my other classes. The young kids in class really didnt pay much attention to me; they were doing their own thing. I actually made a lot of great friends in my Alcohol & Drug Abuse Counseling classes, even though we were different ages and had different perspectives and life histories. I am grateful and appreciative that Midland College has a degree like Alcohol & Drug Abuse Counseling. It really shows how progressive the college is to have this degree. There are so many people in our country with mental health problems. Its nice to know that Midland College is able to provide training for people to help others overcome these issues. Mental health problems and addiction go hand-in-hand. Thanks to my counselors, I am now in the best mental and physical health Ive been in my entire life. My counselors taught me how to meditate, and I also practice yoga. These two things have been game changers in my life. Through yoga and meditation, Im able to calm the constant chatter that was previously in my head. Woodcock is now completing her practicum hours at The Springboard Center in Midland. When she graduated from Midland College this past May, her entire family and close friends were there to celebrate with her, including her 82-year-old father, her twin sister, her daughters and their boyfriends, and a close friend from Kentucky. My family has always been there for me, Woodcock said. When I hit rock bottom, had severe addiction problems, as well as PTSD and depression, they were always there to encourage me to get well. After she is finished with her practicum at The Springboard Center, Woodcock will then have to complete 4,000 hours of a paid internship, which will take approximately two years, before she can become a fully Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC). She said that after she obtains her license, she would also like to become a mental health advocate and serve as a liaison between mental health professionals and state and federal funding opportunities. Even though Im starting this career a little late in life, I dont see an end to it, she explained. Being an addict and going through recovery myself gives me a unique outlook. I understand first-hand how therapies work. Addicts go through what is called stinking thinkingthey look at everything as negative. Through cognitive behavior therapy, I had to rearrange my thoughts, and now I have learned how to help others do that, as well. It is a truly satisfying feeling to know that at age 55, I can change my career and do something to help others. I would tell anyone at any age that if you have a desire to go back to school, just jump in there. Take that first step and keep going. -- Rebecca Bell is the executive director of Institutional Advancement at Midland College A new round of federal funding to help combat climate-change driven disasters could land in Houston after the city was overlooked during a recent round of similar funding. President Joe Biden recently announced Texas is posed to receive $666 million for preventative measures to combat the effects of climate change, which include increasing frequency and severity of hurricanes that have devastated the Gulf Coast in recent years, according to Christopher Flavelle of the New York Times. Brett Coomer, Staff / Houston Chronicle The money comes from the Federal Emergency Management Agency's disaster fund, which typically doles out 15 percent for "hazard mitigation" grants. That usually translates to about $1 billion total, but with an increased FEMA budget due to COVID-19, the number is $3.5 billion in 2021. Texas' anticipated $666 million slice of the $3.5 billion pie is the most out of any state. But that doesn't guarantee Houston or Harris County will receive any of the money, and it is unclear who will decide how it gets distributed throughout the state. In May, both the city and county were denied funds from more than $2 billion directed to Texas from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. That was after Gov. Greg Abbott ordered the Texas General Land Office, led by gubernatorial hopeful George P. Bush, to distribute the money, which claimed Houston and Harris County did not meet strict criteria on which cities and counties were eligible to receive the funds. (Spoiler alert: They did.) Thao Nguyen, Contributor Bush later pledged to secure $750 million for Houston and Harris County from HUD, but it appears to be only his word. He had not asked for the additional funds as of May, according to Zach Despart of the Houston Chronicle. It is unlikely Abbott, who is seeking re-election, would allow a political foe to make good on his word, so you shouldn't expect the GLO to distribute the $666 million in FEMA dollars this go-round. If Houston is lucky, we'll get at least some money from the federal government for much-needed flood projects. But don't hold your breath. Thank you for reading! Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue. In 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic was sweeping the globe, many local school districts were struggling with the decision on how schools should open for the 2020-2021 academic year. Was it safe to bring students back to the classroom? Should learning take place remotely? Should schools offer a hybrid educational experience, with time split between classroom and remote learning? For educational leaders wrestling with these questions, local data to inform decisions for their school district was hard to come by. It was concerns like these that prompted the rise of an ambitious project based at The Ohio State University to provide educational administrators with the timely local information they need to help ensure a safe learning experience for students, staff and teachers. This initiative, known as the COVID-19 Analytics and Targeted Surveillance System, or CATS, puts data analytics and visualization tools to work to allow school superintendents and local public health departments in Central Ohio to make critical health and safety decisions with the confidence that comes with timely local data. CATS served the school-based monitoring needs of 21 local school districts in Central Ohio, serving approximately 1.4 million residents and 238,000 school-aged children during the COVID-19 pandemic. The CATS project was spearheaded by Dr. Ayaz Hyder, an assistant professor in the College of Public Health at The Ohio State University and a core faculty member at the Translational Data Analytics Institute. The initial impetus came when he learned there was no clear strategy to help local school districts make decisions about when to switch between different learning modalities. Dr. Hyder reached out to a local school district, where three of his children are enrolled, and proposed a pilot project using the COVID-19 monitoring methods he had developed for agencies throughout the state. The district agreed, and the local public health departments were brought on board to provide expertise in contact tracing, outbreak investigation and data interpretation. In the weeks and months that followed, additional schools and stakeholders joined the effort, as did a contingent of University student workers who assisted in programming, managing and visualizing the CATS data. The school districts were getting pressure from parents to use local data, because county-level trends dont always represent whats happening in the individual community, Dr. Hyder says. We were able to take that pressure off of the superintendents and school administrators by providing local data, in partnership with the local health departments and their epidemiologists and nursing staff. We could then make a strong case to parents and staff that local data was being used for local decision-making. How it works The CATS application considers multiple data flows to help school leaders and public health officials make informed decisions on the most appropriate learning modalities virtual, in-person or hybrid to help prevent and control the spread of disease. These include the monitoring and epidemiological review of school nurse visits among students and absences among students and staff due to COVID-19-like illness. The team also considers temporal and spatial patterns in county-level and school district attendance area-level data for COVID-19 case rates. The information from these diverse data flows is entered CATS. Using password-protected CATS dashboards, school district staff and the local public health department monitor the system, watching for signs of coronavirus outbreaks. The general public is also able to access CATS dashboards that contain aggregated information specific to each school district. By closely tracking possible indicators of COVID-19 infection, the CATS system allows for real-time analyses of factors that can help predict localized outbreaks. In addition, CATS includes web-based applications, automated alerts, and weekly reports for the general public and decision makers, including school administrators, school boards and local health departments. The result is essentially an early-warning system for case clusters and a safer educational experience for students and their teachers. Drawing on the expertise of the Ohio Supercomputer Center The CATS project was a computationally-intensive undertaking that brought its own set of technical challenges. To overcome these challenges, the CATS team turned to the Ohio Supercomputer Center in Columbus, Ohio. OSC is dedicated to making high performance computing resources and expertise readily available to university and industrial researchers in Ohio and points beyond. In these efforts, the CATS project benefited from the computational power of the HPC systems at OSC made accessible via Open OnDemand. This portal, developed at OSC, gives users access to HPC systems through a web browser. That made it easy for the CATS team, including its software developers, to run HPC workloads. The systems that are accessible via the Open OnDemand portal include OSCs two main clusters, Owens and Pitzer. Collectively, these clusters built by Dell Technologies deliver the power of more than 50,000 Intel Xeon compute cores, along with hundreds of GPUs. With the resources of the Ohio Supercomputer Center, we were able to set up 16 different dashboards that were going to be accessible by hundreds and thousands of people at the same time, Dr. Hyder says. We were really fortunate to have that kind of support from the Ohio Supercomputer Center. For the full story, see the Dell Technologies case study Innovating with data for the safety of children and the video Schools work with Ohio Supercomputer Center (OSC) for safety. Sorry, no valid subscriptions were found for this Publication. Please select from an option below to start a subscription. SUBSCRIBE TODAY! 24 Hour Access Administratorii portalului nu poarta raspundere pentru continutul postarilor si materialelor plasate de utilizatorii site-ului. Utilizati informatia din acest articol pe propriul risc. GOUVES, Greece (AP) Pillars of billowing smoke and ash blocked out the sun above Greeces second-largest island and turned the sky orange as a days-old wildfire devoured pristine forests and triggered more evacuation alerts Sunday, while residents appealed for additional firefighting help. The fire on Evia, an island of forested mountains and canyons laced with small coves of crystalline water, began Aug. 3 and cut across the popular summer destination from coast to coast, burning out of control for five days. Scores of homes and businesses have been destroyed, and thousands of residents and vacationers have been evacuated. The blaze currently is the most severe of dozens that broke out in Greece in the wake of the countrys most protracted and intense heat wave in three decades, which sent temperatures soaring to 45 degrees Celsius (113 F) and created bone-dry conditions. The Greek coast guard said three patrol boats, four navy vessels, one ferry, two tourist boats and numerous fishing and private boats were on standby to carry out more potential evacuations from the seaside village of Pefki, on Evias northern tip. Around 350 people already boarded the ferry, the coast guard said, while towering flames cut off many escape routes by roads. Evacuation orders were issued for four villages, including Pefki, but some residents refused to leave, hoping to save their properties. Planes and helicopters dropped water on the flames from above. Its already too late, the area has been destroyed, lamented Giannis Kontzias, mayor of the north Evia municipality of Istiaia, on Greeces Open TV. Residents of nearby villages had been urged to head to Istiatia, a town of 7,000 in northern Evia that firefighters battled to save overnight. Villagers and people in north Evias main harbor, Aidipsos, were urged to shut windows, doors and chimneys to prevent burning embers from entering houses. Civil Protection chief NIkos Hardalias said the conditions on Evia were particularly tough for the water-dropping planes and helicopters. Their pilots faced great danger with limited visibility, air turbulence and wind currents from the fire., he said. We have before us one more difficult afternoon, one more difficult night, Hardalias said. All the forces that have been fighting a difficult battle all these days will continue operating with unabated intensity, with the same self-sacrifice. Overnight, the coast guard and ferries evacuated 83 people from beaches in northern Evia. On Friday night, ferries evacuated more than 1,000 people from beaches and a seaside village in apocalyptic scenes as flames raged on the hillsides behind them. Local officials and residents in north Evia called in to television news programs on Saturday, appealing for more firefighters and water-dropping planes. The fire department said 575 firefighters with 35 ground teams and 89 vehicles were battling the Evia wildfire, including 112 Romanian and 100 Ukrainian firefighters sent to Greece as reinforcements. Four helicopters and three planes, including a massive Beriev-200 plane leased from Russia, provided air support. Three more major fires were also burning Sunday in Greeces southern Peloponnese region, while a massive fire that ravaged forests, homes and businesses on the northern fringes of the Greek capital appeared to be on the wane. That fire burnt through large tracts of a national park on Mount Parnitha, the largest forested area remaining near Athens that still bore deep scars from a fire in 2007. Rekindling of the fire north of Athens was a constant concern, Hardalias said, adding that firefighters and the military had been patrolling all night to tackle the situation. One firefighter was transferred to hospital Sunday after loosing consciousness during a patrol, Hardalias said. His condition was not life-threatening. On Friday, one volunteer firefighter died after suffering head injuries from a falling electricity pole north of Athens, while at least 20 people have been treated for fire-related injuries, including two firefighters who were hospitalized in intensive care. The causes of the fires are under investigation. Three people were arrested Friday _ in the greater Athens area, central and southern Greece _ on suspicion of starting blazes, in two cases intentionally. Another person, a 47-year-old Greek, was arrested Saturday afternoon in the Athens suburb of Petroupoli for lighting two fires in a grove and setting four dumpsters on fire, police said. Ten countries have already sent personnel and firefighters equipment such as aircraft to Greece, while another eight are sending further reinforcements. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis visited the fire departments headquarters in Athens Saturday and expressed his deep sadness for the volunteer firefighters death. He later visited the airport from which firefighting planes take off and thanked the pilots, both Greek and French. Securing aid for everyone affected by the wildfires will be my first political priority, the prime minister said, promising that all burnt areas would be reforested. When this nightmarish summer has passed, we will turn all our attention to repairing the damage as fast as possible, and in restoring our natural environment again, Mitsotakis said. Greek and European officials have blamed climate change for the large number of fires that burned through southern Europe in recent days, from Italy to the Balkans, Greece and Turkey. Massive fires also have been burning across Siberia in northern Russia for weeks, forcing the evacuation Saturday of a dozen villages. In all, wildfires have burned nearly 15 million acres this year in Russia. In the U.S., hot, dry, gusty weather has also fueled devastating wildfires in California. About the photo: People use a ferry to evacuate from Pefki village on Evia island, about 189 kilometers (118 miles) north of Athens, Greece, Sunday, Aug. 8, 2021. Pillars of billowing smoke and ash are blocking out the sun above Greeces second-largest island as a days-old wildfire devours pristine forests and triggers more evacuation alerts. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias) Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Researchers asked U.S. regulators to pull some sunscreens from the market, including brands such as Coppertone, Banana Boat and Neutrogena, saying theyve found evidence of a potential carcinogen. Scientists petitioned the Food and Drug Administration to remove from sale all sunscreens containing the active ingredient octocrylene. Products made with the chemical may contain benzophenone, a suspected carcinogen that also can interfere with key hormones and reproductive organs, according to a group led by Craig Downs, executive director of the nonprofit Haereticus Environmental Laboratory that studies risks to health and the environment. A trade group called the report misleading. Some 2,400 sun-protection products are made with octocrylene and we dont know what their safety is, said Downs, who filed the petition Thursday. The FDA doesnt know what their safety is and its unconscionable that the FDA would allow something that we dont know if its safe or not. Concerns about sunscreens began heating up in 2019 when the FDA asked manufacturers for safety data on chemical ingredients, including octocrylene. In May, an independent testing lab found levels of another probable carcinogen, benzene, in several products, leading to some recalls. FDA research shows that the body absorbs enough of sunscreens chemical ingredients to warrant further testing. Yet theres no indication companies have provided the safety data the FDA requested two years ago, said David Andrews, a senior scientist at the Environmental Working Group, an advocacy organization. The FDA takes seriously any safety concerns raised about products we regulate, including sunscreen, said Courtney Rhodes, a spokeswoman. The agency will continue to monitor the sunscreen marketplace to help ensure the availability of safe sunscreens for U.S. consumers, while it evaluates the contamination concerns, she said. Similar Results Working with researchers at the Paris-based Sorbonne University, Downs and Joe DiNardo, a toxicologist who formerly worked in the cosmetics industry, tested 16 octocrylene-based sunscreens purchased in France and the U.S. The brands included Beiersdorf AGs Coppertone Water Babies spray, Edgewell Personal Care Co.s Banana Boat SPF 50 lotion and a Neutrogena Beach Defense spray and lotion from Johnson & Johnson. All of them tested positive for benzophenone. Downs and DiNardos findings were published in the journal Chemical Research in Toxicology in March. Later, Belgian researchers published similar results after testing products containing octocrylene.We ensure that all Beiersdorf products, including our sunscreens, are rigorously evaluated for safety and efficacy, Robert Nishiyama, a spokesman, said in an email. J&J and Edgewell didnt respond to requests for comment. The research perpetuates misinformation and needlessly misleads and scares consumers about the safety of sunscreen products, the Personal Care Products Council, a Washington lobby group, said in a statement. The European Union has approved octocrylene for use in sunscreens, the group said. Missing Data Based on animal studies, the World Health Organizations cancer research arm classifies benzophenone as a possible carcinogen. No data on a potential link with cancer in humans was available, according to the Geneva-based agency. Research shows that benzophenone in sunscreens can interfere with estrogen, according to the WHO. The hormone plays a key role in the health of women, and disrupting it can lead to early puberty and altered functioning of reproductive organs. Downs study suggests that benzophenone was formed by degradation of octocrylene. Only sunscreens containing the UV blocker tested positive for the contaminant, and the levels increased over time. Downs has been studying the health and environmental impact of sunscreens for years. His research led Hawaii and other beach tourist destinations such as the U.S. Virgin Islands to ban the sale of sunscreens containing oxybenzone, which is chemically related to benzophenone and octocrylene, because of research suggesting damage to coral reefs. Products Pulled The Maui City Councils environment committee is considering even tougher laws for sunscreens. Sales and use of sun products should be restricted to those made with the minerals zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, both deemed safe by the FDA, Peter Landon, a natural reserve system specialist at the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources told the committee Wednesday. Narrowing the field to those two mineral sunscreens would prevent the industry from making small changes to the banned chemicals to get around the legislation, Landon said. Widely used sunscreens were targeted in May by a separate FDA petition after an analysis by Valisure, an independent laboratory that monitors product safety, found benzene in a range of products. J&J recalled all lots of five brands of Neutrogena and Aveeno aerosol sunscreens after the findings were released. Immediately after J&Js recall, several class-action lawsuits were filed citing the sunscreen risk. J&J is already facing suits from people claiming their cancers were caused by the companys talc-based powders tainted with asbestos. Its not clear how benzene entered the products. Some part of the manufacturing process may have led to the contaminants appearance in sunscreens, Valisure said at the time. Pressure on the industry may continue into next year, when the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, which assembles experts to study key, contentious issues, is expected to deliver a report on sunscreens. On Thursday, a National Academies panel heard a presentation on research linking benzophenones in sunscreens to endometriosis, a painful condition in which tissue that normally grows inside a womans uterus forms outside the organ. Copyright 2021 Bloomberg. DENVER (AP) As ominous storm clouds gathered in western Colorado over a large area blackened by a recent wildfire, torrential rain fell and the charred land stripped of vegetation gave way, sending a rush of mud and boulders tumbling down steep canyon walls and onto a major highway. The July 29 mudslides stranded more than 100 people in their vehicles overnight and caused extensive damage that closed Interstate 70, capping several weeks of perilous conditions in a scenic canyon carved through the mountains by the Colorado River. It marked the latest in a string of closures over the past two years for an area that serves as a key transportation corridor between the Rocky Mountains and the West Coast. Each forced long detours for semitrailers that deliver fuel and food, and inflicted economic pain on businesses that cater to tourists in the popular summer destination of Glenwood Springs. The closures illustrate the kind of damage scientists have long warned can follow wildfires made worse by climate change: dangerous mudslides caused by rain in burn-scarred terrain. Though no injuries were reported, such slides have caused deaths and destruction in recent years in California and other parts of the U.S. West. Those who live and work in the Glenwood Canyon area have been adjusting to the inconveniences of closures for years, but mudslides have become more frequent and intense since the Grizzly Creek Fire scorched about 50 square miles (130 square kilometers) last summer. Transportation officials have closed a 46-mile (74-kilometer) stretch of the interstate and are telling motorists traveling between Denver and Glenwood Springs, on the west end of the canyon, to take another route that adds about 250 miles (402 kilometers) to the trip. Meanwhile, long-haul truckers have been advised to detour north onto Interstate 80 through Wyoming until the canyon is reopened, which could take weeks. On average, thousands of commercial vehicles travel daily on the interstate through the canyon, according to state transportation officials. Much of the fuel, food and other products that are distributed in the western part of the state come from Denver via I-70, and the detours are adding several hours to each trip, said Greg Fulton, president and CEO of the Colorado Motor Carriers Association. In some cases, that means truckers cant make the round trip without running afoul of federal limits on how long they can be behind the wheel. This is a ripple effect because were not getting the truck back until the next day. It takes it out of sync in terms of those drivers, and effectively, you need more drivers and more trucks, said Fulton, who warned that the delays could lead to gas and food shortages, late deliveries and higher prices. When were bearing additional mileage and were having additional time, and then even possibly bearing the cost of a motel room, that has to be passed on at some point, he said. The mudslides also have significantly impacted tourism in Glenwood Springs, which typically attracts thousands of visitors this time of year for its hiking, biking, fishing and other outdoor activities. Lisa Langer, the citys tourism director, said many attractions and some hotels went from full occupancy to being half-full, and some lost between 25% and 50% of their normal revenue during the weekend following the canyons closure. The biggest problem is people from Front Range cities such as Denver canceling their trips because they dont want to take the long detour, said Langer, who has shifted her focus toward attracting tourists from areas that still have easy access. Meanwhile, whitewater rafting companies have had to reroute their itineraries, and some businesses have been short-staffed because employees live on the other end of the closed interstate, an engineering marvel that winds through a narrow passage constrained by the Colorado River and cliffs towering hundreds of feet. Max Vogelman, who co-owns Stoneyard Distillery, said the closure has had a pretty huge effect on the finances and logistics of his business, which makes alcoholic spirits from sugar beets. The company opened a tasting room in Glenwood Springs in May, but the distillery is at the other end of the canyon, in Dotsero. Vogelman said the companys sole employee in Glenwood Springs has picked up extra shifts to keep the tasting room open, and another worker in Dotsero has been traveling nearly an hour out of her way on a series of winding, dirt roads every few days to deliver supplies. It definitely puts us in a bit of a conundrum here, but were trying to make it work, said Vogelman, who also is trying to figure out how to continue distributing to areas west of the canyon and how to keep people coming to the distillery for tours and drinks. We get a lot of RV traffic coming through. A lot of them stay overnight on a property here. Theyre all canceled, he said. He and other business owners and residents are quickly realizing they will have to adjust to what could become the canyons new normal. Scientists say special calculations are needed to determine how much global warming is to blame, if at all, for a single extreme weather event. But a historic drought and recent heat waves tied to climate change have, no doubt, made wildfires harder to fight in the American West. Climate change has made the region much warmer and drier in the past 30 years and is expected to make weather more extreme and wildfires more frequent and destructive, which could lead to more mudslides as rain falls on burn scars. Andy Hoell, a meteorologist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, said last summers precipitation over the Four Corners states was the lowest on record, and drought conditions are getting worse. In this case, its really the compounding and cascading effect of an active fire season last year, followed by heavy precipitation events this year that came together to produce these big effects on I-70, said Hoell, who studies drought and extreme events in a changing climate. A recent study led by U.S. Geological Survey researchers mapped landslide vulnerability in Southern California and found the area can now expect small, post-wildfire landslides almost every year, and major events roughly every 10 years. It said the state faces increased risks of both wildfires and landslides caused by climate change-induced shifts in its wet and dry seasons. One particularly devastating post-fire slide occurred in Southern California in 2018, when a river of mud, trees and boulders slammed into the town of Montecito. More than 20 people died, and hundreds of homes were destroyed. Colorado Gov. Jared Polis said Monday he hopes any state or federal infrastructure package has climate resiliency at the very heart of it. We need to look at things like fire risk mitigation, retaining walls, in a new and different way given the reality that we face on the ground in Colorado, he said. About the photo: A large mudslide in Glenwood Canyon as seen from an EcoFlight Saturday, Aug. 7, 2021 between Dotsero, Colo., and Glenwood Springs, Colo. The canyon might be closed for weeks as crews clean and assess damages. (Chris Dillmann/Vail Daily via AP) Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. GREENVILLE, Calif. (AP) After four years of homelessness, Kesia Studebaker thought she finally landed on her feet when she found a job cooking in a diner and moved into a house in the small community of Greenville. She had been renting for three months and hoped the stability would help her win back custody of her 14-year-old daughter. But in just one night, a raging wildfire tore through the mountain town and took it all away, she said. Fueled by strong winds and bone-dry vegetation, the Dixie Fire grew to become the largest single wildfire in state history. Residents of the scenic forestlands of Northern California are facing a weekend of fear as it threatens to reduce thousands of homes to ashes. We knew we didnt get enough rainfall and fires could happen, but we didnt expect a monster like this, Studebaker said Saturday. The fire incinerated much of Greenville on Wednesday and Thursday, destroying 370 homes and structures and threatening nearly 14,000 buildings in the northern Sierra Nevada. It had engulfed an area larger than the size of New York City. The Dixie Fire, named for the road where it started, spanned an area of 700 square miles (1,813 square kilometers) Saturday night and was just 21% contained, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. Four firefighters were taken to the hospital Friday after being struck by a fallen branch. More 20 people were initially reported missing, but by Saturday afternoon authorities had contacted all but four of them. The fires cause was under investigation. The Pacific Gas & Electric utility has said it may have been sparked when a tree fell on one of its power lines. A federal judge ordered PG&E on Friday to give details by Aug. 16 about the equipment and vegetation where the fire started. Cooler overnight temperatures and higher humidity slowed the spread of the fire and temperatures topped 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 degrees Celsius) instead of the triple-digit highs recorded earlier in the week. But the blaze and its neighboring fires, within several hundred miles of each other, posed an ongoing threat. Studebaker sought shelter at an evacuation center before setting up her tent in a friends front yard. She is counting on returning to her job if the restaurant where she works stays open. Her boss also evacuated when the town of Chester, northwest of Greenville, lost power and the smoke was so thick that it made it hard to breathe. Heat waves and historic drought tied to climate change have made wildfires harder to fight in the American West. Scientists have said climate change has made the region much warmer and drier in the past 30 years and will continue to make the weather more extreme and wildfires more frequent and destructive. Near the Klamath National Forest, firefighters kept a close watch on small communities that were ordered evacuated in the path of the Antelope Fire, which earlier threw up flames 100 feet (30 meters) high as it blackened bone-dry grass, brush and timber. It was just 20% contained. Further northwest, about 500 homes scattered in and around Shasta-Trinity National Forest remained threatened by the Monument Fire and others by the McFarland Fire, both started by lightning storms last week, fire officials said. About a two-hour drive south from the Dixie Fire, crews had surrounded nearly half of the River Fire that broke out Wednesday near the town of Colfax and destroyed 68 homes and other buildings. Evacuation orders for thousands of people in Nevada and Placer counties were lifted Friday. Three people, including a firefighter, were injured, authorities said. Smoke from the fires blanketed Northern California and western Nevada, causing air quality to deteriorate to very unhealthy and, at times, hazardous levels. Air quality advisories extended through the Californias San Joaquin Valley and as far as the San Francisco Bay Area to Denver, Salt Lake City and Las Vegas, where residents were urged to keep their windows and doors shut. Denvers air quality ranked among the worst in the world Saturday afternoon. Californias fire season is on track to surpass last years season, which was the worst fire season in recent recorded state history. Since the start of the year, more than 6,000 blazes have destroyed more than 1,260 square miles (3,260 square kilometers) of land _ more than triple the losses for the same period in 2020, according to state fire figures. Californias raging wildfires were among 107 large fires burning across 14 states, mostly in the West, where historic drought conditions have left lands parched and ripe for ignition. Nguyen reported from Oakland, California. Associated Press writers Adam Beam in Sacramento, Terry Chea in Colfax, California, Christopher Weber and Stefanie Dazio in Los Angeles and Jocelyn Gecker in San Francisco contributed to this report. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Israel already began giving boosters to people over 60 years old. Pfizer says it will apply for emergency use authorization with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration at the end of August FILE - Roberta Kaplan poses for a photo in Atherton Calif., Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2019. The Time's Up leader resigned Monday, Aug. 9, 2021 over fallout from her work advising Gov. Andrew Cuomo's administration when he was first hit with sexual harassment allegations last year. Kaplan cited her work counseling Cuomo and his former top aide, Melissa DeRosa, through the attorney general's investigation, according to The New York Times. Clifford Chance advises Novus on the sale and leaseback of two Boeing 737 MAX 8 with flydubai Leading international law firm Clifford Chance has advised Novus Aviation Capital (Novus) on the sale and leaseback and financing of two Boeing 737 MAX 8 with flydubai. Novus is an independent, privately-held aircraft leasing platform, focused on investing in commercial aircraft assets. Established over 27 years ago, the company currently co-owns and manages aircraft-related projects worth approximately US$4 billion. The transaction is the first transaction Novus has completed with flydubai and marks the resumption of Boeing 737 MAX aircraft deliveries in the United Arab Emirates. Sale and leaseback of aircraft is one of many products and services Novus offers and the company is well positioned to support airline growth following the global pandemic. Senior Associate Andrew McAdam (Dubai) was the lead lawyer on the transaction, with support from partners Paul Carrington (London) and Nicola Reader (Abu Dhabi). Andrew comments: "We are delighted to continue our relationship with Novus Aviation Capital, and to work with them on supporting the strong recovery of aviation in the UAE". Albert J. "Gene" Hinz, 88, of Clinton, passed away Thursday, August 12, 2021 at his home. Visitation will be from 9:00 to 11:00 AM Tuesday, August 17th at the Pape Funeral Home with services at 11:00 AM. Masks will be optional, but "strongly encouraged" for students, staff at Huntsville ISD Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 9) Amid worry that more children are getting infected with the COVID-19 virus, the Department of Health on Monday clarified that infections are increasing across all age groups. It said cases among all age groups rose 59% in the July 29 to August 8 period compared to July 12-25. DOH said the biggest jump was in the 30-39 age group, while the lowest increase was among those aged 80 and above. It did not give details on the increase in cases among children and teens. "From less than 10 years old to more than 80 years old, pare-pareho ang trend, lahat ng age groups tumataas. It is not children lang ang tumataas, lahat ng age groups ay may angking pagtaas," Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said in a virtual media briefing. "Huwag natin alarmahin ang ating kababayan sa ganitong news. Natatakot ang mga magulang." [Translation: Cases are increasing in all age groups, from less than 10 to over 80 years old. The younger age group is not the only one seeing an increase. Do not alarm the public with these types of news, it is just scaring the parents.] CNN Philippines' analysis showed the number of infected kids aged nine and below has been increasing the past month from around 1,600 cases in early July to over 2,600 last week. The Philippine General Hospital on August 4 also said the children admitted in the COVID-referral hospital are getting sicker. But Vergeire said this trend was not observed in other hospitals in the country. Children under 18 years old are still not included in the Philippines' national COVID-19 immunization program. But there is a plan to start vaccinating those aged 12 to 17 beginning late September. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 9) While the Philippine government's push to abolish the kafala system in the Middle East has yet to materialize, Saudi Arabia is working on easing contractual restrictions on domestic workers. During a virtual briefing on Monday, Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Sarah Lou Arriola said Saudi Arabia may implement a system in 2022 to improve the working environment for household service workers. "What we know, ang pinaka-good news from Saudi Arabia ay next year magkakaroon ng insurance ang household service workers. Halimbawa gusto na nilang umuwi or ayaw nila 'yung kanilang napasukan, may assurance na pwede silang palitan sa kanilang mga employer doon para hindi sila pigilan sa pag-uwi," she said. [Translation: What we know, the best news from Saudi Arabia is that household service workers will have insurance next year. For example, if they want to go home or they don't want their employer, there is an assurance that they can get a substitute so that they will not be prevented from coming home.] "They have given us assurance, it's really in the pipeline," she added. Arriola admitted that both governments have yet to move forward with the complete abolition of the kafala system, but stressed the Saudi Arabia government "is very open to discussions". The kafala system requires migrant workers to have a sponsor in the host country before a visa and worker's permit can be issued. It generally binds a worker to one employer, leaving workers vulnerable to exploitation, according to rights groups. In April, President Rodrigo Duterte branded the kafala system as "unjust and exploitative." READ: DFA bullish on total abolition of kafala system: Saudi Arabia can influence other Middle East countries "In the next months, there will be some visits, bilateral talks between the Philippines and the Saudi Arabia for better terms and conditions for workers in the Kingdom," the DFA official said. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 9) Four companies in Luzon have reportedly demanded their employees to show proof of vaccination before they can enter the workplace, Kilusang Mayo Uno said. Citing complaints received from construction workers and security guards, two of the employers are based in Metro Manila, while the others are in Bulacan and Bataan. While it has not received such reports so far, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) stressed anew that vaccination against COVID-19 cannot be made a requirement to land or keep a job. There is no legal basis for the employers to compel their workers to be vaccinated especially so na kulang pa ang ating supply ng vaccine [given that vaccine supply is still lacking], Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said during a virtual press briefing. READ: Palace on Lapu-Lapu Citys no vaccine, no entry policy: Its not yet time Labor Assistant Secretary Nikki Tutay said there are no penalties set under existing DOLE guidelines for companies that will require the vaccination of its workers. For Bello, theres another approach to get firms to comply. The first step is to ask the employer to let an unvaccinated worker enter the workplace through a compliance order. Kung sabihin niyang ayaw niya [If he refuses], then we will issue an order directing the employer to allow the employee to report. Pag hindi [If not], we will consider the employee as having reported to the office and therefore be entitled to the payment of his salary, the Labor chief said. Even the government has not made vaccination mandatory to Filipinos, although it is highly encouraged to protect people from severe sickness and death especially with the presence due of the more infectious COVID-19 Delta variant. RELATED: No law to force vaccination, Duterte's arrest warning only out of exasperation DOJ The Employers Confederation of the Philippines added that mandating vaccine doses is not an accepted practice among member companies. Ang official policy namin, hindi pwede yan. Unang-una, ang problema ngayon ay kulang ang vaccine maraming di mava-vaccine, paano mong hindi papapasukin yun?, he told CNN Philippines. [Translation: Our official policy is thats not allowed. First of all, our problem is the supply many are unable to get the vaccine, how will you survive if you dont let them report to work?] Bello added that a law must be passed to make vaccinations a requirement for all Filipinos. Only 11.4 million Filipinos are fully vaccinated as of Aug. 8 while over 13 million have received their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, according to the National Task Force Against COVID-19. The country has secured 38.6 million vaccine doses, against the target of vaccinating 70 million people for herd immunity. READ: Govt. looks at raising COVID-19 vaccination target to 80% Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 9) Authorities have arrested a barangay tanod for fatally shooting a man with a mental illness for allegedly violating curfew hours. The Manila Police District on Monday said Eduardo Genoga, a 59-year-old scavenger, was found lifeless along Tayuman Street after witnesses heard a gunshot on the night of Aug. 7. The victim's brother relayed to the police that Genoga had mental problems. After further investigation, tanod Cesar Panlaqui was arrested, but his motive for shooting Genoga remains unknown. A CCTV footage provided by police showed the two in a discussion, but when Genoga walked away, he was shot by the tanod, Police added that a revolver without a serial number was recovered from the suspect. "'Yung napatay niya is parang may diperensya sa utak. Kung mapapansin niyo po sa CCTV camera sinabi rin ng tanod na parang hinabol sila ng pamalo nung victim," MPD-7 Station Commander PltCol Harry Lorenzo said. [Translation: The victim has a mental problem. You will see in the CCTV that the suspect said the victim chased him with a stick.] During the Luzon-wide lockdown in April 2020, a Quezon City policeman gunned down Winston Ragos, a retired soldier suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, for supposedly violating community quarantine protocols. The policeman is facing charges of murder, perjury, and planting of evidence. President Rodrigo Duterte has previously ordered uniformed personnel to "shoot dead" quarantine violators who will cause disorder and put the lives of police and soldiers in danger. In June this year, he considered arming barangay chiefs and officials to fight criminals. CNN Philippines correspondent Crissy Dimatulac contributed to this report. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 9) A House of Representatives leader is against the proposed probe on OCTA Research Group by some of his colleagues in the chamber, noting that doing so would only be a waste of resources. "I think this will be a waste of time, energy, and money for us to be calling (for a probe). These are people who have been trying to do their best to help the country and our people," Deputy Speaker Rufus Rodriguez told CNN Philippines' The Source on Monday. Rodriguez stressed that Congress cannot legislate OCTA's qualifications, composition, partnerships and research methods, simply because "this is a matter that goes to the experts." "How can Congress pass a law that will provide qualification for those who want to study and to make recommendations?...I have also researched on who are the core group members of the OCTA Research Group and they are very eminent, and they are qualified," Rodriguez said. The Cagayan de Oro representative said OCTA's forecast report in May previously prompted him to write to the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases to fast-track the distribution of vaccines in their city to control the spike in cases. He also attributed to OCTA's recommendations some of the government's decisions, including President Rodrigo Duterte's directive to "recalibrate" the country's COVID-19 response. "Even the government is following the findings and recommendations of OCTA. Why would we want to investigate them?" he said. Last week, five congressmen filed House Resolution 275 urging the House Committee on Good Government to hold an inquiry in aid of legislation on the "qualifications, research methodologies, partnerships, and composition" of OCTA Research. READ: House probe eyed on OCTA team, qualifications amid COVID surge A forecast report dated July 23, 2020 in a University of the Philippines webpage noted that "the UP-OCTA team is an independent and interdisciplinary research group composed primarily of UP faculty members and alumni," with contributors from the University of Santo Tomas and Providence College in the United States. But the House resolution stressed the need to make clarifications on OCTA's affiliations, since it describes itself as a "polling, research, and consultation firm." Deputy Minority Leader Stella Quimbo, one of the lawmakers who signed the resolution, told The Source that having the government listen to the recommendations of a private sector group is a "unique situation" that needs to be looked into amid the pandemic. "Kumbaga sa weather forecast hindi na PAGASA ang pinapakinggan. Kaya kailangan intindihin ang methodologies nila (Just like in the weather forecast, PAGASA is not being heard anymore. That's why we need to understand their methodologies)," she said. No date has been set yet for the House probe so far, but this will likely be done "after the lifting of the lockdown," Quimbo said. So far this summer, the immediate local area has actually had less forest activity than aver Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. Penn State student Elizabeth Biddle's "celebration of life" will be held Thursday at Harpster Cottage in Spruce Creek, Pennsylvania. The visitation will be at 4 p.m. and the service will take place at 5:30 p.m. Biddle, 20, of Boalsburg, died Wednesday in an "early morning" car crash on Route 322 in Potter Township, according to Centre County Coroner Scott Sayers. She was a junior pursuing a communications degree. She was a passenger in a vehicle that struck the side of a tractor-trailer in the middle of the Mountain Back Road and General Potter Highway intersection, Sayers said. Biddle was then ejected from the vehicle and pronounced dead at the scene by Sayers due to "head trauma." Though Sayers said the manner of death was "accidental," State Police at Rockview are still investigating the crash. According to State Police at Rockview, the crash occurred because the vehicle Biddle was in "failed to stop at a clearly posted stop sign." The driver of the vehicle, a Subaru, was transported to Mount Nittany Medical Center for minor injuries, and the other passenger was evaluated on the scene and refused further treatment. Biddle, who graduated from State College High School in 2019, enjoyed hiking, painting, sunflowers, macaroni and cheese, music concerts, Christmas tree hunting, being at the beach, lake or anywhere outdoors and spending time with her friends, according to her family. She was also employed at the Hublersburg Inn, which is near State College, as a hostess and server. Biddle's family encouraged anyone attending the memorial services to bring photos they have of her to be placed on a memory board in her honor. MORE CAMPUS COVERAGE With a new semester comes new beginnings including the chance for one faculty member to step into a leadership position that promotes inclusion and diversity at University Park. Sonya Wilmoth has worked with Penn States Jeffrey A. Conrad Center for Sexual and Gender Diversity since 2013 when she became assistant director. Having served under two previous directors, Wilmoth took on the role herself when she was named the centers third and newest director in July. One of the biggest reasons I love this work is because when I was coming out as a young, college-age female who identified as a lesbian at an all-private Catholic institution I had really nobody to turn to, Wilmoth said. I am invested in the work because I want to be that somebody or something that I didnt have. When the centers previous director Brian Patchcoski was named the assistant vice president for diversity, equity and inclusion for Penn State Student Affairs in January, Wilmoth stepped in to serve as interim director. Through the remainder of the spring semester and into the summer, Wilmoth helped lead the center through this temporary role. But, this was not the first time she took on this leadership position. MORE CAMPUS COVERAGE Following the 2016 retirement of Allison Subasic, the centers founding director, Wilmoth took on the title of interim director for nearly seven months. At that time, the center operated under its previous name, the LGBTQA Resource Center, and was still located in the Boucke Building, according to Wilmoth. Wilmoth said the opportunity to work under the centers two previous directors gave her the knowledge and skill needed to take on her new role. One of the privileges Ive had is working with the founding director, Allison... through her, Ive learned a lot about the LGBTQ community at Penn State and dug into the mission of why this work is important, Wilmoth said. Knowing all of that and getting the chance to work with Brian I learned a lot through him. Soon after making the move from Texas to State College almost a decade ago, Wilmoth said she was made aware of a part-time assistant director position in the LGBTQA Resource Center. When the role transitioned into a full-time position, Wilmoth said she jumped at the chance to apply. Wilmoth said when she first began working at University Park, she noticed conversations starting to emerge from queer and transgender students who wanted to see Penn State enact more inclusive practices. Under Subasic, Wilmoth said these conversations started coming to light and were further addressed under Patchcoskis leadership. Now, under her new position, Wilmoth said she wants to continue expanding on the centers promise to be a welcoming and diverse environment for all students not just those who are LGBTQ. MORE CAMPUS COVERAGE Penn State reports 2nd forcible sex offense of summer Penn State reported a sexual assault on Saturday, according to a University Park-issued Time Having served as the centers director through many of its recent changes and developments, including its name change and relocation to the HUB-Robeson Center, Patchcoski said the position tends to require a more outward focus than other positions in the center. This is not about the person who holds the role, its about the communities the center serves, Patchcoski said. While we have tremendous resources, Sonyas job will be continuously finding what the next set of resources is What else do we need to devise? Patchcoski said he believes Wilmoth has grown tremendously since he first came to Penn State and her appointment as the centers director will lead to positive growth for the center. Currently serving as the centers programming coordinator, Eric Duran said working with Wilmoth has been a wonderful opportunity filled with positive experiences. Duran said Wilmoths motivation to build a more equitable campus helps guide his own work. In the upcoming semester, Duran said he hopes to see Wilmoths experience shine through in programming efforts and in building up a community that was largely not able to gather during last year due to the pandemic. Continuing the centers goals of connecting students of all identities and backgrounds, Duran said Wilmoth has an understanding of the needs and wants of students and what it will take to accomplish these goals. Muggs Leone, a student staff member in the center, began working with Wilmoth this summer. In the period of time he has been able to interact and work with her, Leone said he believes Wilmoths new position will help push the center forward. Wilmoth knows how to create an inviting environment that focuses on creating a balance of hard work and fun, Leone said. MORE CAMPUS COVERAGE Which is worse? Penn State students compare high school, college workloads As the fall semester creeps into view, the looming start of classes reminds students of the With students returning to campus in full force for the fall semester, Leone said he believes Wilmoths experience working before and during the coronavirus pandemic will be crucial to provide new experiences for students who have not had the chance to visit or experience the center for themselves due to pandemic restraints. Having someone who is familiar with what we did before and during [the pandemic]... shes been around for all these changes, and I think that is really helpful going forward, Leone said. In her new position, Wilmoth said she wants the Penn State community to know she is ready to take on this role and help lead the center into a bright future. I love Penn State sometimes it's really hard for people to love a job and love going to work every day, but I think all of those things have fallen into place for me, Wilmoth said. I just love the university I think we have a lot of things we can do, and I look forward to doing it. A prairie dog scampers in a field located near the Pratt oil and gas wells in Weld County near Erie on Feb. 7. The well facility, operated by Crestone Peak Resources, is located near a residential neighborhood and was the subject of some of the 1,000-plus complaints filed by the public throughout 2017. (Photo by Andy Colwell for Colorado Politics) The Missourians Opinion section is a public forum for the discussion of ideas. The views presented in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Missourian or the University of Missouri. If you would like to contribute to the Opinion page with a response or an original topic of your own, visit our submission form As COVID-19 continues its erratic spread around the globe, with vaccinations helping cases fall in some areas while variants drive surges elsewhere, many organizations are busy making plans for their employees to return to the office. What was normal for the office 18 months ago, however, is unlikely to be the reality most workers will return to. Office workers have had a taste of the benefits of remote working, and many are not keen to return to a daily commute, though most would like to spend part of their workweek in the office. At the same time, companies have noticed employees are more productive working from home and realized there are some major cost savings to be found by downsizing office space in large, expensive cities. Some organizations have already taken the drastic step of closing all their offices and making their employees permanent home workers. Many more are planning to adopt a hybrid workplace model, where some employees may be fully remote, some may work in the office full-time, and most will split their work time between the office and home (or another remote location) in a way that suits both them and their employer. Many companies have likely never had an official non-pandemic-induced work-from-home policy in place, let alone an established hybrid working framework. But implementing a remote-work policy doesnt have to be scary, says Darren Murph, head of remote at GitLab. In fact, he notes, many large companies were already partway there even before the pandemic. If you look at a company with 5,000 people in a building, the people on floor three are already remote to the people on floor eight, he says. They almost never see each other; they may as well be on a different continent. But a lot of companies havent given voice to that or acknowledged it. Time to stop winging it What white-collar workers have experienced over the past year does not equate to intentional remote work, says Murph, who worked at organizations supporting hybrid work for 14 years before joining GitLab, an all-remote company, in 2019. Quarantine-induced work from home is definitely not the same as intentionally designed remote work, but many companies are conflating them as exactly the same thing, he says. When youre intentional about it, collaboration is easier, team building is easier, culture building is easier. Angela Ashenden, principal analyst, workplace transformation at CCS Insight, underscores that point. She says much of the change in how people work during the last year or so has been tactical and localized, with organizations sorting everything out ad hoc and individual teams often finding their own way. But now it's important to try to build in some structure, consistency, and predictability, to ensure the whole business is working in rhythm through strong and progressive leadership. Ashenden says company leaders need to realize that hybrid working is not just about having some people in the office and some people working from home. It has huge consequences for the way people will work independently, how they work collaboratively, how the company culture will develop, how you think about workplace technology and the employee experience, and for the policies that you need to ensure a fair, inclusive, and healthy work environment, she says. For IT, that means supporting users in myriad ways, including provisioning equipment that enables workers wherever they are to do their work comfortably and successfully, providing the right collaboration technology, digitizing and automating work processes, and protecting devices and data. More fundamentally, it means coordinating with other company leaders to change the corporate culture and craft policies to ensure a successful hybrid workplace. So, how can IT leaders implement hybrid and remote policies that benefit both employees and employers long term? Heres expert advice on how organizations can get it right from the start. Think remote-first You need a level playing field, says Penny Pullan, an expert in virtual and hybrid work leadership and the author of books including Virtual Leadership: Practical Strategies for Getting the Best Out of Virtual Work and Virtual Teams. When youve got some [employees] in the office and some remote, the inequalities can begin to creep in. Over many years, Ive heard people say, If Im remote, and everybody else is in the office, its almost as if I dont exist. Murph echoes that thought. When you look at who is praised and promoted in a hybrid organization, it is more likely that those who stay remote by default will have fewer opportunities for career advancement because of that out of sight, out of mind type of mentality, he says. The all-virtual approach most companies have taken during the pandemic has temporarily leveled the playing field, but that will change when some workers go back to the office, notes Pullan, who holds a PhD in nanotechnology from Cambridge University. The best way to promote equality among hybrid teams, she says, is to think remote-first when establishing business norms and interactions among employees. To try and minimize the potential for unconscious bias, always stop and say, What are we doing for remote? If were choosing a new way of working, always have this remote-first mindset. Murph advises companies to think about remote-first principles not in terms of where people work, but how they work. If you go into the office and hold a meeting, he posits, do you fundamentally do that meeting differently in the office, compared to how you would have done it if you were at home? Organizations need to audit their processes and ensure they work on days when the entire workforce is not in the office; that way theyll also work when any number of employees are in the office, he says. Interactions with managers and among co-workers are also important. Youll probably need more check-ins with remote people because you arent bumping into them in the same way that you would if you were in the office, Pullan says. Something thats quite useful is to have time slots where everybodys going to be available and accessible. Your employee might not be in the office, but you know that between this time and this time on Tuesday, or maybe a couple of times a week, everybody is open to having a chat. Companies also need to think about how they will fairly accommodate employees scheduling requests for in-office vs. at-home days as well as how to measure employee performance, Pullan says. Theres been some horrendous stories of companies using applications that monitor their employees computers or have webcams that take pictures of them to see if theyre there. All of that will just destroy trust and motivation. You need to measure the important stuff, which is that the work gets done. One of the best ways for remote workers to feel involved is to be asked for their thoughts on making the hybrid workplace work. Get input from your employees when youre setting up these guidelines and policies, Pullan says. Obviously, there will be some company-wide policies that you will need to take into account, but for your team, get peoples input. Find out what their preferences are and go from there. Management must set an example Ensuring a remote-first mindset begins at the top, Murph says. Executives must work from home at least some of the time to establish and reinforce a company culture that embraces remote work as much as being in the office. At a previous employer, Murph recalls, I never knew when the executive team was going to be in the office, and that was intentional.... That meant that all of our workflows had to work on days that they were not there too. When executives work outside the office frequently, it sends the signal that you dont need to come to the office to progress your career and that there is actual inclusivity and flexibility, Murph says. Thats an enormous relief for elder caregivers, working parents, military spouses, and others who might feel pressured to prioritize face time at the office over family. If the executives are [working remotely], then you can as well. Its a huge signal, and I dont think a lot of executives appreciate that. Both Murph and Pullan believe that the office should no longer be the epicenter of power. If all the senior people are having face-to-face meetings or working in-person in a building, then that office is seen as the center for decision making, and people will want to be close to it whereas if senior people are actually working remotely, thats another way of getting past this bias, because people just forget about trying to be seen by senior leadership, Pullan says. Technology is key Companies around the world discovered at the start of the pandemic that various collaboration technologies were essential to their teams ability to communicate and work together productively. While videoconferencing software saw the biggest upsurge and attracted the most attention, collaboration tools of all stripes proved important. Unsurprisingly, Ashenden says collaboration technology will continue to be crucial because she believes hybrid workers will become the default in most organizations. As a result, the digital collaboration environment will inevitably become the one constant that ensures everyone is connected and up to date with progress, whether they are in the office, at home, in the field, or traveling. Processes that have been automated and digitized won't go back to being manual again, and the new wave of processes that emerge as people learn the ropes in a hybrid working environment will be digitally native, she says. This in itself is a big shift and will help drive further transformational ideas and innovation. Ashenden also notes that while it might be tempting for executives to focus on cost savings from not having a permanent desk for everyone, they shouldnt ignore investments in areas such as technology and training to ensure that employee needs are met and the company remains an enjoyable and productive place to work. Pullan urges company leaders to consider using collaboration tools and platforms that support people working together asynchronously. While you can all do things at the same time get together on a scheduled video call, for example letting people work at a time that is best for them is really important. Being able to work on a document collaboratively, or perhaps putting ideas all over a virtual whiteboard, something where people can do it at their own time, can often be much more productive, she says. Help remote employees experience a bit of office life Including remote employees in celebrations and other social occasions isnt always easy, but it goes a long way toward making them feel part of the team. If youre going to have a team social, for goodness sake, dont just do a standard Zoom meeting! says Pullan. Something that people have been doing that has been working quite well is sending out curated little boxes of goodies to remote workers on such occasions, she says. Remote workers also appreciate it when office perks are extended to them, Pullan says. While workers cant take advantage of an on-site gym or subsidized cafeteria, they might enjoy a company-sponsored local gym membership or the occasional lunch delivery. Better yet, bring remote workers to the office (when its safe to do so). At a previous employer, Murph recalls, When we would have big celebrations, say we hit this major milestone or had an end-of-year party, for example, the team would budget for flying all of the remote people into the office. This meant the remote people always felt supported, like there was intention or budget given to leveraging travel as a point of culture building. That was so important. Everyone really appreciated the office, because it wasnt the place where you stayed late grinding on a project; it was the place where you got to see people and ask about their families and their lives. When remote workers do come into the office, make it special, Pullan advises. Perhaps you say, instead of sitting in a darkened room looking at PowerPoint, which is what far too many team meetings have been in the past, were going to spend the limited time that we have together and create those bonds by going out and having a long lunch instead. Change your mindset or be left behind In the post-pandemic workplace, companies around the globe will have to figure out how to evolve and become more inclusive of where people work, Murph says. What youre going to see coming out of this are companies that allow remote work and those that support remote work, he says. The former group wont put any effort into making remote work effective or efficient, while the latter group will make sure people have great work experiences wherever they are. They will invest in the equipment, software tools, training, and development programs to make sure their employees have great work experiences and successful outcomes wherever they are. Top talent will choose the companies that support [hybrid work], says Murph. I predict a pretty significant shifting of talent coming out of this, because theres no putting the genie back in the bottle. Employees now know what they can expect and what they can demand. To ensure their organizations dont get left behind, IT leaders cant put off implementing well-thought-out, permanent policies for remote and hybrid work any longer. Learn lessons from across the business, share best practices, celebrate successes, and find your champions, says Ashendon. We've been talking about what comes next for more than a year now, but hopefully we will soon reach the point where we can build out of this crisis stronger. Richard Cline Knight was born on December 29, 1942, to Iris Erlene and A.J. Knight in Corsicana, Tx. He went home to be with our Lord and Savior on August 6, 2021. Richard served in the United States Navy for 4 years and was a Vietnam Veteran. He retired from telecommunications after 30 year Government-sponsored hackers, who carry out cyberespionage campaigns, invest more resources than ever to find new ways of attacking the cloud. One of their preferred targets is Microsoft 365, previously called Office 365, a platform used by an increasing number of organizations of all sizes. From an intelligence collector's perspective, it makes sense to target it. "Microsoft 365 is a gold mine," Doug Bienstock, incident response manager at Mandiant, tells CSO. "The vast majority of [an organization's] data is probably going to be in Microsoft 365, whether it's in the contents of individual emails, or files shared on SharePoint or OneDrive, or even Teams messages." Companies that rely heavily on Microsoft 365 tend to adopt it in almost every aspect of their work, from document writing to project planning, task automation, or data analytics. Some also use Azure Active Directory as the authentication provider for their employees, and attackers know that. "Getting access to [Active Directory] can, by extension, grant you access to other cloud properties," Josh Madeley, incident response manager at Mandiant, tells CSO. During their recent talk at Black Hat USA 2021, Madeley and Bienstock presented some of the novel techniques used by nation-state hackers in campaigns targeting data stored within Microsoft 365. The researchers showed how APT groups have evolved to evade detection and extract hundreds of gigabytes of data from their victims. "These attackers are investing a lot of time and effort into learning about Microsoft 365," Bienstock says. "They know way more about Microsoft 365 than your admin does. They know more about it than probably some employees at Microsoft." Avoiding detection In the past year, APT groups have become better at avoiding detection, employing a few techniques that were never seen before. "One of those is downgrading user licenses from a Microsoft 365 E5 license to an E3 license," Madeley says. It typically appears early in an attack. The E5 license offers identity and app management, information protection, as well as threat protections. This helps organizations detect and investigate threats and notice malicious activity both on-premises and in the cloud environment, features the E3 license lacks. "A lot of the advanced telemetry that more mature organizations rely on for detection comes with that E5 license," Madeley says. "So, while the threat actor may be saving the victim organizations money, they're actually really easily disabling the most effective detection mechanisms that organizations have." Mailbox folder permission abuse The two researchers saw APT groups use license downgrading together with an older technique that has been around since 2017, mailbox folder permission abuse, first described by Beau Bullock at Black Hills Information Security in the context of red teaming. "There's an analogy between folder permissions on your desktop and folder permissions in a mailbox," Madeley says. "You can assign permissions to users for specific mailboxes or specific folders within your mailbox." A person can, for instance, have read access to another person's special projects mailbox folder if the two are working on those projects together. Or, someone could give their colleagues read access to their calendar folder to schedule meetings more efficiently. Mailbox folder permissions can be assigned as individual permissions or as roles, which are essentially collections of folder permissions. The threat actors will be after roles that have read permission, such as author, editor, owner, publishing author, or reviewer. They will try to apply them to users they control. One threat actor leveraged the concept of the default user. If the default permission level is set to anything other than "none," then every user in that organization can potentially access that folder or mailbox. The same goes for another special user, anonymous, which is designed for external, unauthenticated users. Madeley saw a threat actor assigning the default user reviewer role, which has read permission. Once this modification is made, any authenticated user can access that mailbox folder. This technique, while not new, is still leveraged by at least one APT group because it's difficult to detect. It can be effective in the context of license downgrading. "If you don't have that mailbox auditing that comes with your Microsoft 365 E5 license, you're not going to see the corresponding mailbox access of these random users on the network," Madeley says. "To detect that, you have to enumerate the mailbox folder permissions on every mailbox in the environment, which sounds great if you have 50 people in a company, but if you have a tenant of 210,000 users, that can take weeks of running scripts." A few other methods can detect this. For example, admins could look for EWS sign-ins that are used to access the modified folders. "In Azure Active Directory, these are going to be coded as non-interactive sign-ins," Madeley says. Alternatively, if MailItemsAccessed auditing is enabled, admins can look for any patterns on non-owner access to their high-value mailboxes. Hijacking enterprise applications and app registrations Another technique recently adopted by APT groups is the abuse of applications. Both app registrations (initial instance of an applicationapps local to the organization) and enterprise applications (a "copy" of the app registration that lives in the consuming tenantglobal apps that can be used within an organization) are called applications. "Microsoft gives you this idea of registering an application that can then make API calls to the Graph API," Madeley says. "That can be simple things like create a new user, read a message. Say you want to build a third-party mail application that you can read and write messages with. All the API calls are there for you to interact with a mailbox." When threat actors attempt to hijack enterprise applications, they would first look for an existing application that was legitimately configured. "Then, they would add credentials; they would add their own API keys to these applications that they could then use to authenticate to Microsoft 365," Madeley says. Next, they would ensure that that application has the permissions to access the resources they wanted, such as reading mail. "If they didn't find an application that satisfied that requirement, they would then go ahead and add the permissions," Madeley says. Once they did that, they were in. "We would see them authenticate every single day, Monday to Friday, read the last 24 hours of a particular user's mailbox," the researcher says. "Then log into the next user, read the last 24 hours of mailbox and then ship it off to their own servers where they can then review the contents and see what's interesting to them." The APT groups the Mandiant researchers followed only targeted a handful of relevant users, not all of them. In most cases, there were between six to ten highly valuable people that were monitored. The largest number of targeted mailboxes the researchers saw in an organization was 93. Madeley says, putting things into context, that this technique can have a broad impact. "If I develop an enterprise application that I share with you, or I create a blueprint of that application that other companies can use and might buy, and that application gets compromised, it also means that the threat actor can access your tenant," he says. "So, it's not just protecting your own data. You also have to worry about the source of the enterprise applications that you're getting, making sure that your vendors' security is on par." Golden SAML Advanced nation-state actors who carry out cyberespionage campaigns are not just interested in getting into an environment. They also want to do it stealthily and maintain access for as long as possible. Here's where the technique called Golden SAML comes in. It was used by several APT groups, including UNC2452/DarkHalo, which was responsible for the supply chain attack that Trojanized the SolarWinds Orion software updated to distribute the SUNBURST malware. The attack, of which FireEye was one of the many victims, was disclosed in December 2020. SAML stands for Security Assertion Markup Language and is an open standard used for exchanging authentication and authorization between parties. It was designed to simplify the authentication process, enabling single sign-on (SSO), allowing access to multiple web applications with just one set of login credentials. "Golden SAML is basically a way for the threat actor to be able to log into Microsoft 365 as any user that they want," Bienstock says. "They can bypass any additional security requirements that the organization might have." To explain how powerful this technique is, he used an analogy. "If you want to make a passport, you need something very specific that is locked down by the government in some office," he says. "But once you get your passport machine, there's nothing stopping you from making a passport for anyone that you want. The Golden SAML is very similar to that. The threat actors are going after a particular system on the network; they're stealing a private key. Then once they have that private key, they can create authentication tokens for any user that they want." In the Golden SAML technique, attackers steal the Active Directory Federation Services (AD FS) token-signing key. (AD FS is a feature for Windows Servers that enables federated identity and access management.) The technique is handy for an attacker when they are after specific users, and they want to access things that only those users may have, like specific files on their SharePoint or OneDrive. Traditionally, to do the Golden SAML technique, hackers need to compromise the AD FS server in the environment where this private key is, which could be difficult because that server should be well protected, but Bienstock and Madeley says there's a way to steal it remotely. Attackers still need to be on the company's private network, but with the right level of privilege, they don't necessarily need to compromise that specific server. Instead, they can carry out their attack from anywhere. To keep the analogy, it's "like using magic to teleport the passport machine out of the office," Bienstock says. "You can now do it without actually needing to step inside the passport office or needing to run code on the AD FS server," he added. "[This technique] is potentially valuable because it lowers the barrier for success by a bit, and it's a good deal more stealthy to carry out." This type of attack, which allows an attacker to steal the key remotely, has not been seen in the wild yet, but the two researchers says it's a "natural extension" of the current technique, and organizations should prepare to defend against it. Active Directory Federation Services replication Large organizations that are geographically dispersed can have more than one AD FS server. They might have two, three or four in a farm configuration. By default, all the farm nodes use the same configurations and the same token signing certificate. "Each server is going to have a private keythe passport machinebut they need a way of keeping that in sync," Bienstock says. "To do that, there's a replication service. That service operates over the network. Different servers can talk to each other." The attackers could pretend to be the AD FS server that is performing replication, which is the primary AD FS server. "In some ways, [this technique is] very similar to a DCSync attack," Bienstock says. "[In a DCSync attack], you are pretending to be a domain controller to get authentication information on the domain. In this technique, we are pretending to be another AD FS server to obtain sensitive information from the legitimate servers on the network." Madeley says that he and his colleague have focused on AD FS because it's one of the more common SAML providers used by organizations targeted by APT threat actors. Yet, they've seen other SAML providers being targeted, too. "It's important to note that the principle of the Golden SAML attack is not limited to AD FS," Madeley says. "If you compromise the signing certificates for any of the SAML providers, you're going to have the same issue." Big data exfiltration In the past, ATP groups that targeted Microsoft 365/Office 365 mostly searched for specific keywords and then downloaded files and emails that matched their request. Now, the researchers noticed that they tend to exfiltrate hundreds of gigabytes of data. "Threat actors are, for the most part, just downloading everything in that person's mailbox," Bienstock says. "The speculation that I have personally is: This, maybe, speaks to a big data approach. Rather than performing the searches where the data lives, why not just download as much data as possible, and then they'll do the searches later, because maybe their collection requirements change, they need new keywords." This approach would allow them to make the most of a collection of data. They won't need to compromise an organization again if they have to get new information related to another keyword or another secret project. Gov. Ned Lamont on Friday issued an executive order requiring Connecticut nursing home workers to be vaccinated against COVID-19. The order takes effect immediately and will require staff at all long term care facilities to receive their first dose by Sept. 7. Facilities that dont comply risk fines of up to $20,000 per day. Now that vaccines are widely available and scientifically proven to be safe and the most effective method for preventing hospitalization and death, it would be absolutely irresponsible for anyone working in a long-term care facility to not receive this protection that could prevent widespread infection among those who are most vulnerable from dying of this communicable disease, some of whom for medical reasons cannot be vaccinated themselves, Lamont said in a statement I applaud the staff of our long-term care facilities for everything they do to protect our older populations. The order applies to staff at nursing homes, residential care homes, agencies that provide staff to long-term care facilites, intermediate care facilities for individuals with intellectual disabilities, managed residential communities and chronic disease hospitals. It also applies to outside contractors and volunteers that have physical access to residents. The order, signed by Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz as acting governor while Lamont is on vacation, only allows medical or religious exemptions to the vaccine mandate. It came one day after Lamont signed an executive order, allowing local municipal leaders to issue their own mask rules, and requiring weekly testing of unvaccinated staff at nursing homes. The governors office believes state statutes and the order give the nursing homes authority to terminate employees who refuses a vaccination and who do not have either a medical or religious exemption. A little more than half of all nursing homes in the state have less than 75 percent of staff vaccinated, according to figures released by the governors office Friday. Less than a quarter have more than 85 percent of staff vaccinated. The move comes as nursing homes have seen an uptick of COVID-19 infections and deaths among residents after weeks of low cases. Out of nearly 19,000 residents in the state, there were 50 infections and three deaths reported in the two weeks between July 21 and Aug. 3. That included an outbreak of 17 cases in Wallingford. In the two weeks before, six cases and no new deaths were reported across the state. The governor has resisted issuing renewed restrictions in response to the pandemic, even as cases and the number of people hospitalized for the disease have grown, driven by the highly infectious delta variant. I think weve learned going back 16 months that nursing homes can be an area of great risk, and there were a lot of fatalities, Lamont said. The move comes as several surrounding states have already issued similar mandates. Massachusetts will require all nursing home workers to be vaccinated by Oct. 10, unless they have medical or religious exemptions. Massachusetts officials said facilities will be fined $50 a day for each worker who is not vaccinated by the deadline. In New York, Gov. Andrew Cuomo has issued mandates requiring hospital and transit workers to be vaccinated by Labor Day. And in New York City, proof of vaccination will be required for indoor dining, gyms and other events beginning later this month. Connecticuts nursing homes and other long-term care facilities were hit early during the pandemic, often accounting for a majority of the states deaths from the virus. The states data shows nearly 3,900 of the states nearly 8,300 COVID-related deaths involved residents of nursing homes. Connecticut nursing homes were some of the first prioritized for vaccines when shots became available late last year, with staff and residents vaccinated through a federal partnership with CVS and Walgreens. But state leaders said soon afterward that vaccinations were lagging among some nursing home staff. Industry leaders appeared to support mandated vaccines. Connecticut nursing homes support the governors staff vaccination mandate policy, said Matthew Barrett, president and CEO of the Connecticut Association of Health Care Facilities. When implemented on a wide scale, the staff vaccine mandate will provide maximum protection for all residents, staff and others in our communities from the known and substantial risks of COVID-19. He said the order should apply beyond nursing homes to other health care providers as well. The organization has called for long-term care facilities to issue their own vaccine mandates, but said doing so could exacerbate existing staffing issues in the industry. We renew our call for state and federal governments to enact solutions to help address these long-standing workforce challenges, the organization said in a statement. Genesis HealthCare, one of the largest nursing home operators in the state, said Monday it will require staff, vendors and outside care providers to start vaccination by Aug. 23. Despite vaccination rates above the national average, the growing spread of the delta variant makes clear that we need to increase our vaccination rates substantially to better protect our patients, residents and employees, the company said in a statement. While we would have greatly preferred a strictly voluntary process, our commitment to health and safety outweighs concerns about imposing a requirement. Lori Mayer, a spokeswoman for the company, said ahead of the announcement Genesis would be very supportive if the order required all nursing home staff to be vaccinated. A spokesman for SEIU 1199 New England, the states largest union of health care workers, declined to comment ahead of the announcement, saying the details of the mandate were not yet known. The union is continuing to strongly encourage workers to get vaccinated as soon as possible, union spokesperson Pedro Zayas said. We have done a lot of outreach to our members and employers since December 2020 to educate and facilitate vaccination in this workforce. McLEAN, Va. (AP) It came as a surprise to Mottrom Drive resident Beau Fitzpatrick that he lives on a street named for a Confederate soldier. Really? I always assumed it was named for an apple, or apple juice, he said, referring to the Mott's brand of apple products. In fact the street in McLean, Virginia, not far from the nation's capital, is named for Mottrom Dulany Ball, a captain in the Fairfax cavalry who was among the first Confederate officers taken prisoner in the Civil War. He became a Republican after the war and later a founding father of Alaska. Mottrom Drive is among scores of side streets identified last year by a Fairfax County commission tasked with ferreting out forgotten names of the Confederacy. Northern Virginia, which saw some of the biggest battles of the Civil War and for decades was an indisputable part of the South, is now one of the wealthiest regions in the country with waning ties to its Southern roots. As such, it has been swifter than other spots in the South to rid itself of Confederate names and memorials that dominated the region. A database maintained by the Southern Poverty Law Center shows nearly 2,300 roads, schools and monuments linked to the Confederacy spread across 23 states. In recent years, fewer than 400 have been removed or renamed. In northern Virginia, the trend began in 2017, several years before the most recent wave of name changes. Fairfax County's former J.E.B. Stuart High School named after the Confederate general is now called Justice High. Fairfax and Loudoun counties are also continuing to pursue changes for names of major highways running through their territory. In Fairfax, the effort is focused on Lee Highway and on Lee-Jackson Highway, which are named for generals Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson. Loudoun County solicited the public for new names for John Mosby Highway, named for a Confederate cavalry commander who conducted raids throughout northern Virginia, as well as Harry Byrd Highway, named after a 20th century politician who led the state's massive resistance campaign against federal demands to desegregate public schools. But the counties are taking a different approach to the many side streets in the region that also carry Confederate names, both well known and long forgotten. Fairfax is leaving it up to residents to seek a name change on those streets identified by its history commission. So far, not a single street has come forward with a petition to do so. Jeff McKay, chairman of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, said he doesn't see the inaction as an endorsement of the Confederacy. We've raised awareness about where these streets are, and we're leaving it up to the petition process to allow those who are motivated to press for a change, he said. He said he suspects a majority of county residents oppose naming streets for members of the Confederacy, but that doesn't necessarily translate into wanting to change your own street name. He acknowledged it's a hassle to do so, requiring changing the plats on file with the county and a whole host of address-change notifications a resident must make to all the banks, businesses and utilities with whom they conduct their daily affairs. Neighboring Loudoun County, meanwhile, is not leaving the decision up to its residents. County staffers in Loudoun identified a smaller number of side streets, fewer than a dozen, that are linked to the Confederacy. A formal vote on whether to change the names is scheduled for September, but at a meeting this month, a majority of board members made it clear they intend to change all of the names. Indeed, they sent county staff back to find out how much it would cost to do even deeper research to identify even more streets that might possibly carry a Confederate or segregationist connection that has thus far gone undetected. Koran Saines, a county supervisor who supports the name changes, said the issue is a simple one. You're a part of the Confederacy, you should not be recognized with the honor of a street name. I'm sorry to tell you that. If the Confederacy had their way, three of us would not be sitting here, said Saines, one of three African Americans on the board of supervisors, at a July 6 meeting. On Early Avenue in western Loudoun County, longtime resident Bertie Jones is unhappy with the change. I think it's a crock of bull, said Jones, who has lived on the street since 1965. Jones said she knows that her street is named for Confederate Gen. Jubal Early, who led a campaign through Union territory in 1864, demanding ransoms from towns to avoid setting them ablaze and menacing the nation's capital. But she's not particularly bothered by it. Does this mean that everyone with the last name Early is going to have to change their name? It just makes more division than anything, she said. And back in Fairfax County, Fitzpatrick said he doesn't see a need to rename Mottrom Drive. He said he understands the rationale for changing major highways named for prominent Confederate figures, but doesn't see the point in erasing an already forgotten figure from a rarely traveled side street. I feel like there's a middle ground, he said. DERBY LINE, Vermont (AP) Canada lifted its prohibition on Americans crossing the border to shop, vacation or visit on Monday while the United States is maintaining similar restrictions for Canadians, part of a bumpy return to normalcy from COVID-19 travel bans. U.S. citizens and legal residents must be both fully vaccinated and test negative for COVID-19 within three days to get across one of the worlds longest and busiest land borders, and Canadian officials warn they won't sacrifice safety for shorter border waits. Travelers also must fill out a detailed application on the arriveCAN app before crossing. On the first morning that U.S. citizens were allowed to cross into Canada again, it was slow going in the tiny border town of Derby Line, Vermont, where long stretches passed without any cars headed into downtown Stanstead, Quebec. In Buffalo, New York, Lisa and Jim Docherty got COVID-19 tests at a pharmacy for their first visit to their Ridgeway, Ontario, cottage since the summer of 2019. The Hilton, South Carolina couple, originally from Buffalo, has had the cottage more than 40 years. Lisa Doherty said she looked forward to "just mentally making sure everythings OK. Its just been a part of my life because my grandma had a cottage since I was 10, so just kind of a feeling like returning to normal," she said. The pharmacy clinic was charging $140 for same-day tests and $125 for delivery of results in 24 to 48 hours. At this point, well just do whatever we have to do, Lisa Docherty said before heading in for a nasal swab. By early afternoon, passenger cars were waiting more than an hour at the Rainbow Bridge to enter Niagara Falls, Ontario, from Niagara Falls, New York. There were no delays at two other western New York crossings, the Peace Bridge in Buffalo and the Lewiston-Queenston Bridge in Lewiston. In Washington state at the Peace Arch Border Crossing and Historical State Park, three lanes of vehicles with Washington state license plates waited to cross the border Monday morning. Wait times were about 30 minutes at 11 a.m. Wendy and Fred Chen, who live near the park said they went to the border to see the crossings were going. They said friends crossed at 1 a.m. Monday and waited two hours and that border agents thoroughly checked everyones test results, vaccination cards and identification. They used to go into Canada weekly before the pandemic to enjoy city life in Vancouver, British Columbia, and take a break from their rural Washington state surroundings. It was so easy before, Wendy Chen said. The Detroit Windsor Tunnel reopened to no lines for vaccinated visitors to Canada. About two-thirds of its traffic halted during the pandemic, according to Neil Belitsky, chief executive of the tunnel, which runs beneath the Detroit River and handled about 4 million vehicles a year. The U.S.-Canada border has been closed to nonessential travel since March 2020 to try to slow the spread of the coronavirus. The U.S. has said it will extend its closure to all Canadians making nonessential trips until at least Aug. 21, which also applies to the Mexican border. But the Biden administration is beginning to make plans for a phased reopening. The main requirement would be that nearly all foreign visitors to the U.S. will have to be vaccinated against the coronavirus. But Canadians aren't waiting for reciprocal rules. Garnet Health, an Essex, Vermont-based company that offers same-day COVID-19 testing, has seen the number of tests it performs more than triple in recent weeks. The increase coincides with Canadas decision last month to drop a two-week quarantine requirement for its citizens when they return home from the U.S. I imagine once that border opens, we are going to see lots of people, said Chelsea Sweeney, the companys director of business development. Joel Villanueva, owner of Primo's Mexican Grill in White Rock, British Columbia, about 2.5 miles (4 kilometers) north of the U.S. border, is more than ready for Americans to return. Lets get this thing going, he said. A lot of our customers are from the United States, and we are literally minutes from across the border." Villanueva said he supports people coming who are fully vaccinated and doesn't think there will be a rush of Americans initially. Near the border in Washington state, Blaine Chamber of Commerce board member Carroll Solomon called the reopening a step in the right direction for businesses. For people who need to get up there (to Canada) for family reasons, it's wonderful, said Solomon, who also volunteers at the Blaine Visitor Information Center. Steve Blake, who lives in Stanstead, Quebec just across the border from Derby Line, Vermont, is hoping his siblings living in the United States will be able to visit Canada soon so they can hold a memorial service for their mother who died in early 2020. But given the requirements, he doesn't know how quickly that will happen. Id like it to be sooner rather than later, he said. Sue Crumley of Abbotsford, British Columbia, crossed into the U.S. side of the Peace Arch to meet her family on Monday, including her 2-month-old grandson Silas, whom she had never met. Canadians and Americans have been meeting at the park, located on the border in the U.S. and in Canada, during the pandemic without much interference from border agents. Crumley said she knew the border was opening to Americans but said it was her understanding that her daughter and son-in-law would have to pay about $180 per COVID-19 test and opted to meet at the park instead. Her granddaughter Sophia, 4, started running toward Crumley as soon as she saw her grandmother. We FaceTime for hours but its not the same, Crumley said. I couldnt wait any longer. ___ Baumann reported from Blaine, Washington. Associated Press writers Carolyn Thompson in Buffalo, N.Y., and Corey Williams in Detroit contributed. NEW YORK (AP) The leader of Time's Up, the #MeToo-era organization founded by Hollywood women to fight sexual harassment, resigned under fire Monday for advising Gov. Andrew Cuomo's administration behind the scenes in its effort to discredit one of Cuomo's accusers. Time's Up said in a tweet that it agreed with Roberta Kaplan that stepping down as chair of the group's board of directors was the right and appropriate thing to do. A report issued last week by New Yorks attorney general concluded that Cuomo sexually harassed 11 women. The allegations have thrown the Democrat's career into extreme peril, threatening him with the possibility of both impeachment and criminal charges. Kaplan, a women's rights advocate who has a law practice of her own, counseled the administration last winter when Cuomo was hit with the first of the harassment allegations, leveled by a former economic development adviser, Lindsey Boylan. Both Kaplan and Alphonso David, leader of the Human Rights Campaign, were consulted over a letter the Cuomo administration had drafted attacking Boylan's credibility. Kaplan and David agreed to review the letter. According to the attorney general's report, Kaplan told the administration that with some adjustments, the letter would be fine to send out. David, a former counsel to Cuomo, declined to sign the letter but agreed to contact other people to see if they would. Other advisers, though, said it was a bad idea, and the letter was never widely disseminated. Kaplan's role in advising the Cuomo administration stunned sexual assault victims and others. Several past backers of Time's Up sent an open letter Monday demanding an investigation, charging that the organization's leaders align themselves with abusers at the expense of survivors. TIMES UP should be ashamed, the letter said. Activist Alison Turkos, who organized the letter, said sexual assault victims feel they have been abandoned by purported advocates who were secretly working for the other side. How are you telling survivors, Were a safe space for you, come to us, but behind closed doors you are handing abusers a playbook of how to cover up and retaliate against your victims? asked Turkos, whose letter was signed by dozens of self-described victims, including Cuomo accuser Charlotte Bennett. In her resignation letter, Kaplan said she had reluctantly come to the conclusion that an active law practice is no longer compatible with serving on the Time's Up board. She added: Unfortunately, recent events have made it clear that even our apparent allies in the fight to advance women can turn out to be abusers" a reference to Cuomo's public support of the #MeToo movement, which included his signing of sweeping new protections in 2019 against sexual harassment. In addition to advising the Cuomo administration, Kaplan had more recently done legal work representing Melissa DeRosa, a top aide to Cuomo who resigned Sunday after the attorney general's report portrayed her as playing a central role in the effort to retaliate against Boylan. Meanwhile, the Human Rights Campaign said it is launching an investigation of the appropriateness of David's actions. David, in a statement Monday, said he welcomed that review amid what he called multiple inaccuracies (that) have been circulating. He said he only learned of the governor's alleged misconduct from the Attorney Generals report, and said he neither signed nor circulated the letter. He did acknowledge turning over an electric copy of a counseling memo regarding a state employee" after he left government, but said he was legally obligated to do so. I have called for his resignation and reiterate that call today, he said of Cuomo. Kaplan in 2018 co-founded Times Up Legal Defense Fund, which helps women who have been subjected to sexual harassment and discrimination in the workplace. She successfully represented Edith Windsor before the U.S. Supreme Court in 2013, winning the case that struck down laws against gay marriage across the U.S. She later published a book about the case, Then Comes Marriage. Kaplan also represents writer E. Jean Carroll, who filed a defamation lawsuit against Donald Trump in 2019 related to her claim that the former president raped her in a department store dressing room in the 1990s. Trump has denied Carroll's allegations. Carroll supported Kaplan in a tweet Monday. Robbie Kaplan is my attorney and will always be my attorney. She over-turned DOMA which ushered in Gay Rights. Shes fighting the Nazis in Charlottesville. She is leading the battle for gender equality in womens sports. She is the best lawyer in America!! she wrote. ___ Associated Press reporter Maryclaire Dale contributed to this report from Philadelphia. Kudos to Gov. Ned Lamont and his team for expanding the Governors Innovation Fellowship Program statewide in an effort to retain more recent college graduates in Connecticut. Connecticut has consistently ranked towards the bottom in the nation for the percent of recent graduates staying in state to work after college. However, to truly make an impact in ensuring Connecticut has the talent pipeline needed to meet the needs of the states employers, there must be an even greater focus on providing access to post-secondary education opportunities in state for Connecticut high school students. Research shows that 70 percent of Connecticuts working-age adults should have some form of post-secondary credential by 2025 if we are to meet the needs of our modernizing economy. Across the board, whether students are graduating from UConn, CSCU or a private, nonprofit institution of higher education, data from the states data sharing initiative, P20 WIN, shows that Connecticut residents that go to school in state are very likely to be found working here after receiving their degree. For example, at the University of Saint Joseph, nearly 80 percent of our students who are Connecticut residents were found working in state two years after graduation. State scholarship recipients are even more likely to be found working here after graduation. Too many high school graduates are leaving Connecticut to pursue college out of state. Unlike its immediate neighbors, Connecticut has a net loss of college-going students annually, of nearly 4,300 students. One way to reverse this trend is to reinvest in the states financial aid program in ways that allow students to use their aid to attend the college or university in the state that best matches their career goals and potential. In the last 10 years, Connecticut has seen the largest decrease in state funding of financial aid in the Northeast, with the percentage decrease at least double the decrease in other states. Between 2008 and 2019, need-based aid in Connecticut was reduced by nearly 60 percent. In Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Rhode Island, funding increased by 30 percent during this same time. We now rank last in the region in our investment in need-based financial aid as a percentage of our overall higher education spending, just 3 percent, compared to Pennsylvania (22 percent), New York (15 percent) and Massachusetts (6 percent). This is leading to a tremendous amount of unmet need: prepandemic, nearly 40,000 Connecticut students enrolled in a Connecticut institution of higher education were eligible to receive the state grant, yet only 11,000 grants are awarded annually. Allocating a percentage of higher education funding in the form of need-based aid directly to students to take to the institution that is the best fit allows them to leverage state dollars with institutional dollars from colleges and universities that are confident they will complete their degrees successfully. It makes it possible for them to choose to commute or live on campus depending on their work and family commitments. Perhaps most importantly, it is the surest way for students to complete their degrees. In 2017, white, Black and Hispanic students all had higher graduation rates from Connecticut independent colleges and universities than on average in the U.S., with a significant six-point benefit for Hispanic students. Compared to the average experience across the country, students who are low-income (measured by eligibility for the federal Pell grant) are much more likely to earn a degree if they are able to exercise their decision to attend an independent college or university in Connecticut. At the University of Saint Joseph, the graduation rate of Pell-eligible students who make-up 40 percent of our undergraduate students is almost 10 percentage points higher than the average graduation rate for Pell-eligible students in the U.S. The percentage of students at Connecticut independent colleges and universities who received Pell grants rose by 80 percent over the last 10 years. Pell grant recipients make up a larger percentage of the students enrolled at Connecticuts independent colleges than the University of Connecticut. Gov. Lamont and the Legislature have made some positive steps by committing $40 million of American Rescue Plan dollars to need-based financial aid over the next two years, nearly doubling the states investment for the next two years. However, there must be a strategy to sustain and increase this funding after the federal dollars run out. Our economy requires it. Rhona Free is president of University of Saint Joseph in West Hartford. Brewster Perkins is chairman of the University of Saint Joseph board of trustees. Cullman, AL (35055) Today Thunderstorms during the evening will give way to partly cloudy skies after midnight. Storms may contain strong gusty winds. Low 71F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 100%.. Tonight Thunderstorms during the evening will give way to partly cloudy skies after midnight. Storms may contain strong gusty winds. Low 71F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 100%. STORY LINK Pound Australian Dollar (GBP/AUD) Exchange Rate Soars as Aussie Struggles For Direction Pound (GBP) Finds Support as Scotland Eases Lockdown Restrictions The Pound has found itself supported against the Australian Dollar this morning as Scotlands coronavirus lockdown restrictions come to an end today. Much like the UK three weeks ago, Scotland has eased most of its lockdown restrictions on todays freedom day. Speaking to UK television this morning, First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon said: We should also feel positive about where we are right now. If we all behave with appropriate caution wearing our face coverings where required, continuing to keep a safe distance from people in other households even though its not a legal requirement then we hopefully can lift these restrictions and continue to see the virus stay under control. Wearing a face covering when we go to a shop or on public transport thats not something we want to be doing for longer than necessary but its a relatively small price to ask people to pay to allow us to interact properly with our families. Sterling investors will look towards any further domestic coronavirus developments today to continue to bolster the Pound. Australian Dollar (AUD) Sours on Weakening Global Market Mood The Australian Dollar (AUD) has struggled this morning as the strength in the US Dollar and weakening market mood does nothing to support the appeal of the risk-correlated Aussie. It comes as Australias Prime Minister Scott Morrisons approval rating has hit its lowest level since the pandemic began. Australia continues to struggle against its ongoing coronavirus situation as fewer than 23 percent of the population are fully vaccinated against the virus. Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews commented on the ongoing coronavirus outbreak and vaccine struggle, saying: Some of the hesitancy that we all seem to be talking about is perhaps not as real as we thought it was. I reckon there are millions of Victorians that are keen to get vaccinated and are just waiting for the supply to turn up, as am I. The biggest challenge at the moment is this is running wild in other parts of the country and while ever we have some movement that is essential there will always be some risk that it gets out. Thats why we wish our friends in Sydney all the best: their problem is our problem. Pound Australian Dollar Exchange Rate Outlook: Australian Business Confidence in Focus A lack of economic data from the UK will see Pound investors continuing to focus on any further domestic coronavirus developments in the coming days. Australia Dollar traders will be focusing on the latest Australian business confidence index to drive movement in the Aussie. If business confidence improves the Australian Dollar could find some much needed support during tomorrows session. Like this piece? Please share with your friends and colleagues: The Pound Australian Dollar (GBP/AUD) exchange rate has soared this morning as the Australian Dollar continues to struggle against a sour market mood and the strength of the US Dollar.Despite a lack of economic data from the UK, Sterling continues to rise as Scotlands freedom day from coronavirus arrives. At the time of writing the GBP/AUD pairing are trending around the AU$1.8924 level. International Money Transfer? Ask our resident FX expert a money transfer question or try John's new, free, no-obligation personal service! ,where he helps every step of the way, ensuring you get the best exchange rates on your currency requirements. TAGS: Pound Australian Dollar Forecasts EU & NATO Agree To Confront The Chinese Cyber Threat An alliance of NATO members, the European Union, Australia, New Zealand and Japan will confront the threat posed by Chinese state-sponsored cyber attacks. The group will share intelligence on cyber threats and collaborate on network defenses and security, according to a senior Biden administration official. In its first joint action, the alliance will publicly blame Chinas Ministry of State Security (MSS) for a cyber attack on Microsoft Exchange earlier this year, which is believed to have hit at least 30,000 American organisations and hundreds of thousands more worldwide. The attack was carried out by criminal contract hackers working for the MSS who also engage in cyber-enabled extortion, crypto jacking and ransomware, the official said. Also, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, National Security Agency and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) released a new advisory listing 50 tactics, techniques and procedures that Chinese state-sponsored hackers employ. A Chinese espionage network dubbed Hafnium was named by Microsoft as the attack group. The delay in naming China was partly to give investigators time to assemble the evidence to prove that the Hafnium hackers were on the Chinese state payroll, the official said. It was also important for the United States to act in concert with its allies when it made the public attribution, said the official. At a time when cyber warfare is becoming the front line in a global power struggle between democracies and autocratic states, the new cybersecurity alliance could become a model for future efforts to confront transnational threats. The formation of the alliance is intended to build on President Bidens effort earlier this summer to rally support among NATO and EU allies for a more confrontational approach to China and comes after a number of economic and diplomatic sanctions that the Biden administration has imposed on Beijing this year, in response to alleged human rights abuses in Hong Kong and in Xinjiang province. Recently, the US sanctioned seven Chinese officials in response to the ongoing crackdown on Hong Kongs democratic institutions. The newly launched cybersecurity alliance is focused on cooperative security and threat alerts and not on retaliation. The White House has raised the Microsoft attacks with senior members of the Chinese government making clear that the Peoples Republic of China's (PRC) actions threaten security, confidence, and stability in cyberspace... Were not ruling out further actions to hold [China] accountable, said the senior official, but were also aware that no one action can change the PRCs behaviour, and neither can one country acting on its own. So, we really focused initially in bringing other countries along with us. China Is To Strengthen Cyber Security Regulation China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology has published a draft three-year action plan to develop the country's cyber security industry, the market value of all the firms in the sector will be 250 billion yuan ($38.6 billion) by 2023. Residents in east Chinas Shanghai are witnessing and benefiting from the application of a good number of AI and other digital technologies catering for economic and social development, peoples livelihood and other fields, says the Chinese Peoples Daily Online. Chinas Guangdong province said it plans to build a common data platform in the Greater Bay area, including Hong Kong and Macau, and a data trading market in Shenzhen. Guangdong will consider establishing a data customs hub to review and supervise cross-border data, according to a Peoples Government of Guangdong Province statement. The Chinese government will promote the distribution and sharing of data between Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macau, and the use of data to benefit industrial development, social governance and services to people. CNBC: PinsentMasons: Xinhuanet: Chinese Foreign Ministry: People's Daily: Gov.Guangdong: Cyberspace Affairs Commission: CNBC: You Might Also Read: Chinas National Cyber Security Powerhouse Strategy: Cecil Howard Hafley Jr., "CJ" to those who knew and loved him best, was embraced by the arms of our Lord on Tuesday, August the 10th, 2021. Arrangements by independently owned and operated Dalton Funeral Home. Ryan Anderson/Daily Citizen-News Portraying Blue Ridge School's mascot was "on my bucket list," which led to Sylvia Smith's shot as the Jaguar, and "I never gave it back," the school's media paraprofessional said with a laugh. "The kids faces light up, so it's definitely a perk and a highlight." Ashland, KY (41101) Today Thunderstorms likely, especially this evening. Low near 70F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 80%.. Tonight Thunderstorms likely, especially this evening. Low near 70F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 80%. Ashland, KY (41101) Today Thunderstorms likely this evening. Then a chance of scattered thunderstorms overnight. Low 71F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 100%.. Tonight Thunderstorms likely this evening. Then a chance of scattered thunderstorms overnight. Low 71F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 100%. featured Police news Police: Woman burglarized house while family was away on vacation Being polite to staff can make a huge difference to their work day, but it seems these very rude customers didn't have much consideration. Retail and restaurant staff from around the globe have shared their experiences with ill-mannered customers who have made their jobs much more difficult. In a hilarious online gallery, collated by Nature World Today, unlucky employees shared tales of customers leaving minuscule tips, being intentionally difficult or leaving behind mess. B One worker shared a picture of a bra that had been left behind in a changing room, while other unfortunate employees were forced to clean up spit from a window and urine on the shop shelves. Here, Femail reveals the extremely impolite customers who are sure to spoil your work day. Don't give a spit! This unlucky employee was left to clear up spit from a mirror at their workplace Doesn't make cents! This American employee was left a tip of one just cent by a very cheap customer One for the clearance bin! This worker discovered that someone had left behind their old bra in place of one they stole Pee-ved! One very unfortunate employee was left having to clear up a jug of a stranger's urine that had been left on the shelves Try before you buy! This customer left behind a mess of spilled nail varnish on the shop shelves for an employee to clear up Lettuce know which you want! One employee was left to clear up lettuce leaves after watching a couple picking which they preferred and dropping the remaining leaves on the floor What the cluck! This very thoughtless customer left a frozen chicken to defrost in the middle of the cake aisle Not worth it! This grim customer left a tip behind in a glass with what appears to be spit in it It's meant to go outside! Adding insult to injury! This customer was left with a measly tip and an unkind note saying the were 'worth less' Just DON'T do it! This employee had to clear up trainers which a customer had scattered all over the floor Kim Kardashian West is expanding her fashion empire by bringing SKIMS to Australia for the first time ever. Luxury department store David Jones has confirmed the 40-year-old billionaire business mogul's iconic shapewear and loungewear brand will be available online and in select stores this spring. Co-founded in 2019 by Kardashian West and Jens Grede, the label specialises in technically constructed underwear that enhances curves and provides invisible support that sculpts the stomach, thighs and behind. The mother-of-four - who co-parents daughters North, 8, and Chicago, three, and sons Saint, five, and Psalm, two, with ex-husband, Kanye West - has won praise for her size-inclusive brand, which is stocked from XXS to 4XL, with tones to suit a range of ethnicities. Scroll down for video Kim Kardashian West (centre) is expanding her fashion empire by bringing SKIMS to Australia for the first time ever The mother-of-four (pictured, in a set from SKIMS Cozy Collection) has won praise for her size-inclusive brand, which is stocked from XXS to 4XL, with tones to suit a range of ethnicities David Jones will stock a wide variety of the brand's best-selling styles, including Seamless Sculpt, Core Control, Stretch Rib and the wildly popular Cozy Collection. Fans can get ahead of the crowd by registering their interest on a waiting list, which offers early access to shop online and priority access to book a spot at one of the exclusive SKIMS launch events across the country. 'I'm so excited to see SKIMS launch in Australia and can't wait for everyone to experience the brand in real life,' Kardashian West said. David Jones will stock a wide variety of the brand's best-selling styles, including Seamless Sculpt (pictured), Core Control, Stretch Rib and the wildly popular Cozy Collection She added: 'The quality, fit and feel of our collections are so important and I'm thrilled customers will now be able to experience that first-hand.' David Jones general manager for womenswear and accessories, Bridget Veals, agreed that there is much excitement about the upcoming release. 'As a brand that supports and celebrates size inclusivity and body positivity, we are absolutely thrilled to be the exclusive bricks and mortar retailer in Australia to stock SKIMS,' she said. 'We understand that SKIMS is already a highly sought-after brand in our market so we are delighted that we can make it accessible for our customers to try.' The Australian expansion is the latest move for Kardashian West (pictured), who last year signed a streaming deal with Disney-owned Hulu before the family's long-running series Keeping Up With the Kardashians ended on E! Overseas, SKIMS is available in department stores Nordstrom and Selfridges, as well as online from British luxury website, Net-a-porter. The brand is said to have sold more than three million items around the world since launching in 2019. The Australian expansion is the latest move for Kardashian West, who last year signed a streaming deal with Disney-owned Hulu before the family's long-running series Keeping Up With the Kardashians ended on E!. Kardashian is also working on the relaunch of her KKW Beauty brand and finalising her divorce from husband of seven years, Kanye West, after filing papers in February. Princess Charlene of Monaco has released a stylish new black and white image to promote her anti-poaching campaign from her South African bolthole as she prepares to spend yet another month apart from her family. The former Olympian, 43, has not been seen in Monaco since January and has spent the last few months holed up in her native South Africa while she receives treatment for a 'serious sinus infection' she developed while on a solo visit trip to the country. Meanwhile Prince Albert, 63, her husband of 10 years, remains in Monaco with their six-year-old twins Jacques and Gabriella, and continues to carry out royal duties alone. Most recently he was seen watching the swimming at Tokyo 2020. Princess Charlene, who has been well enough to conduct interviews from South Africa and has been seen out and about, yesterday shared an Instagram post promoting her anti-poaching initiative Chasing Zero, which aims to bring the number of animals killed by poachers down to zero. Princess Charlene of Monaco has released a stylish new black and white image to promote her anti-poaching campaign from her South African bolthole as she prepares to spend yet another month apart from her family The former Olympian, 43, has not been seen in Monaco since January and has spent the last few months holed up in her native South Africa while she receives treatment for a 'serious sinus infection' she developed while on a solo visit trip to the country (pictured) Meanwhile Prince Albert, 63, her husband of 10 years, remains in Monaco with their six-year-old twins Jacques and Gabriella, and continues to carry out royal duties alone. Pictured, the couple in Monaco in September 2020 She wrote: 'Rhino Horn is Not Cool! Let's unite under my #ChasingZero initiative and put an end to the atrocities that put our precious wildlife at risk.' The accompanying black and white shot shows Charlene pointing a finger towards the camera while holding her other hand balled up in a fist at her face. Some fans compared the shot to Mad Max and said she looked like her fellow South African Charlize Theron. Charlene's last formal engagement was on January 27 when she joined Albert for the Sainte Devote Ceremony in Monte Carlo. She has not been seen at home since. Instead she has been keeping followers updated through social media posts and media interviews, in which she has spoken candidly about missing her children and described her husband as her rock. The mother-of-two has posted Instagram snaps of her FaceTiming her children, showing how they are keeping in touch despite the distance. Princess Charlene, who has been well enough to conduct interviews from South Africa and has been seen out and about, yesterday shared an Instagram post promoting her anti-poaching initiative Chasing Zero. Pictured, a post shared on Instagram Speaking to South Africa Radio 702's host Mandy Wiener last week, the royal said: '[It's] very frustrating, terribly frustrating. I can't wait to get back to them, I can't wait to see my children.' Princess Charlene's life in the Monaco royal family 1987 - Bea Fiedler, a German topless model, claims her son Daniel was the prince's son. 1992 - An American national files a paternity lawsuit against the Prince, claiming that he was the father of her daughter, Jazmin Grace. 2000 - Princess Charlene meets Prince Albert at the Mare Nostrum swimming competition in Monte Carlo 2005 - In May, a former flight attendant claims that her youngest son, whom she named Alexandre Grimaldi-Coste, was Prince Albert's child. She states that his parentage had been proven by DNA tests requested by the Monegasque government. On 6 July, a few days before he was enthroned on 12 July, the Prince officially confirms via his lawyer Lacoste that Alexandre was his biological son. 2006 - After a DNA test confirmed the child's parentage, Albert admitted, via statement from his lawyer, that he is Jazmin Grace's father. 2010 - Princess Charlene and Prince Albert announce their engagement 2011 - Princess Charlene was said to have bolted two days before the royal wedding after hearing Prince Albert had a third love child during their relationship. It was alleged that Charlene tried to flee home to South Africa three times before her 'arranged marriage', at one point taking refuge inside her country's embassy in Paris. Monaco officials were said to have coaxed her back by brokering a deal between the Prince and his reluctant bride that she provide him with a legitimate heir. After that she would be free to leave of her own free will. During the wedding, Charlene was in floods of tears, while her husband looked on impassively. Later in the year, Princess Charlene confessed she felt 'very lonely' in Monaco 2012 - Princess Charlene was reported to be 'depressed' at her failure to provide her husband with a legitimate heir. 2014 - Pregnancy was announced in May. In December Charlene gave birth to twins Princess Gabriella and heir to the throne Prince Jacques. 2017 - Princess Charlene visits Africa, tells media: 'I am African and this is my heritage. It will always be. It's in my heart and in my veins.' 2019 - In a rare interview, Princess Charlene confessed it is 'sometimes hard to smile' and said the year had been 'very painful'In another interview, she said she found motherhood 'exhausting' 2020 - Charlene debuts a shocking half-shaved hairstyle. It is announced Prince Albert of Monaco will appear in court in the new year to fight explosive claims he fathered a third love child with a secret girlfriend before marrying his now wife Princess Charlene. 2021 - January 27 - Charlene is pictured with Albert for the Sainte Devote Ceremony in Monaco. It is the last time she has been seen in Monaco this year. March 18 - Charlene is pictured at the memorial for the late Zulu monarch, King Goodwill Zwelithini at the KwaKhethomthandayo Royal Palace in Nongoma, South Africa. April 2 - Charlene posts an Instagram picture of herself, Albert and their twins Jacques and Gabriella for Easter. It is unknown where the image was taken. May and June - Albert, Jacques and Gabriella attend several events in Monaco without Charlene, while she shares snaps from her trip in South Africa. June 24 - Charlene's foundation releases a statement saying the royal is unable to travel and is undergoing procedures for an ear, nose and throat infection July 2 - Charlene and Albert mark their 10th anniversary separately Advertisement Charlene revealed: 'It's the longest period I've actually been away from Europe, let alone my children, but I'm FaceTiming them most days and they've been here and will be returning to see me again after my procedure. 'It's an amazing opportunity [to be here] but I'm very sad I can't be with my children this summer in Europe.' She added that she was initially only supposed to be in her native South Africa for ten to 12 days for a conservation trip with her Princess Charlene of Monaco foundation. However, the royal had a problem 'equalising her ears' and was told by a doctor that she was suffering from a serious sinus infection. 'It's taken time to address the problem that I'm having,' explained Charlene. 'I cannot go into full detail, but I cannot force healing so I will be grounded in South Africa until the end of October. 'The reason being I cannot fly above 3,000 metres otherwise I'll have a problem with my ears. 'I feel well, I feel good, it's just obviously a waiting game for me, but I've had a great opportunity to understand a little bit more about South Africa, the environment, the needs and it's been wonderful to be back in South Africa, and I think at this time it's crucial that people are aware of certain things via my foundation.' Charlene joined the video interview from bush country in the KwaZulu-Natal region. She has also shared videos released by the Monaco royal palace to mark her and Albert's 10th wedding anniversary, which took place in July. The couple spent the milestone thousands of miles apart. But royal sources have suggested the princess has 'no plans' to return soon. A palace source told Paris Match: 'The Princess has, for the time being, in reality, no intention of returning.' The separation is also affecting Charlene's relationship with the people of Monaco. Stephane Bearn, easily the most high-profile and trusted Royal commentator in France, uses an impeccably sourced piece in the latest Paris Match to discuss the torturous separation. He describes subjects in Monaco becoming increasingly angry about their runaway Princess, as they criticise everything from Charlene's mood swings to her appearance. 'In Monaco, since the departure of Charlene, tongues have loosened,' Mr Bearn writes. 'In the whirlwind of a hard-nosed court, her fine shine is rubbing off. Her sad looks are regarded as haggard. 'Disappointed Monegasques talk about her anger, her whimsical moods, which are as changeable as her hair.' Referring to the couple's six-year-old twins, who remain in Monaco with their nannies, Mr Bearn writes: 'The Palace had to invoke a suffering Princess so often that the Monegasques today find it hard to believe. 'By crying wolf, the mother of Jacques and Gabriella would have discredited and isolated herself.' Charlene and Albert's marriage has been plagued with rumours from the start. The couple met at the Mare Nostrum swimming competition in Monte Carlo in 2000, announced their engagement in 2010. Former Olympic swimmer Charlene reportedly tried to flee Monaco for her native South Africa on three separate occasions before the royal wedding after discovering Albert had allegedly fathered a love child - his third - while they were together. Monaco officials were said to have coaxed her back by brokering a deal between the Prince and his reluctant bride, saying she could leave once she had provided him with a legitimate heir. One source said at the time: 'Charlene will provide an heir, then if things don't go well, she will receive a generous divorce settlement once she's served a decent amount of time.' Charlene was seen in floods of tears on her wedding day in 2011. Just one year after their wedding, it was reported that Charlene was 'depressed' at her failure to provide her husband with a legitimate heir. Her pregnancy was announced in May 2014, and in December that year she gave birth to twins Princess Gabriella and heir to the throne Prince Jacques. In the almost 10 years since, Charlene, who shares six-year-old twins with Albert, has rarely spoken publicly of her experience. The former Olympian, 43, 'can't wait' to return to her six-year-old twins Jacques and Gabriella (pictured with Prince Albert in June), but revealed she won't be back in the principality 'until the end of October' as she recovers from a 'serious sinus infection' In 2017, the Princess made an emotional return to Africa, where she spoke about how much the continent means to her. 'I am African and this is my heritage. It will always be. Its in my heart and in my veins,' she told Eyewitness News. Last year she admitted life was 'very painful', saying: 'I have the privilege of having this life, but I miss my family and my friends in South Africa and I'm often sad because I cannot always be there for them.' Albert and the twins paid a brief visit to South Africa in early June, the Palace has confirmed, but they otherwise keep in touch via video link Last public outing together: Charlene and Albert were last pictured together at an official event together in January (left) at the Sainte Devote Ceremony in Monaco. On April 2, she shared a photograph alongside her husband Prince Albert and their children Jacques and Gabriella to mark Easter, although it is not clear where it was taken It's been a tumultuous start to the year for the royal, after news emerged that her husband is facing a paternity suit over a love child born in the early years of their relationship. The 63-year-old prince, who already supports two illegitimate children, is alleged to have had a relationship with a Brazilian woman which resulted in a daughter in 2005. The claim, which his lawyers dismissed as a 'hoax', is particularly painful as he was dating Charlene at the time, having met the former Olympic swimmer in 2000. The 34-year-old claimant who cannot be named for legal reasons says she had a passionate affair with Albert, leading to the birth of their daughter whose name is also classified on July 4, 2005. This young couple appears to have stepped back in time as they parade in their 1930s attire. Ruth Shelley, 28, and her partner Robert Oestmann, 27, from Bilston, West Midlands, are a match made in heaven as they both share a passion for living in the past. Not only do they wear old-fashioned clothing, listen to wartime music on their gramophone, and refuse to own a TV, but they have also decorated their home to match the 1930's era and even own a vintage car. Robert, who sells whiskey for a living, is a keen cook who will often experiment with recipes from the 1700s onwards, meanwhile, Ruth, a research historian, praised their vintage lifestyle for having a beneficial impact on their relationship. She explained that they're 'always present' thanks to avoiding the majority of modern technology. This young couple appears to have stepped back in time as they parade in their 1930s attire Ruth Shelley, 28, and her partner Robert Oestmann (pictured together), 27, from Bilston, West Midlands, are a match made in heaven as they both share a passion for living in the past She said: 'Robert and I dress like this all of the time as we are in love with the style. Robert mainly wears a suit and flat cap whereas I may wear clothing from 1930s to 1940s. 'I don't wear 1950s fashion as it involves a lot of trousers which I didn't like on myself.' The couple is fascinated with history and often turn heads in the street, with Ruth explaining: 'This style isn't something you could wear if you are shy as we do get stared at a lot. We don't mind at all and it's often positive feedback. Not only do they wear old-fashioned clothing, listen to wartime music, but they have also decorated their home to match the 1930's era and even own a vintage car. Pictured, Ruth Robert (pictured left), who sells whiskey for a living, is a keen cook who will often experiment with recipes from the 1700s onwards, meanwhile, Ruth (pictured right), a research historian praises their vintage lifestyle for having a beneficial impact on their relationship The couple (pictured right) is fascinated with history and often turn heads in the street 'The elderly love it as it's like a flashback for them. Sometimes people stop us and ask for photos which is totally fine.' It's not just their wardrobe that is a blast from the past, but lifestyle choices too. The couple has vintage bikes and Robert is currently restoring a Morris Minor which is a British economy car. He said: 'As a kid, my grandparents used to watch a lot of old films. They were inspirational - as I grew older I began reading a lot of books and my style stems from stuff like that. It's not just their wardrobe that is a blast from the past, but the couple's (pictured) lifestyle choices too The couple (pictured right) has vintage bikes and Robert is currently restoring a Morris Minor which is a British economy car Robert (pictured left) said: 'As a kid, my grandparents used to watch a lot of old films. They were inspirational - as I grew older I began reading a lot of books and my style stems from stuff like that' 'I also didn't like the sound modern synthetic clothes make when I was walking. Our wardrobe is unique and different to today's extremely casual. There is nothing wrong with casual but it's not for me. 'I might lounge around in chinos and a flannel shirt or when working on my car. But most of the time, I wear a tie and jacket. I like to make sure I'm looking somewhat presentable.' One of Robert's favourite dishes is a 'Depression Era Meat Loaf' from 1938. Robert is currently restoring a Morris Minor which is a British economy car (pictured) One of Robert's (pictured with her partner) favourite dishes to cook is a 'Depression Era Meat Loaf' from 1938 Robert (pictured right) added: 'I love playing around with new recipes to me but they are actually very old. I am originally from British Columbia, Canada, so this recipe gives an insight into the lives of a rural Ontario Canada community' He added: 'I love playing around with new recipes to me but they are actually very old. I am originally from British Columbia, Canada, so this recipe gives an insight into the lives of a rural Ontario Canada community. It is a simple basic meatloaf recipe that uses tomato soup.' Neither of them owns a TV and merely listen to music on the gramophone. Ruth added: 'In our spare time, we read, talk or Robert cooks and I help. We have a few original cookbooks which are interesting from a historical point of view. Neither of them owns a TV and merely listen to music on the gramophone. Pictured, the couple's living room (left) and kitchen space (right) Ruth added: 'In our spare time, we read, talk or Robert cooks and I help. We have a few original cookbooks which are interesting from a historical point of view.' Pictured, the couple's chinaware cabinet The couple's outside laundry area, pictured left, and their vintage armchair, pictured right 'I prefer baking so make my own bread or welsh cakes on a griddle. We listen to music and dance, go on walks or cycle on our original vintage bicycles. Sometimes we ballroom dance to 1940s music. 'Our music taste may be old fashioned but we like it. We both have smartphones as they are useful when you're alone to contact people. But Robert would ditch his phone within a heartbeat. 'For us, this lifestyle works best and is beneficial for our relationships. It works for us as we are present in the moment as opposed to glued to Netflix or on our phones.' A woman who ditched her teaching career to become a model has revealed how she now embraces her 34G breasts which men would 'leer at' after spending decades feeling 'embarrassed' by them and even considering a reduction. Rachel Peru, 50, who lives with her civil servant husband Mark, 55, near Leeds, would constantly hide her chest under 'baggy clothes' and had even discussed having her breasts reduced with a plastic surgeon when aged 30. But a week before the procedure, Rachel got cold feet because she was worried about the recovery period due to having young children at the time. Yet now, Rachel told Fabulous that she's 'so relieved' she didn't go through with the surgery, having embraced her large breasts in later life, even quitting her job as a nursery teacher and working as a lingerie and swimwear model. Rachel Peru (pictured), 50, who lives with her civil servant husband Mark, 55, near Leeds, would constantly hide her chest under 'baggy clothes' and had even discussed having her breasts reduced with a plastic surgeon when aged 30 But a week before the procedure, Rachel (pictured) got cold feet because she was worried about the recovery period due to having young children at the time Rachel explained that from the age of 18, she felt extremely self-conscious about her then DD breasts and as a teenager hated the attention they would garner. During her school years, male classmates would constantly ridicule her breasts, and as she got older, drunk men in pubs would leer and make lewd comments, which made me turn red and want to hide, she said/ Rachel would slouch, cover up in baggy clothes and avoid swimming in the hope of making her breasts, which caused awful neck pain, less noticeable. It was only when I went through a divorce in 2011, aged 40, that my mentality around my body started changing, admitted Rachel. Yet now Rachel (pictured) said she's 'so relieved' she didn't go through with the surgery, having embraced her large breasts in later life Rachel (pictured) even quit her job as a nursery teacher to as a lingerie and swimwear model The mother-of-two had been with her first husband for 23 years, but when single for the first time in decades, she realised she would have to come out of her shell more. At the same time, she embraced her body and stopped being concerned with what others thought of her. She met her second husband Mark on Match.com in 2014, and her confidence continued to grow. A year after her divorce, Rachel modelled for a local fashion show to raise money for Macmillan cancer charity. Rachel (pictured) would slouch, cover up in baggy clothes and avoid swimming in the hope of making her breasts, which caused awful neck pain, less noticeable She did this for six years before deciding to pursue a career in modelling and ditch her role as a nursery-school teacher. The mother, who was 46 at the time, was signed almost immediately by Bridge Models, an agency specialising in curvy models. Looking back, I realise that I constantly said no to things because of my breasts, said Rachel. 'These days, I dress to embrace my breasts Im really proud of my body and thats a lovely place to be, because its taken me a long time to get here.' A woman has revealed how she was left with a bald patch after suffering hair loss triggered by the pandemic. Charlotte Hawksley, 33, from Bournemouth, first noticed a bald patch the size of a 10p coin on top of her head in November 2020. Over the following months she noticed clumps of hair falling out in the shower, until eventually the patch was roughly the size of a fist. A doctor diagnosed the issue as hair loss caused by stress. There are several types of stress-related hair loss. One of the most common is telogen effluvium (TE), which is when significant stress pushes large numbers of hair follicles into a resting phase, leading the hair to fall out when combing or washing. Charlotte Hawksley, 33, from Bournemouth, first noticed a bald patch the size of a 10p coin on top of her head in November 2020. Over the following months she noticed clumps of hair falling out in the shower, until eventually the patch was roughly the size of a fist (pictured) Charlotte, a sales assistant who lives with daughter Evie, 10, said she 'didn't think much of it' when she first spotted the bald patch but eventually had to hide the baldness with hair bands 'The fact it was down to stress makes sense because of the pandemic and my daughter was diagnosed with diabetes,' Charlotte said. 'I didn't feel particularly stressed at the time but in hindsight it does make sense.' Women around the world have reported hair loss as a symptom of pandemic-related stress. Charlotte, a sales assistant who lives with daughter Evie, 10, said she 'didn't think much of it' when she first spotted the bald patch. She said: 'I noticed a small patch the size of a ten pence and I didn't really think much of it. I've got quite thick hair so it was easy to hide if I just combed my hair over and it wasn't a massive issue. The sales assistant first noticed a bald patch the size of a 10p coin at the top of her head (pictured) but it grew in a matter of weeks. She said the baldness impacted her self-confidence Charlotte said the bald patch (pictured) left her feeling self-conscious. Recently the hair has started to regrow, although it is still 'noticeable' 'I noticed that more of it was falling out when I was brushing it and there were clumps of it in the bath when I washed it. WHAT ARE THE CAUSES OF HAIR LOSS? It is perfectly normal for people to lose small amounts of hair as it replenishes itself and, on average, people can shed between 50 and 100 hairs per day. However, if people start to lose entire patches of hair or large amounts of it it can be more distressing and potentially a sign of something serious. Pattern baldness is a common cause of hair loss as people grow older. At least half of men over the age of 50 will lose some of their hair just through the ageing process, according to the British Association of Dermatologists. Women may lose their hair as they grow older, too. Other, more concerning causes of hair loss include stress, cancer treatment such as chemotherapy or radiotherapy, weight loss or an iron deficiency. Most hair loss is temporary, however, and can be expected to grow back. Specific medical conditions which cause the hair to fall out include alopecia, a disorder of the immune system; an underactive or overactive thyroid; the skin condition lichen planus or Hodgkin's lymphoma, a type of cancer. People should visit their doctor if their hair starts to fall out in lumps, falls out suddenly, if their scalp itches or burns, and if hair loss is causing them severe stress. Advertisement 'My daughter always pointed out that "mummy was going bald" and it was getting harder and harder to hide. 'A few months later it was the size of a fist, I looked like I had a massive comb over and had to wear a thick hairband to cover it.' Charlotte said the bald patch left her feeling self-conscious. 'If it had got any worse I would have seriously considered shaving my head,' she said. 'I thought I was going completely bald. I'm not vain and I wasn't panicking because I didn't think there was something more serious behind it but it really affected my confidence and self esteem. It made me really self conscious. 'When we were able to go out again, I didn't want to go on dates or meet new people. People were really shocked when I showed it to them.' Recently the hair has started to regrow, although it is still 'noticeable'. Charlotte added: 'It has started to grow back but it is still noticeable. I'm not a vain person but hair is really important. 'I don't know why it has suddenly started to grow back because if anything I'm more stress than before but hopefully it does keep growing.' It comes as experts continue to investigate the links between hair loss, Covid-19 and pandemic stress. According to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), Covid-induced hair loss is due to TE a shedding condition caused by a disturbance in the hair growth cycle. TE results in a high percentage of anagen follicles (follicles which are actively growing hair), going into their resting phase prematurely across the scalp TE lasts somewhere between six to nine months before hair returns to its normal thickness and appearance. 'It happens when more hairs than normal enter the shedding (telogen) phase of the hair growth lifecycle at the same time,' the AAD says. 'A fever or illness can force more hairs into the shedding phase. Most people see noticeable hair shedding two to three months after having a fever or illness. Charlotte said her daughter Evie, pictured, noticed that her mother was going bald Charlotte was feeling less confident as a result of the hair loss and didn't want to date but hopes the hair regrowth will help her mental health What is telogen effluvium? Telogen effluvium is a condition in which a person sheds more hair than normal, and it can be triggered by childbirth. It is normal for someone to be in the process of shedding about 10 per cent of the hair on their head at one time, because it grows continuously to make sure the total number of hairs remains constant. Telogen effluvium occurs when that number rises to 30 or more per cent, and the person is losing noticeable amounts of hair. The condition occurs because of a disturbance to the normal hair growing cycle. It can be triggered by childbirth, trauma or illness, stress, extreme weight loss, medications, or a skin condition affecting the scalp. Telogen effluvium usually clears itself up within three to six months, but it may take longer for hair to regrow to its normal length. Source: British Association of Dermatologists Advertisement Specialists at the Belgravia Centre in London have also reported an uplift in cases of telogen effluvium since the start of the pandemic. Nearly two thirds (64 per cent) of male patients and over a third of women (38 per cent) diagnosed with TE at the Belgravia Centre reported having experienced Covid-19 related symptoms, they found last year. 'It's quite common for TE-related hair loss to present around three months after a period of severe trauma, illness or stress, which fits with our findings,' said Rali Bozhinova, superintdent trichologist at the Belgravia Centre. 'The spike in diagnoses shows the extent of stress that the virus places on the body, not only causing temporary TE, but also potentially exacerbating other hair loss conditions which can have long lasting effects if left untreated.' Another expert suggested Covid-19 could be linked to alopecia areata, which leads to coin-sized bald patches on the scalp. Alopecia areata can result in total hair loss, called alopecia universalis, and it can prevent hair from growing back. In these cases, Covid-19 may trigger an auto-immune response, where the body attacks its own hair follicles, switching them off, according to trichologist Iain Sallis, who wasn't involved in the Chinese study. 'Covid, as many other febrile illnesses, have the ability to confuse our auto-immune system,' Sallis told MailOnline. 'Any type of shock be it, physical, emotional or psychological can cause alopecia, so it can most certainly be classed as a possible trigger.' There is currently a joint effort by dermatologists called SECURE-DERM to look at the effects of Covid on hair loss on a global scale. Britain's most glamorous crime writer who rose to fame in the eighties as a Page 3 model and actress has died aged 59. Clare Dunkel, who lived in the West Country, shot to fame as a glamour model in the seventies using the name Candy Davis, starring in iconic British comedy shows like Are You Being Served? and the Two Ronnies. She went on to become a bestselling author of gory crime fiction, including her first novel Birdman, and published ten novels which were met with critical acclaim under the pen name of 'connoisseur of corpses' Mo Hayder. Known as the 'queen of fear', the crime novelist died last month having 'fought valiantly' after being diagnosed with motor neurone disease in December. Britain's most glamorous crime writer Clare Dunkel, who lived in the West Country, who rose to fame in the eighties as a Page 3 model has died aged 59 (pictured, with her novel Tokio in 2005) Clare was born Clare Damaris Bastin in Epping, Essex in 1962 to her mother, Susan Hollins, an English teacher, and her father, John Bastin, a renowned astrophysicist. She previously said she and her brother Richard had a 'really normal' childhood with overly protective parents. She told The Times: 'Like most mothers, mine wanted to protect our innocence. That was the last thing I wanted, I wanted to throw my innocence out the window.' She dropped out of Loughton County High School for Girls at the age of 15 and left home the following year. It was when she appeared as the blonde bombshell Miss Belfridge in the last two series of the hugely successful BBC sitcom Are You Being Served? that she shot to stardom Then a Page Three model, Clare went on to star in British sitcoms including The Two Ronnies (pictured, as Miss Exotica Stormtrooper) While in her early twenties, she began using the stage name Candy Davis, dying her hair peroxide blonde and posing for Page 3 shots in the tabloids. In 1982 she was awarded the title of Miss Nude and said she aspired to be the world's most beautiful woman, setting her sights on the Miss World title. It was when she appeared as the blonde bombshell Miss Belfridge in the last two series of the hugely successful BBC sitcom Are You Being Served? that she shot to stardom. The original sitcom began on BBC1 in 1972 and ran until 1985. Clare, who has become known as 'the queen of fear, is survived by her teenage daughter Lotte (pictured right, and centre, Clare's late father) Clare's dizzy blonde character became Mr Rumbold's longest-staying secretary, lasting two series and appearing in 13 episodes of the programme. The long-running television comedy, where Mrs Slocombe regularly mentioned going home to her 'pussy', was such a hit that a feature film was made based on the series. The show regularly pulled in high viewing figures and Clare was a huge hit with fans. Re-runs of Are You Being Served? transformed Clare's co-stars into cult figures in the U.S. in the early 1990s. WHAT IS MOTOR NEURONE DISEASE? Motor neurone disease is a rare condition that mainly affects people in their 60s and 70s, but it can affect adults of all ages. It's caused by a problem with cells in the brain and nerves called motor neurones. These cells gradually stop working over time. It's not known why this happens. Having a close relative with motor neurone disease, or a related condition called frontotemporal dementia, can sometimes mean you're more likely to get it. But it doesn't run in families in most cases. Early symptoms can include weakness in your ankle or leg, like finding it hard to walk upstairs; slurred speech, finding it hard to swallow, a weak grip, and gradual weight loss If you have these sympthoms, you should see a GP. They will consider other possible conditions and can refer you to a specialist called a neurologist if necessary. If a close relative has motor neurone disease or frontotemporal dementia and you're worried you may be at risk of it they may refer you to a genetic counsellor to talk about your risk and any tests you can have Source: NHS UK Advertisement Meanwhile Clare went on to appear in shows like The Benny Hill Show and The Two Ronnies, where she clad herself in patent leather and played Miss Exotica Stormtrooper. She married the 2point4 children actor Gary Olsen in 1985, but they later divorced in 1990. Clare then ditched her Candy Davis persona, escaped the UK for Japan at the age of 25, where she thought she might become a geisha. Instead, she worked as a hostess in a Tokyo club and teacher of English as a foreign language in Asia. She told The Independent: 'In Tokyo I lived a very austere, isolated life . . . living in one room and only going out to work. I think I was torturing myself, a kind of self-punishment for all those years of not really getting my act together. While working in the nightclub, a colleague was raped, and she found herself fascinating over the crime. She previously revealed the moment sparked an obsession with violence and 'in particular men's sexual violence towards women.' She said: 'After my friend was raped, I went through a phase where I kept seeing people die. The first time, I was sitting in a coffee bar when someone at the next table died of a heart attack. A week later I saw a workman fall to his death from a high building. Then I saw a young boy die of snakebite.' She then moved to Los Angeles to study film, creating cartoon animations in which animals pulled each others heads off and ate them. Clare returned to Britain, changing her name once again to Beatrice Clare Dunkel and in 1995 began writing her first novel Birdman. The novel follows DI Jack Caffery's investigation into a murder of five young women in London in which the serial killer rips out his victims' hearts and sews a live finch into their chests. She financed the project by working as a secretary and a security guard, and used her own experiences as a young woman in London as inspiration. She sent the manuscript to several agents and was stunned when she was accepted by leading literary agent Jane Gregory who got her an offer of nearly 200,000 for a two-book deal. Clare returned from Los Angeles to the UK in 1995 and began working on her first novel, a crime thriller called Birman, which was an international bestseller upon it's release in 1999 (pictured, in 2000) Patrick Janson-Smith of Transworld described the manuscript at the 1998 Frankfurt Book Fair as one of the most powerful and violent books he had come across, 'a completely gripping story with believable characters.' Birdman was published in 1999 under the pen name Mo Hayder and became an international bestseller, with The Guardian calling her a 'young writer in touch with her dark side and a major new talent'. She went on to publish 10 novels under the pen name, including her second novel The Treatment, which opens with the discovery of a husband and wife found beaten and restrained at their home, their young son missing Meanwhile the Independent said it was snapped up by publishers in 10 countries as a successor to Thomas Harris's The Silence of the Lambs. She went on to publish 10 novels under the pen name, including The Treatment, which opens with the discovery of a husband and wife found beaten and restrained at their home, their young son missing. Later, a mother is forced to watch her child being attacked by a paedophile. It won the 2002 W.H.Smith Thumping Good Read award. Her seventh, Gone, won the Edgar Allan Poe award, while her 10th, Wolf, was nominated for Best Novel in the 2015 Edgar Awards and is currently being adapted for the BBC. She won the Crime Writers' Association Dagger in the Library award for an outstanding body of work in 2011. She told The Times: 'Everybody's fascinated by gore really, aren't they? Two hundred years ago, we'd all have been going down to the gallows and anyway I think it's bad for people to suppress their dark side; it only gets more intense.' She described the gory scenes within her books as a 'kind of obsession' and became known as 'a connoisseur of corpses'. She won the 2002 W.H.Smith Thumping Good Read award The Treatment, which saw a mother forced to watch her child being attacked by a paedophile She went on to sell 6.5 million copies worldwide and earned numerous awards, despite facing criticism for the graphic nature of her early tales. Several years before her death, she began working on a new series under the name Theo Clare. The Book of Sand, set in an alternate universe, will be published in early 2022, and Clare described feeling 'so happy to be writing fiction set in an entirely imaginative universe.' She was diagnosed with motor neurone disease in December, with her publisher Penguin Random House, saying 'the disease progressed at an alarming rate'. The crime writer has gone on to sell 6.5 million copies worldwide and earned numerous awards, despite facing criticism for the graphic nature of her early tales In the days after her death in July, the industry paid tribute to 'brilliant storyteller' Clare for pushing the limits of the crime genre with her terrifying thrillers. According to the Bookseller, Selina Walker, publisher of Century and her long-term editor, said: 'Everyone who knew Mo (as she was then called) was, I think, a little in love with her. 'I met her back in 2000 and worked with her for the next 10 years. She was the most amazing writer, never afraid to push the boundaries of the conventional crime novel or to challenge our perceptions. 'Most of all she was a brilliant storyteller, producing unputdownable book after book, all with flawed, utterly believable characters, of whom her series detective, Jack Caffery, was perhaps the most memorable... Several years before her death, she began working on a new series under the name Theo Clare, which is set to be released next year (pictured) 'Her best scenes were always terrifying. She was the bravest writer I knew, but she was also fun and funny, someone you always wanted to spend time with.' Jenny Colgan wrote on Twitter: 'She never watered down a thing her books were neat and chokingly strong such an absolutely blazing talent,' while Harlan Coben called her 'a tremendous talent, a true original, and, well, really cool'. She is survived by her daughter, Lotte, and her husband, Bob. A black couple who adopted white twin boys have described how strangers accuse them of kidnapping their own children. Jennifer McDuffie-Moore, 43, and husband Harry Moore, 37, from Collingdale, Pennsylvania, took in Brayden and Trevor, three, as foster kids after they were separated at birth from their biological mother, who suffered from drug addiction. Jennifer, an early learning specialist and co-owner of a childcare program, and Harry, a mechanic, described racist episodes they have experienced as the black parents of white children. Jennifer said the family have been pulled over by cops 'countless times' and strangers often treat them with suspicion, adding: 'A lady had been watching us playing [at the playground] and when one of the twins had a tantrum she told me she was going to call the cops. 'I scooped the kids up and she thought I was stealing them.' Jennifer McDuffie-Moore, 43, and husband Harry Moore, 37, from Collingdale, Pennsylvania, have described how strangers accuse them of kidnapping their own children after they adopted two white twin boys (left and right, with their son Sanchez) Jennifer took in Brayden and Trevor, three, as foster kids after they were separated at birth from their biological mother, who suffered from drug addiction The couple, who started fostering in 2009, first experienced the challenges of a transracial adoption when they adopted Keenan, who is also white, in 2016. But they said that it was more intense adopting the twins in the aftermath of George Floyd's murder and at the height of the Black Lives Matter movement. 'We often see transracial adoption done the other way - a white family adopting a black child,' said Jennifer. 'Even doing the paperwork there are a lot of questions about our ability to foster children who are white. It took us 2,695 days to adopt Keenan because we are black. When the couple first took in Brandon and Trevor, the youngsters were suffering developmental delays after being born addicted to hard drugs (pictured, at three months old) 'We have conversations about race all the time - in our home we talk about it, we know that everyone is different, you have to acknowledge it and not pretend to be color blind. 'Last year was crazy. We saw all these racially charged incidents happen and we had to have conversations with our children.' But the couple insisted that they would not let race affect their decision to give a home to children in need of one. Harry said: 'I knew what we were doing was the right thing to do. Initially the two young boys were only supposed to stay with Jennifer and Trevor for a weekend of respite care (pictured) 'I try my best not to feed into any nonsense about what people are feeling or doing. 'Don't get me wrong, I hear little whispers and I get looks going to the supermarket and getting gas with the kids. 'But I've never paid attention to it or fed into it.' The couple first took in the twins for a weekend in July 2018 as respite care for a foster parent struggling to look after the tots, then three months old, who have developmental delays after being born addicted to hard drugs. The couple, who have been fostering children since 2009, have faced a series of racist episodes after taking in several white kids Jennifer said: 'They were supposed to stay for a weekend and now they are here forever. 'They were born with a drug in their systems and so they are medically needy with developmental delays and speech and language issues. 'Two days after we took them in for a weekend to give their foster carer a break, the agency asked if they could stay for good. 'We said they could stay with us until they had found a home but then time passed and they were nearly a year old and our whole family, my nieces and our church, pitched in and we eventually started the adoption process.' The couple officially adopted the identical twins after fostering them for two years and they joined the family home in Collingdale, Pennsylvania The couple officially adopted the identical twins two years later and they joined their biological children Joy, 21, and Kourtney, 11, and their adoptive kids Keenan, 10, and Sanchez, eight, in the family home in Collingdale, Pennsylvania. One mother at a playground even threatened to call the cops when the twins had a tantrum while Jennifer was trying to take them home. Jennifer said: 'A month ago, we were playing at the playground and the twins didn't want to go home.' She explained that after her children threw a tantrum about leaving the play area, a stranger threatened to call the cops. The couple have been threatened by strangers who tell them they will 'call the police' for 'stealing' the children (pictured, Jennifer and Brayden) She added: 'I don't want to justify it because people should mind their own business.' The couple added that they have been pulled over by the police countless times while ferrying their large family around in a 12-seat minivan. They recalled an incident five years ago when a police officer interrogated them over two white foster girls who were in their van. 'We were coming back from a family outing from Delaware and we got pulled over,' Jennifer said. Meanwhile the couple also told how they have been pulled over 'countless times' by police questioning their family (pictured, Harry with Brayden, Sanchez and Trevor) 'We had our children and two little strawberry blonde girls who we were fostering with us and and the first thing the cops asked my husband was: "whose kids are those?" 'And he wasn't kind about it.' Harry added: 'He tried to say that the windows of our van were too dark and that's why he pulled us over but we knew why he pulled us over.' Jennifer and Harry now feel they cannot imagine their family without Brayden and Trevor. Jennifer and Harry now feel they cannot imagine their family without Brayden and Trevor (pictured, Sanchez with Brayden, Keenan, Trevor and Kourtney) Harry said: 'They are definitely are our sons.' Jennifer added: 'People don't realize that when children come to you in infancy, they have never known another mom or dad. 'From the time they were three months, we've woken up to look after them and changed every diaper and attended to every boo boo. 'We never tell the children what to call us, we let them label us - and Braydon and Trevor call us mommy and daddy. 'Instead of scrutinizing what color people are or their gender or their preferences, people should understand that love really does support a family. 'There are so many kids out there without homes.' Advertisement The Queen looked radiant in a pink ensemble as she was officially welcomed to Balmoral Castle today. In a small ceremony outside the Castle gates, the Queen inspected a Guard of Honour and met The Royal Regiment of Scotland's Mascot, Shetland Pony Lance Corporal Cruachan IV. The monarch, 95, arrived at the Aberdeenshire estate in late July and typically remains until early October. Today's low-key ceremony formally marks the start of Her Majesty's stay. Over the coming weeks she is expected to host family members including the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince Edward and the Countess of Wessex and Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall. It marks the Queen's first summer holiday at her Scottish estate since the death of the Duke of Edinburgh in April, at the age of 99. Welcome back, Ma'am! The Queen looked radiant in a pink ensemble as she was officially welcomed to Balmoral Castle today. The monarch, 95, has been at the Aberdeenshire estate since late July and typically remains until early October Neighs to see you! In a small ceremony outside the Castle gates, Her Majesty inspected a Guard of Honour and met The Royal Regiment of Scotland's Mascot, Shetland Pony Lance Corporal Cruachan IV (pictured) In the pink: The Queen brought a splash of colour to proceedings in a pleated floral dress, pink tweed coat and matching pink hat. The Queen, who is Colonel-in-Chief of the Royal Regiment of Scotland, wore the cap badge as a pin A royal welcome: The Queen was greeted by a Guard of Honour formed of the 5 SCOTS, Balaklava Company, 5th Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland, under the Command of Major Cameron Law The Queen was greeted by a Guard of Honour formed of the 5 SCOTS, Balaklava Company, 5th Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland, under the Command of Major Cameron Law. The Queen is Colonel-in-Chief of the Royal Regiment of Scotland. She brought a splash of colour to proceedings in a pleated floral dress, pink tweed coat and matching pink hat with floral detailing at the brim. The Queen accessorised with a simple three-strand pearl necklace, a pair of white gloves, and her favourite black leather loafers and patent handbag. The Queen, who is Colonel-in-Chief of the Royal Regiment of Scotland, wore the cap badge as a pin. This is the first time the welcome ceremony has taken place since 2019. In line with government guidelines, the ceremony did not take place last year. It coincides with the easing of the majority of lockdown restrictions in Scotland. It comes after a source claimed the Queen is 'itching for things to get back to normal' during her annual break at and hopes to host a BBQ for the royal family at the castle. A source told The Sun: 'The family barbecues are back on the agenda even without Philip there for the first time.' Her Majesty's summer holiday! Over the coming weeks she is expected to host family members including the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall. Pictured, the Queen being welcomed today It comes days after it was revealed Fergie has been invited to stay at the Queen's Scottish retreat this summer. 'Sarah Ferguson is coming,' a source told Richard Eden. 'She will be here with Andrew.' It's not clear whether Fergie and Andrew will be joined by their daughters, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie. The stay at Balmoral will no doubt be bittersweet for the Queen, who enjoyed many happy memories with her late husband on the estate. While never truly off duty it was the closest that the Queen and Prince Philip would come to a proper holiday. There would be raucous drink-fuelled evenings and jovial house parties, and quiet days with old-fashioned parlour games by the fire while the rain hammered down outside. Then there was the famous ghillies' ball which took place each October, with invites extended to house and estate staff as well as neighbours and friends. A true 'upstairs downstairs' event, it was never complete without Scottish country dancing and one could, if lucky enough to receive an invitation, quite easily find oneself being whirled around the dancefloor by the Prince himself, resplendent in a kilt and smiling. In April, the Queen released a picture of herself and Philip in the hills near Balmoral. John Travolta has recalled the moment he danced with Princess Diana at the White House in 1985, revealing Nancy Reagan told him it was the royal's fantasy to dance with him. Speaking in a new documentary, In Their Own Words, which aired last night on PBS, the 67-year-old actor described the 'storybook' moment he danced with Diana in photos that were seen around the world. 'About 10 o'clock at night, Nancy Reagan tapped on my shoulder and said, "The princess, her fantasy is to dance with you,' the Saturday Night Fever star explainedd John Travolta has recalled the moment he danced with Princess Diana at the White House in 1985, revealing Nancy Reagan told him it was the royal's fantasy to dance with him. '"Would you like to dance with her tonight?". And I said, "Well of course"' he explained. 'My heart starts to race, you know, and I tap [Diana] on the shoulder and she turns around and looks at me, and she had that kind of bashful dip [of her chin] that she did, and she looked up at me, and I said, "Would you care to dance with me?".' 'It was a storybook moment. 'We bowed when it was over, and, you know, she was off, and I was off, and my carriage turned into a pumpkin.' Diana's visit to the White House was part of her and Prince Charles' first official trip to the US. The couple had been married for four years and just welcomed their second child, Prince Harry. Photos of the dance were captured by then-chief White House photographer Pete Souza showing Diana in a famous midnight blue Victor Edelstein evening gown. Diana's visit to the White House was part of her and Prince Charles' first official trip to the US. The couple had been married for four years and just welcomed their second child, Prince Harry. Princess Diana is pictures with Nancy Reagan told John Travolta it was Diana's 'fantasy' to dance with him Last summer, Kensington Palace put the 'Travolta' dress on display alongside original sketches that were created for her during the design process. Designed over an 11-year period, the Princess would regularly visit Victor Edelstein at his shop in Kensington during the process. She was spotted wearing the gown on a number of other prestigious occasions including a state visit to Austria in 1986 and for her famous portrait by Lord Snowden in 1997. Diana auctioned off the dress before her death to raise funds for Aids Charities in June 1997 for 100,000. The Princess of Wales visited Victor Edelstein at his shop in Kensington during the 11-year design period of the iconic gown. Pictured: Diana and former US President Ronald Reagan The floor-sweeping gown dubbed the 'Travolta' dress, has increased in value throughout the years with the Historic Royal Palaces purchasing it for 265,000 at auction last year. Speaking to Esquire Mexico in April, John Travolta added that it was an 'honour and great privilege' to dance with Diana. 'Introducing myself to Diana in the proper way, conveying confidence and asking her to be my dance partner was a complicated mission,' he said. Eleri Lynn who is the curator at Historic Royal Palaces, gushed that they're delighted to have acquired the dress 20 years after it first left Kensington Palace. Pictured: The exhibition 'Think of the moment. We are in the White House. It's midnight. The whole scene is like a dream.' 'I go up to her, touch her on the shoulder, ask her to dance. She turns around and when she sees me, she displays that captivating smile, somewhat sad, and accepts my invitation. 'here we were, dancing together like in a fairy tale. Who could imagine that something like this is going to happen to you one day? I was smart enough to register it in my memory as a very special, magical moment'. Greta Thunberg has accused the fashion industry of 'green-washing' and called for it to be overhauled to reduce its impact on the eco-system as she appeared on the first ever cover of Vogue Scandinavia. The climate change activist, 18, who lives in Sweden, said that the fast fashion industry is heavily responsible for damaging the environment as well as exploiting workers and communities around the world. Marking her appearance on the inaugural cover, the teenager took to Twitter to blast brands who 'greenwash' their campaigns to seem ethical while 'continuing to promote an unsustainable culture'. 'You cannot mass produce fashion or consume "sustainably" as the world is shaped today. That is one of the many reasons why we will need a system change,' she wrote. Greta Thunberg has sparked a discussion about the impact of the fashion industry on climate change after appearing on the first cover of Vogue Scandinavia (pictured) Greta (pictured in Berlin in July) revealed in an interview with the publication that she hasn't bought anything new in three years The post was one of three tweets Greta penned alongside a link to her interview with Vogue Scandinavia, in which she claimed to have not bought anything new for the past three years. 'The last time I bought something new was three years ago and it was second-hand. I just borrow things from people I know,' she told the fashion bible. In a series of tweets she added: 'The fashion industry is a huge contributor to the climate and ecological emergency, not to mention its impact on the countless workers and communities who are being exploited around the world in order for some to enjoy fast fashion that many treat as disposables. 'Many make it look as if the fashion industry is starting to take responsibility, spending fantasy amounts on campaigns portraying themselves as "sustainable", "ethical", "green", "climate neutral" or "fair". But let's be clear: This is almost never anything but pure greenwash.' The activist posed for the first ever Vogue Scandinavia posing wearing an oversized peach trench coat alongside a horse in the forest. Iris and Mattias Alexandrov Klum, who have a passion for nature, photographed Greta in a series of images for the publication. Greta took to Twitter to promote her interview with Vogue Scandinavia, while calling for the fashion industry to stop mass production Vogue Scandinavia has launched with an aim of becoming 'the most sustainable media organisation in existence', while influencing its readers to be more mindful of their impact on the planet with its choice of people featured. Copies of the publication are not available from newsstands as they want to avoid unnecessary waste from overprinting, but readers can buy it from their online store. Greta has become a notable figure for her passionate speeches urging world leaders to tackle climate change. She has racked up over 31,000 likes on her post beginning a discussion focused on the impact of the fashion industry. Greta (pictured) accused the fast fashion industry of exploiting workers and communities, while portraying themselves as ethical brands A stream of responses to Greta's tweet dubbed her an 'inspiration', while agreeing that the fashion industry is damaging the planet Responses to Greta's tweet have praised her for raising awareness of the problem, while debating how the industry can be improved. One person wrote: 'You are an amazing inspiration to millions worldwide. I am sorry that this has fallen on your shoulders. We stand with you.' Another said: 'The fashion industry has a negative impact on the environment. In fact, it is the second largest polluter in the world, just after the oil industry. Synthetic fabrics are a major source of microplastics. Fashion is also the second largest consumer of water, after agriculture.' According to the UN, the fashion industry produces between 2 to 8 per cent of global carbon emissions. The industry could use up a quarter of the world's carbon budget by 2050 if nothing is changed. Newborns do not often contract COVID-19 from their mothers who test positive for the virus, a new study finds. A joint team from the Yale School of Public Health in New Haven, Connecticut, and the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences in Ontario, Canada, looked into potential transmission from new mothers to infants. A total of 81 babies were tested out of 156 women who were found to have an active case of the virus in the weeks surrounding delivery. Of those 81 babies, doctors found that 15, or 18.5 percent, received the virus during or shortly after birth The researchers say pregnant women and some newborns are at an increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19, making reducing transmission - through vaccination -important for the groups. Less than 20% of babies born to mothers who tested positive for COVID-19 around the time of birth also tested positive for the virus Pregnant women are at an increased risk of complications from COVID-19 and are eligible for the vaccines in the U.S. (File photo) Since the start of April 2020, babies born in Ontario to Covid positive mothers are recommended to be tested within 24 hours of birth. Some women who went to the hospital for birth were often tested on arrival as well. Researchers gathered data from all infants born from February 1, 2020 to October 31, 2020, and maternal testing outcomes from January 15 to the end of October. Among 82,484 women who gave birth in an Ontario hospital during the time period of the study, 7,805 were tested for COVID-19 within a two-week span of delivery. Just under two percent, or 156, of those women tested positive for the virus. Of that group of 156 women, 81 of the babies that they gave birth were tested for the virus - 63 within two weeks of birth and 18 after that two-week window. Of those 81 babies, only 15 tested positive, or 18.5 percent. 'The findings of this cohort study provide further evidence suggesting that perinatal transmission of, and early-life infection with, SARS-CoV-2 is rare,' the researchers wrote. In total, less than four percent of all babies born in Ontario during the time tested positive. Ontario currently recommends that mothers that test positive for the virus are not separated from their children. Instead, the women should follow proper masking and distancing guidelines, but still regularly interact and care for their child in order to avoid harming the child's young development. 'These measures appear to have effectively limited transmission to newborns, without imposing potential harms through separation,' the researchers wrote. Pregnant women are at an increased risk of severe complications from the virus. A study from the United Kingdom found that pregnant women who contract Covid are also at an increased risk of dying due to complications in childbirth. Newborns who contract the virus are often ok, though those that are born premature may be at risk of severe complications. Experts are not sure whether babies contract the virus from their mother before, during or after birth. In the U.S., pregnant women are eligible for COVID-19 vaccines and recommended to receive the vaccine. However, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warns that there is not much data available for how the vaccine can effect pregnant women or their unborn children. Advertisement Even as coronavirus cases continue to rise across the United States, deaths remain far below their previous highs thanks to COVID-19 vaccines. On Sunday, officials recorded 24,234 new cases of the virus with a seven-day rolling average of 108,624, marking the third consecutive day that the average has surpassed 100,000. This is a 240 percent increase from the average of 31,919 reported three weeks ago, according to a DailyMail.com analysis of data from Johns Hopkins University. The last time that COVID-19 cases were on an upward trend with 100,000 being recorded every day was in early November 2020, when vaccines weren't yet available. At the time, the average number of daily deaths sat around 1,100, the analysis shows. Comparatively, there were 111 COVID-19 fatalities recorded on Sunday with a seven-day rolling average of 508. This means that the average number of deaths being recorded now, with 68 percent of the eligible U.S. population vaccinated, is about half of the figure seen during the November surge. What's more, the case-fatality rate - the proportion of deaths compared to the total number of people diagnosed -in November 2020 was about 1.35 percent compared to about 0.8 percent currently, according to Our World in Data. The figures are a testament to the efficacy of the vaccines and show that even if cases and hospitalization continue increasing, the number of deaths will stay quite low. It comes as Britain's COVID-19 cases continue to increase although not as high as the peak seen in July with a fatality rate that has fallen from 0.20 percent to 0.15 percent. On Sunday, the U.S. recorded 24,234 new COVID-19 cases with a seven-day rolling average of 108,624, the highest number recorded since February 8 and the third day surpassing 100,000 Deaths have also risen with 111 recorded on Sunday with a seven-day rolling average of 508, the first time the average has surpassed 500 since June and a 94% increase from the 261 average recorded three weeks prior States are reporting record-high numbers of COVID-19 cases and hospitals say they are filling up due to the surge of patients Florida has been especially hard hit, making up more than 20 percent of the nation's new cases and hospitalizations, triple its share of the population. The state again set a record-high on Saturday, reporting 23,903 new cases, which is the third time in a week that Florida has surpassed its highest single-day total after recording 21,683 new cases on July 31 and 22,783 on Thursday. Additionally, Florida is recording its highest ever seven-day rolling average at 33,688, up 222 percent from the average of 10,452 seen two weeks ago, a DailyMail.com analysis of Johns Hopkins data found. And hospitalizations have also reached a record-high of 13,793, a jump of 113 percent from the 6,464 recorded two weeks prior, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC(. In some parts of the state, hospitals are scrambling to find beds for patients. At AdventHealth's hospitals in the Orlando area, six are beyond full capacity and one is operating at 123 percent capacity for adult patients, reported The Wall Street Journal. Dr Leonardo Alonso, who works in several emergency rooms in Jacksonville, one of Florida's hardest-hit areas, said some hospitals are sending some COVID-19 patients home with oxygen and a monitor to free beds for sicker people. 'The ICUs, the hospitals are all on a near what we call mass casualty incident. They're almost at protocols where they're overflowing,' he told the Associated Press. Although Florida is reporting 59.6 percent of the population with one dose and 49.6 percent fully vaccinated - almost on par with the national numbers - many rural counties have vaccination rates below 40 percent. Gov Ron DeSantis, while encouraging vaccinations, has taken a hard line against mask rules and other restrictions. Running for reelection next year and eyeing a 2024 Republican presidential bid, he and President Joe Biden have verbally sparred in recent days. DeSantis has accused the Democratic president of overreach, while Biden has said DeSantis should 'get out of the way' of local officials if he doesn't want to fight the outbreak. Florida reported a record-high 23,903 new cases on Saturday with the highest ever seven-day rolling average of 33,688, up 222% from the average of 10,452 seen two weeks ago (left). Hospitalizations have also reached a record-high of 13,793, a jump of 113% from the 6,464 recorded two weeks prior (right) Cases have risen 97% in Texas in the last two weeks from an average of 6,604 cases per day to 13,019 per day (left). Currently, 8,447 patients are hospitalized an increase of 122% from 3,800 recorded 14 days earlier (right) In Arkansas, average COVID-19 cases have increased by 52% from 1,608 per day to 2,454 per day (left). A total of 1,080 Covid patients are currently hospitalized in the state, a 30% increase from the 826 recorded two weeks ago (right) In Texas, cases have risen 97 percent in the last two weeks from an average of 6,604 cases per day to 13,019 per day, Johns Hopkins data show. There are currently 8,447 virus-related hospitalizations, which is the highest figure recorded since late February, and an increase of 122 percent from 3,800 recorded two weeks earlier. Houston officials said some patients were transferred out of the city - one as far as North Dakota. And on Saturday, a baby infected with COVID-19 had to be airlifted 150 miles away to the city of Temple - near the capital of Austin - to be intubated because all of Houston's pediatric beds were full. Dr David Persse, the city of Houston's chief medical officer, said some ambulances were waiting hours to offload patients because no beds were available. Persse said he feared this would lead to prolonged response times to 911 medical calls. 'The health care system right now is nearly at a breaking point...For the next three weeks or so, I see no relief on what's happening in emergency departments,' Persse told the Associated Press on Thursday. Just 53.2 percent of Texans have received at least one vaccine dose and 44.5 are fully vaccinated, both figures of which are below the national average. Similarly to deSantis, Texas Gov Greg Abbott issued an executive order last week banning mask requirements in schools systems and outlaws vaccine requirements by anyone receiving public funds. Over the last two weeks in Arkansas, average COVID-19 cases have increased by 52 percent from 1,608 per day to 2,454 per day, a DailyMail.com analysis found. The figure is nearing the record-high of 3,086 average cases recorded on January 7. Additionally, a total of 1,080 Covid patients are currently hospitalized in the state, a 30 percent increase from the 826 recorded two weeks ago, according to the CDC. This is also close to a record high after more than 1,100 patients were recorded during the winter surge. In the entire state, just 25 ICU beds are available. Low vaccination numbers have been to blame with just 49.1 percent of residents having received at least one dose and 37.6 percent fully vaccinated. Dr Cam Patterson, chancellor of University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, told CNN that several health care workers have quit the jobs mid-shift and are even considering early retirement, 'Teams are stretched thin. People are frustrated. People are very tired,' he said. 'We are down a significant number of positions here because we just don't have enough nurses that we can recruit to come here and help us to take care of patients.' Meanwhile, Britain's Covid outbreak may be speeding up once more although not as high as the peak seen in July. Department of Health bosses posted 25,161 positive tests - up 14.6 per ent on last Monday's figure. The week-on-week percentage growth has now risen for four days in a row. Daily cases had fallen consistently towards the end of July, sparking hopes that the UK's summer resurgence was already fizzling out. But the trend started to reverse last week. No hospitalization figures were published for the UK as a whole today - but separate England-only statistics have suggested admissions may also be on the rise. Figures are still down week-on-week, however. Scientists say both measures may be a sign of last month's so-called 'Freedom Day', which saw people allowed to pack into restaurants and bars without masks and mix freely indoors. Others, however, warned it was too early to hit the panic button and that it may just be a blip in the data. Meanwhile, health officials recorded a slight uptick in deaths. Another 37 victims were registered today, up 54.2 per cent on the figure last week. It takes even longer for cases to translate into deaths. But that doesn't mean Britain will necessarily have to resort to lockdowns in future. Scientists believe the virus called SARS-CoV-2 will eventually morph into one that causes a common cold as immunity builds up over time. Just one vaping session can cause stress that leads to severe lung damage and puts a person at risk for heart or neurological diseases, a new study finds. Researchers from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) compared oxidative stress in the lungs of routine cigarette smokers, vapers and people with no history of long term use of tobacco or nicotine devices. Oxidative stress describes the harmful effects that free radicals (unstable molecules) have on the body. Vaping for only 30 minutes caused oxidative stress levels two to four times higher than baseline levels in those with no history of previously smoking. While vapes have been seen as a 'safer' alternative to tobacco and cigarette use by some, data in recent years have found there are many negative effects of using the devices. Researchers found that non-smokers would have two to four times the amount of cells test positive for oxidative stress after vaping for only 30-minutes. Little overall change was found for those with smoking histories, though For the study, published in JAMA Pediatrics, the UCLA researchers gathered 32 participants from the study aged 21 to 33. They were split into three groups based on their history with cigarette or nicotine use. Among the volunteers, there were nine regular cigarette users, 12 e-cigarette or vap, users and 11 participants who were non-smokers. The team collected a type of immune cell called CD45 from all participants both before and after a 30-minute vaping session. While those with little smoking history still had lower oxidative stress levels than the regular smokers, their CD45 immune cells were testing positive for oxidative stress at a two to four-fold increased rate. 'We were surprised by the gravity of the effect that one vaping session can have on healthy young people,' said Dr Holly Middlekauff a professor of cardiology and physiology at UCLA. 'This brief vaping session was not dissimilar to what they may experience at a party, yet the effects were dramatic.' Even a person that does not regularly use nicotine products can still be opening themselves to certain dangerous conditions, researchers found. 'Over time, this imbalance can play a significant role in causing certain illnesses, including cardiovascular, pulmonary and neurological diseases, as well as cancer,' said Middlehauff. Oxidative stress is an imbalance between free radical cells and antioxidants. Free radicals are harmful oxygen cells that can cause tissue damage, and antioxidants are responsible for combatting their harmful cells. The tissue damage can leave a person more vulnerable to diseases like heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer's and diabetes, among many other potential conditions. Oxidative stress caused by using vapes or smoking can put someone at an increased risk of developing cancer, Alzheimer's and other conditions Smoking is a common cause of oxidative stress, and the damage it can cause to the lungs is responsible for the well-known link between lung cancer and smoking. E-cigarettes, and the brand JUUL which has become almost synonymous with the devices, have become widely used by teens and young adults. JUUL first rose to prominence in 2015 as an easy, trendy and discrete way for people to smoke nicotine. Their use among school-aged children can be attributed to their flavors, and the devices resemblance to a USB stick, allowing kids to easily carry them at school without getting caught. Devices like JUULs are largely blamed for a recent increase in nicotine use by teens and young adults. In 2020, nearly 40 percent of high schoolers who regularly smoke nicotine did so using an e-cigarette, according to a report by Tobacco Free Kids. There has also been a legislative effort across the country to ban devices like vapes, e-cigarrettes and even menthol cigarettes that are blamed for the recent uptick in teen nicotine and tobacco use. Researchers have found a link between teens using devices like vapes and e-cigarettes and the eventual use of cigarettes and tobacco Last year, sale of all electronic cigarettes was banned in San Francisco and Chicago banned the sale of flavored nicotine. The entire state of New York became the first to do so when they banned the sale of flavored tobacco products last year. A bill in Florida that would have done the same passed through the state legislature in 2020, but was vetoed by Governor Ron DeSantis. Menthol cigarettes, which have a mint-type flavor, have recently been targeted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and are being pulled off of shelves. The FDA claims the cigarettes are more likely to hurt minority and younger Americans, though some disagree with the potential ban. Menthol cigarettes are already banned in Massachusetts, and also in the United Kingdom, Brazil and other countries. A previous study finds that these types of bans could have a reverse effect though, and cause an increase in teenage tobacco use. Who doesnt want the best for their child? Parents will do anything to ensure their children are healthy, but thanks to genetics we must also ask: where do we draw the line? Because we are now facing the prospect of being able to analyse a childs entire genetic code to understand their future risks of developing diseases, and even much more about what is to come in their lives. The key to this is whole genome sequencing (WGS), heralded as the next great breakthrough for medicine because it allows doctors and scientists to look at a babys entire genetic material and screen for any number of health problems. It is the ultimate in preventative medicine: WGS has the potential to act like a crystal ball, meaning that future generations are not just informed about potential risks even decades ahead but can make choices that ensure these diseases never emerge. We are now facing the prospect of being able to analyse a childs entire genetic code to understand their future risks of developing diseases, and even much more about what is to come in their lives However, while this might sound like an invaluable tool in the fight against human suffering, it has the potential to be used for much more and this is what has some ethicists worried. For WGS opens the prospect for more sinister and intrusive things, giving an insight into our childrens future lives that could shape the way we and society view them. And if this information were to fall into the wrong hands, it could be used for even more chilling purposes. We are looking down the barrel of a eugenics gun, where entire groups of people might disappear from the population because of undesirable characteristics, such as deafness. Despite these concerns, plans are already afoot to enable widespread use of WGS in this country. But the chances are that you have never even heard of it. There has actually been a public consultation into the use of WGS in the NHS the results of two months of fieldwork were quietly published on a government website last month. The consultation looked at two areas. First, how this technology might replace some parts of the routine NHS newborn blood spot screening technology (sometimes called the heel prick test). This is already in place and tests all babies at a week or so old for nine rare, but serious, genetic illnesses, such as cystic fibrosis. WGS could replace this test so that, rather than looking for a few specific conditions, we would screen a babys entire genetic material. The second area the consultation explored was other ways this technology might be used beyond simple screening. As we understand more about genetics, it will become increasingly easy to screen for key traits or talents. There has actually been a public consultation into the use of WGS in the NHS the results of two months of fieldwork were quietly published on a government website last month Both these areas raise significant concerns: as we get more and more information about an individual, who owns this? Where is it stored, by whom and how? It would have incalculable commercial value. Insurance companies would fall over themselves to get even a glimpse of this information. And while the technology is currently being considered for use in newborns, there is nothing to stop it being used before birth on a foetus. This would open the door for designer babies, where those with key characteristics are selected and others aborted. This could be considered proper Brave New World technology, yet it has flown relatively below the radar, I suspect in part because the terms can be confusing and its difficult to understand whats being discussed. So, to explain: inside nearly every cell in our bodies is a nucleus that controls what the cell does and contains the genetic blueprint for your entire body in the form of chromosomes. These come in pairs and are made of DNA. Along the chromosome are regions, or genes, that code for in other words, give instructions to produce certain characteristics. A genome is one set of all the genes that each of us has, plus the sections in between the genes. It is the complete map of everything that makes us who we are. (So when most people talk about their DNA, what they are really referring to is their genome.) The technology to analyse the genome took years to develop in an international undertaking called The Human Genome Project, which began in 1990. On April 14, 2003, two years earlier than planned, it was announced that the entire human genome had been mapped. This meant that, for the first time, every gene had been recorded. Both these areas raise significant concerns: as we get more and more information about an individual, who owns this? Where is it stored, by whom and how? It would have incalculable commercial value. Insurance companies would fall over themselves to get even a glimpse of this information While this project looked at the genome in general terms, WGS analyses an individuals genome. Thanks to technological advances driving down the cost of mapping and analysing a genome, and increasing the speed at which it can be done, what was a pipe dream to those first researchers has become a reality: for it is now possible to offer WGS to anyone with a genetic disease. WGS gives unimaginable detail about the individual literally everything about that persons biology is contained in the genome. The rate at which technology has advanced in just a generation has prompted many to second-guess how far advances will take us in another generation, raising fears about how it might be used to create a sinister, dystopian world where everything is known about a babys potential. On the government website introducing the public consultation for WGS, it says: The ability to sequence and analyse a persons entire genetic code has the potential to create a seismic shift in the way the NHS works, moving to a more prevention-focused healthcare system. These are bold claims, but its a politically savvy approach to link this technology to benefits for the NHS because it is such a well-loved organisation, and generally considered to be working in the interests of the greater good. The launch material also talks about how it will benefit ethnic minorities, for whom a better understanding of their genetic variations might help tailor treatments or screen for specific conditions. As a doctor, I feel profoundly torn about all this. On the one hand, I can see the tremendous value this amount of data could have for scientists and doctors studying diseases. Take the pandemic. It has become clear that certain groups are more susceptible than others, and certain groups are more likely to suffer serious consequences of infection. A databank of millions of genomes would provide information on which genes were protective and those that were associated with risk. But I also know how technology like this can be abused (for example, advances in genetics have enabled doctors to select embryos based on their sex, which has proved hugely controversial, and while illegal in this country remains legal in others) and that we are pushing at a door that, once open, we will not be able to close. This has ethical implications we are woefully ill-prepared to deal with. The consultation was commissioned by the UK National Screening Committee and Genomics England. The latter was set up in 2013 by then Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt, with the explicit purpose of providing the investment and leadership needed to dramatically increase the use of this technology and drive down costs. It was tasked with sequencing 100,000 whole genomes from NHS patients with rare conditions and cancers, but in 2018 Matt Hancock expanded it to a million, with the aim of sequencing five million genomes within five years. That means that the NHS will have the most intimate details of millions of citizens. Yet, while technology has raced ahead, the ethical considerations and safeguards have lagged behind. The consultation highlighted some concerns about disability rights, for example, as conditions that were not life-limiting but considered undesirable by some, such as deafness, could be eradicated. The consultation also acknowledged that there was a genuine fear that the goal of eradicating illness could lead to a dystopian situation with a desire to create a perfect society with no illness or disability. In addition to the creation of designer babies, others have expressed concern that some people could be seen as too much expense to the health service. When we know someones genetic risks of disease and illness, do we as a society still allow them to have children and pass this on, knowing that this will not only pass on an illness but also place a burden on the health service and wider society? And while the promise is that WGS will help us understand which ethnic groups are at risk of certain illnesses, this also opens up the risk of discrimination in employment, for instance if companies are aware that certain groups are at more risk of certain illnesses. Of course, the technology has tremendous benefits for conditions that can be diagnosed and treated immediately. Duchenne muscular dystrophy, which leads to the progressive deterioration of the muscles, often presents with vague or confusing symptoms at first, meaning that people currently have to wait a long time for a proper diagnosis and undergo painful and intrusive tests. WGS could also benefit people with conditions that develop later in life, such as hypercholesterolaemia, a genetic predisposition to high cholesterol. These individuals could begin monitoring and treatment long before this would normally be picked up. Yet there are also concerns that the depth of knowledge gained from WGS could mean children are put on medicines early or medicalised in other ways that would be detrimental to their development being constantly tested, for example. And what about the rights of an individual not to know about a condition that might affect them in the future? What about conditions that have no cure? Huntingtons disease, for example, is an inherited form of early-onset dementia. At present, people with relatives who have Huntingtons are given the choice to test for the gene to see if they have inherited it or not. Many choose not to know because there is no cure and they prefer not to have their lives blighted by this knowledge. Yet WGS would identify this immediately. It opens up many other questions. How will new parents bond with a baby when they know it has a certain genetic propensity, for example? Concerns have been raised about whether the parents will be over-protective, or whether the knowledge will affect how the child is treated or educated. And, once children who have undergone WGS grow up, does this have implications for who they date or choose to have children with? With this kind of knowledge comes tremendous pressures. There is no doubt that this technology has many potential benefits. But it raises enormous complex and difficult questions about ethics and human rights that I fear we simply arent equipped to answer. We urgently need a transparent and frank public discussion about the multitude of issues this technology forces us to consider. Despite this, there has been sustained political will to see it implemented in the NHS. It seems significant, for instance, that for each of the concerns highlighted in the consultation such as the information being used by insurance/marketing companies and employers there is a reaction (i.e. solution) included, with the implication that this problem is easily surmountable (in this particular example, the solution is to: ensure future-proofed legislation and governance procedures are in place). It seems inevitable that ministers will forge ahead and WGS will become routine in the health service the genie is well and truly out of the bottle. But lets not pretend that the Brave New World that is being heralded is not without complex ethical questions. There is the potential for a dark, sinister side, too. And, at the very least, we should be talking about it. Shanda Parish (pictured, a nurse in Arkansas, said that she still does not want to get vaccinated even after both of her unvaccinated parents died of Covid in late August A nurse in Arkansas said she is still unlikely to get a COVID-19 vaccine, even after both her parents died from the virus within days of each other. Shanda Parish, from Fort Smith, Arkansas, told the Wall Street Journal that she believes the vaccine is too new and doesn't trust it. This is despite the deaths of her father Robert and stepmother Vira, both in their 70s, at the end of July within three days of each other after contracting Covid at a high school reunion. Parish has stood firm on refusing the shot despite being sent a horrific voicemail from her father as he moaned and gasped in his hospital deathbed. She said: 'It doesnt even sound human. I dont like hearing it, but I cant delete it.' Parish says she's since been guilt-tripped about not pushing her parents to get the vaccine - although her brother David Herring did try unsuccessfully to do so. Speaking through sobs, Parish added: 'We didnt kill them, but some people make us feel like its our fault theyre gone. No one should try to make you feel guilty because someone died.' Arkansas - and Sebastian County, where Parish lives - are both being slammed by an Indian 'Delta' variant-fueled Covid surge, as cases are nearing record highs after months of declines. The Herrings were lifelong residents of western Arkansas. Their children told The Journal that they did not want to get vaccinated. Parish says that she does not regret her parents decision to not get vaccinated, because it was their choice. Vira (left) and David (right) Herring both died from COVID-19 in late August after contracting the virus at a high school reunion. Neither were vaccinated Parish shared a post about shingles being a low-risk side-effect of COVID-19 vaccines in the days after her parents passing She did tell The Journal that she wished she had the chance to urge them to go to the hospital earlier, though. In the time since, she says friends have cast judgment on her, and even passed some blame to her for her parents' death. 'We didn't kill them, but some people make us feel like it's our fault they're gone,' she said. 'No one should try to make you feel guilty because someone died.' DailyMail.com reached out to Parish for comment but she did not immediately respond. Her brother, David Herring, lives near Washington D.C. and is vaccinated himself. He told The Journal that he urged his parents to get vaccinated before their deaths, and he is infuriated over the situation. 'I'm absolutely angry and frustrated,' Herring said. 'Their age and health conditions - they should have gotten vaccinated really early. 'And then trying to talk to friends of theirs and hearing these ridiculous things about depopulation and computer chips.' The Herrings' children are split on whether to receive the vaccine, with Parrish refusing, and their son David getting vaccinated, and urging others to do the same Despite her parents' deaths, Parish says she does not plan to get vaccinated. On August 4, after her parents death, she shared a vague anti-vaxx news article with the caption 'They just keep coming...' The post links to an article about shingles being a potential side-effect of the COVID-19 vaccines, with 112 incidences of the condition in 33 million people in the United Kingdom. Like much of the rest of western Arkansas, Sebastian County has a low vaccination rate. Only 36.2 percent of the counties 127,000 people are fully vaccinated, according to official data. The county is also averaging 78 new cases a day, up 50 percent from 52 cases a day two weeks ago, and the highest since February 1. The state is also approaching it's all-time high in new daily Covid cases. Arkansas is averaging 2,263 cases a day - the highest total since the pandemic was at its worst in January - cases up 24 percent from 1,824 only two weeks ago. It is one of 13 U.S. states with less than half of residents at least partially vaccinated - with only 49 percent having received at least one shot of a vaccine and 37 percent fully vaccinated. Arkansas was one of the most eager states to oppose pandemic related mandates, even passing a law earlier this year that banned any mask mandates in the state. Governor Asa Hutchinson, a Republican, said last week that he regrets passing that law and is calling for a special legislative session to repeal as his state gets hammered by the virus. Normally high summer madness breaks out on the trading desks of the big investment banks when the bosses are cruising on their yachts in the Med. This year, there is a new twist, with financially driven takeover activity at a peak, driven by the trillions of dollars of cash sloshing around the system as a result of central bank largesse. The idea of the City referee, the Takeover Panel, having to intervene in two multi-billion takeovers the bids for Morrisons and healthcare manufacturer Vectura on the same day, is surprising. Feeding frenzy: Financially driven takeover activity is at a peak, driven by the trillions of dollars of cash sloshing around the system as a result of central bank largesse Add to that the swoop by vampire-kangaroo Macquarie on utility Southern Water, and the purchase of a 5 per cent stake in Deliveroo by German rival Delivery Hero, and the quantity of deal-making looks extraordinary. A common thread through all these transactions is that the potential ownership changes are divorced from the broader interests of stakeholders. The supposedly independent stooges on the Morrisons board have agreed to accept a higher offer of 6.7billion from Softbank-backed Fortress without exploring other possibilities. These might have included finding a white knight, dumping chief executive David Potts or sensibly waiting to hear what counter bidder Clayton, Dubilier & Rice (CD&R) has up its sleeve. The directors have interpreted company law in the most narrow way. Take the money on behalf of shareholders and bolt. Promises of continuity of leadership quickly fall apart once the deal is done. Asda CEO Roger Burnley already is out of the way, only six months after the Issa Brothers and TDR Capital completed their takeover. It would be good if advisers on takeovers took time to go back to company law and instructed directors accordingly. Money may speak all languages but it clearly states that directors have a responsibility to all stakeholders, with employees, suppliers and consumers close to top of the list. The idea that a promise to keep Morrisons HQ in Bradford, and to pay workers at least 10-an-hour when the national living wage is 8.91-an-hour and above 10.85 in London, is hardly generous. Moreover, as one senior City figure told me yesterday, the fiscal consequences of these transactions could be serious by blowing a big hole in tax receipts. The expectation is that CD&R, which has former Tesco boss Terry Leahy as the figurehead of its bid team, will come back with a better offer next week and improve on the governance promises of Fortress. That shouldnt be hard given their flimsiness. This whole private equity bidding saga is straight out of the swinging dick culture described by author Michael Lewis three decades ago. Plus ca change, plus cest la meme chose. Smoking gun As a former top executive at Astrazeneca, one might think that chairman Bruno Angelici would have recognised the medical stupidity of selling Vectura, an innovative maker of inhalers and anti-smoking treatments, to Marlboro rollers Phillip Morris. Thats what it did in July, offering an opportunity for private equity group Carlyle to present itself as a saviour. From this risible start has emerged a tit-for-tat bidding war causing so much angst at the Takeover Panel that it has decided on a controlled auction, a device last used to decide the fate of G4S. A vacillating board means that the process has been handed over to outside forces, and all that matters is price. Not a word about other stakeholders, including medical opinion leaders, who have expressed alarm. Angelici should have had no truck with any of this knowing how important his company is to asthma sufferers, among others. To put too much faith in Simon Dingemans, a former GSK executive representing Carlyle, is an error. Dingemans bailed out of the Financial Reporting Council just at the moment he was needed most to steer though fundamental reforms. If Vectura needs funding, why not look to one its major customers such as GSK, for co-investment. Only asking. Soft Shu shuffle Founder Will Shus justification for dual class shares when food dispatch outfit Deliveroo floated in May was to keep predators at bay. German rival Delivery Hero is testing Shus staying power by acquiring a 5 per cent stake for 300million. The 28billion German rival will need a bear hug if it is to overcome Shus 50 per cent voting rights. Deliveroo investors, who took a bath in first-day trading, have cause to feel better about their wager. Philip Morris International and a US private equity behemoth are set to go head-to-head in an auction for British inhaler maker Vectura. The face-off aims to break a to-and-fro takeover battle that has seen the tobacco giant and The Carlyle Group put in multiple offers in a matter of weeks for the Chippenham-based business. All three companies have agreed that the five-day auction which will be overseen by the Takeover Panel is the best way to break the deadlock. Takeover target: Philip Morris and The Carlyle Group have both put in multiple offer for British inhaler maker Vectura in a matter of weeks The aim of the auction is to get to the point where Philip Morris and Carlyle have made final offers, which they will not be able to change. This is the only way to resolve the bidding war, otherwise each firm could, if regulators allowed it, keep leapfrogging one another for many more weeks. And fears are growing that Vectura could be kept under lengthy siege if the pair are left to continue. Skys takeover in 2018 was settled by a one-day auction process, which resulted in a blockbuster 31billion deal from Comcast. Vectura has previously warned that business is starting to slow in the wake of the frenzy. Shares in the FTSE 250-listed company rose 5.5 per cent, or 9p, to 173p, as traders priced in the next stage of the stand-off. The unusual move comes after Marlboro-maker Philip Morris known as PMI made a 1.02billion offer for Vectura on Sunday. This was just two days after Carlyle offered 928million. Vectura had backed Carlyles latest bid but decided to withdraw support yesterday and refused to recommend the PMI offer, creating an impasse. Vectura specialises in making inhalers and nebulisers, but it also helps top drug companies convert their medicines into powders that can be inhaled. Customers include Hikma Pharmaceuticals and Glaxosmithkline. If PMI or Carlyle puts forward a final offer for Vectura by 5pm today, the auction will not go ahead. But if neither does, the process begins and will last five working days from tomorrow until August 17, or until a day when neither side puts in a new offer. Each day the companies will announce their latest price to the stock market, so investors will be able to track bids. When the auction ends, Vectura will be left with two final offers which it will then be able to weigh up. If it decides to recommend one then it will go to a shareholder vote, which needs to win 75 per cent of the ballot. The battle has been highly controversial, with many in the City keen for Vectura neither to become victim to yet another private equity swoop nor for a company that treats lung conditions to fall into the hands of Big Tobacco. But PMI boss Jacek Olczak said taking over Vectura would help it become a broader health and wellness company. The company is aiming to eventually stop selling cigarettes. However, tobacco products still account for 75 per cent of its sales and its move has triggered outrage from health campaigners, with the British Thoracic Society saying it presents an unresolvable ethical conflict. The European Respiratory Society said it was very alarmed. Carlyle is keen to expand the business and it already has support from 11pc of shareholders for its bid. But private equity firms have a torrid reputation for breaking firms up after just a few years and selling off the pieces. Some observers believe the Vectura board could plump for Carlyle even if PMI puts in a bid that is higher, on the grounds that it is better for the companys overall long-term interest. Michael Hewson, chief market analyst at CMC Markets, said: Its a high-stakes decision for Vectura, with the board coming under fire from some for even considering the bid from tobacco giant Philip Morris. The importance of companies on the front line like Vectura, and its partnership with UK-based Inspira, has become even more important in the context of Covid. I'm disabled and receive Personal Independent Payment and Employment Support Allowance. My wife receives Carer's Allowance. My pension age will be next November when I am 66-years old. What should I do now? What will happen to me if I apply for a state pension? Will all my benefits go away or not? What will be best for me? I worked between March 1993 to 2000 before I became sick. I would be very grateful for your advice. What now? This week's reader is worried how the state pension could affect their disability benefits Steve Webb replies: The effect on your benefits of reaching pension age and drawing your state pension is different for different types of benefits. We also need to think about your wife's Carer's Allowance. I should stress that I don't have full details of your personal circumstances so what follows is a general description of the rules. I will provide some links later on for where you can check your exact personal situation. Starting with your Personal Independence Payment (PIP), the good news is that this will continue after you reach pension age, provided that you continue to satisfy the other conditions for the benefit. Although brand new claims for PIP are generally not possible from those over pension age, those who first claimed before pension age can go on receiving PIP into retirement. Steve Webb: Find out how to ask the former Pensions Minister a question about your retirement savings in the box below Things are slightly more complicated with your Employment Support Allowance (ESA). I'm guessing that you have been on ESA for a while and are receiving what is called 'income-based' ESA. When you reach pension age, you are no longer able to claim ESA. But because you are part of a couple and it looks as though your wife is under pension age, you still come under the 'working age' benefits system. This means that you would need to claim Universal Credit. Once you start getting your state pension, every pound of state pension is deducted pound-for-pound from your Universal Credit. Depending on the size of your state pension, it is possible that your income from state pension will be above the Universal Credit level and you would not be entitled. However, because help with rent is now included within the Universal Credit system, if you live in rented accommodation you may still get help even if you have a significant state pension. Things would change again once your wife reaches pension age. First of all, your wife can claim her own state pension based on her own contributions. However, assuming that her state pension is bigger than her Carer's Allowance, then her Carer's Allowance would unfortunately stop. This is because of what are known as 'overlapping benefit rules' which apply when you would otherwise be entitled to two benefits at the same time, such as pension and Carer's Allowance. Second, if as a couple you are on a low income you could now see if you are entitled to Pension Credit to top up your income rather than Universal Credit. Although your wife may no longer get Carer's Allowance, she would have what is called an 'underlying entitlement' and this means a slightly higher rate of pension credit could be payable. There are also additions for pension credit for 'severe disability', but in the case of a couple these generally apply only where both partners are receiving disability benefits in their own right. As you can see, the rules are complex and depend on whether one or both of you is over pension age. I would strongly advise you and your wife to get a state pension forecast so that you know how much you will be getting from that source. You might also find it helpful to talk to a local welfare rights advice service such as Citizens Advice, or to check your position via a benefits calculator website. The three calculator websites recommended by the Government are: - Turn2Us (https://benefits-calculator.turn2us.org) - Policy In Practice (https://www.betteroffcalculator.co.uk/#/free) - EntitledTo (https://www.entitledto.co.uk/benefits-calculator). A Conservative MP slammed the 'many failings of the state system' today as the education gap between rich and poor was laid bare in this year's GCSE results. Andrew Bridgen called for 'major reform of education at all levels' after three in five GCSE entries from private schools in England received one of the top three grades - more than double the level at state secondaries. Some 61.2 per cent of GCSE entries from private schools received a grade 7, 8 or 9 this year, compared with 57.2 per cent in 2020 and 46.6 per cent in 2019, according to analysis by exams regulator Ofqual. Independent schools also saw the largest absolute rise in the top grades compared with other types of schools and colleges - up four percentage points in a year. Traditional state schools - including secondary modern, comprehensive or middle - had an average of 23.3 per cent of entries getting at least a grade 7 this year, up from 20.9 per cent in 2020. And 28.1 per cent of entries at academies got at least a grade 7 this year up from 2020, when 25.9 per cent were awarded top grades. As for selective grammar schools, 68.4 per cent of entries got at least a grade 7, up from 65.6 per cent in 2020. While these schools are not fee-paying, property prices in their catchment areas such as in Essex or Kent often rule out many poorer children from attending. Mr Bridgen told MailOnline today: 'Was anyone expecting anything different following the A-Levels? I don't think so. It's more of the same. It's clear we need a major reform of education at all levels in the UK.' A second MP lambasted Education Secretary Gavin Williamson's softly-softly handling of union opposition during lockdown, saying he 'just couldn't handle them'. And Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said many poorer pupils would have been affected during the lockdowns by a lack of digital technology at home. People from ethnic minority backgrounds make up a higher proportion of Covid deaths than ever before, as vaccination hesitancy in black and Asian communities starts to have a tragic impact. Analysis of weekly NHS statistics by The Mail on Sunday shows that the share of Covid deaths among those of ethnic or mixed descent has risen by more than half since the winter wave ended in late March. Over winter, about 12 per cent of Covid-related deaths in England were in non-whites. But since the start of June, the figure has been 19 per cent. Last night, a leading expert said it was highly probable lower vaccination rates in ethnic groups had resulted in Covid deaths that could have been prevented Meanwhile, the proportion of Covid-related deaths accounted for by Englands white majority, who make up 86 per cent of the population, has fallen from 80 per cent over the winter to 72 per cent now. Poorest 20% three times more likely not to be vaccinated than the richest The poorest people in Britain are almost three times more likely not to have had their Covid jab than the richest, startling figures show. Data compiled by Oxford University, based on tens of millions of GP records, shows 11.5 per cent of adults in the wealthiest fifth of society have not been vaccinated. But among the poorest fifth, 30 per cent remain unvaccinated. These figures are averages across adults of all ages, with the rich-poor divide even starker among young people. In adults under 30s from the wealthiest homes, 27 per cent have not had their first dose. But among the poorest under-30s, half have not had it. Last night, experts said they feared the low vaccine take-up would dog the countrys poorest communities for years to come. Jo Bibby, of the Health Foundation think-tank, said: Throughout the pandemic, its been poorer people who have had poorer [health] outcomes, largely because they have continued to have to work, and also because they have poorer underlying health. Sadly, this is going to lead to more of the same, because its the same groups who havent been vaccinated. She believed some poor people struggled to find the time to get jabbed or found getting to a vaccine centre difficult, while many did not trust the Government. Advertisement The figures are likely to underestimate the number of Covid deaths in minority communities, since in almost one in ten cases ethnicity is not recorded. Last night, a leading expert said it was highly probable lower vaccination rates in ethnic groups had resulted in Covid deaths that could have been prevented. Professor Paul Hunter, of the University of East Anglia, said: You dont have to be an epidemiologist to predict that the proportion of Covid deaths would increase in ethnic minorities, where vaccination rates have been lower. Its a grave reminder that if you havent been vaccinated, you should, as you will get Covid at some point in the future. When you do, if you havent had your vaccine yet, or been naturally infected with the virus before, your risk of dying of Covid is just as great as it was last year. Numerous reports have found that people from South Asian and black backgrounds are less likely to have been vaccinated than their white counterparts. New figures from Oxford Universitys Open Safely data project, based on GP records, show that 94 per cent of white over-50s have had one dose. But only 86 per of South Asians over 50 have been jabbed, while the figure for black Britons over 50 is 70 per cent. Only 34 per cent of black British adults under 30 have been vaccinated, compared to 62 per cent of 18-to-29-year-olds as a whole. Reasons include concerns among Muslims dismissed by religious leaders that the vaccines are not halal (meaning allowed under Islamic law); lack of trust among black communities in health authorities; and reliance on social media which can be skewed towards anti-vaxxer content. Among those hit hardest so far in this summers wave are Englands Pakistani communities, who have some of the lowest vaccination rates. They make up two per cent of the population. During the winter wave they accounted for 2.2 per cent of Covid-related deaths. That proportion has doubled to 4.5 per cent in the current wave. Overall, the proportion of Covid-related deaths among Englands Asian communities, who make up 7.5 per cent of the population, has risen from 7.2 per cent in the winter wave to 10.4 per cent in this wave. Numerous reports have found that people from South Asian and black backgrounds are less likely to have been vaccinated than their white counterparts Black Britons (of Caribbean, African or other heritage, who together comprise 3.3 per cent of the population) also account for a growing share of Covid-related deaths, rising from 2.4 per cent in the winter wave to 5.0 per cent this summer. The figures chime with assessments by hospital bosses about their sickest patients in this wave. Recent board papers from University College Hospital London state: Patients in ICU [the Intensive Care Unit] are mostly unvaccinated. Byron Bay has once again proven itself to be a playground for Sydney's elite, as influencers are accused of breaching lockdown orders to party and businessmen fly to the coastal haven on private jets. Sydney-based businessman Eitan Neishlos denied it was 'entirely true' that he hired a private jet to fly out of Sydney last week, the Sydney Morning Herald reported. Mr Neishlos was reportedly spotted in the area last week, while Sydney was in lockdown with strict instructions not to travel. It is not clear when he was last in Sydney or if it was during the six weeks the city has been locked down and travel in and out banned. Meanwhile, Nathan Favro, an Instagram influencer set to appear on the controversial new reality television show Byron Baes, is being investigated for hosting a house party in contravention of Covid restrictions. Just days after Luca Catalano was pictured at a party that reportedly breached Covid restrictions in Byron Bay, he was pictured living it up in Brisbane and the Whitsundays on his family's superyacht, Sun Raes (pictured) Catalano shared this photo from June 24 to his Instagram, allegedly the night of Nathan Favro's party While Byron Bay is not subject to the same lockdown orders as in Sydney, there is a limit of five guests allowed in a home. Pictures and video seen by Daily Mail Australia from June 24 appears to show upwards of 16 guests inside Favro's home. One of the people who was 'tagged' at the event is Luca Catalano, the son of Antony 'The Cat' Catalano, a property mogul who owns Raes at Wategos in the beach town. A NSW Police spokesman confirmed inquiries are ongoing into the soiree. It does not appear that any penalty notices have been issued to Favro or any of the other people linked to the event. Sydney-based businessman Eitan Neishlos (pictured with his ex partner) denied it was 'entirely true' that he hired a private jet to fly out of Sydney last week One of the people who was 'tagged' at the event is Luca Catalano, the son of Antony 'The Cat' Catalano, a property mogul who owns Raes at Wategos in the beach town Elle Watson, a fellow Byron Baes cast member, shared photos and videos of the party to her social media page. Just days after the party took place, Catalano shared images online living it up in Brisbane before heading to the Whitsundays on his family's superyacht, Sun Raes. He celebrated the trip with friends including James Bart, Pascal Dattler, Mila Dattler, and Hana Sezer, the Sydney Morning Herald reported. It is not clear whether they had an exemption to travel to Queensland and Daily Mail Australia does not suggest any wrongdoing. Catalano has since returned to the US, where he attends university, after spending a year in Australia. Elle Watson, a fellow Byron Baes cast member, shared pictures and videos to her social media page tagging the people allegedly at the party The SMH also reports several Sydney influencers and socialites have found a way around the lockdown's beauty industry ban by choosing their hairdressers, masseuses or manicurists for their 'single's bubble'. Premier Gladys Berejiklian last week amended lockdown rules to allow any person who lives alone to nominate a friend or loved one to enter their 'bubble' and spend time with. Other hairdressers claimed that they've been asked to breach lockdown to provide 'sneaky' cuts and colours. None of Sydney's social set confessed to finding a way around the lockdown, but many taking their daily stroll on the Bondi to Bronte walk looked suspiciously well groomed. Drug dealers also seem unfazed by lockdown and are using text messages to offer home deliveries for those feeling a bit down stuck at home. 'ANNOUNCEMENT: BEST VACCINE IN THE WORLD TOP TOP QUALITY STUFF!!!! FU*K COVID,' one text message read, with two snowflake emojis added. Bucket list tourist Janet Kroll, 77, who 'finally made it to Alaska' after retiring was among six people who were killed when their sightseeing plane crashed in a mountainous area of southeast Alaska. Kroll was on the plane with mother and daughter Andrea McArthur, 55, and Rachel McArthur, 20, who were on a 'girls trip', as well as Napa couple Mark Henderson, 69, and Jacquelyn Komplin, 60, when it crashed on Thursday. The pilot, identified as Rolf Lanzendorfer, 64, also died when the aircraft, a De Havilland Beaver, went down as they were all returning to the port town of Ketchikan from Misty Fjords National Monument. There were no survivors in the crash. The victims, the pilot and five cruise ship passengers, were recovered and identified by Alaska State Troopers after crews initially struggled to reach the wreckage due to poor weather conditions. Kroll, of Mount Prospect, Illinois, was pictured the day before she died by the Mendenhall Glacier in Juneau. She wrote on Facebook: 'I finally made it to Alaska! Hooray!' Meanwhile, Andrea McArthur and her daughter Rachel McArthur, both of Woodstock, Georgia, were on a 'girls' trip before Rachel returned to college. All five passengers were on an excursion off the Holland America Line cruise ship Nieuw Amsterdam. But the plane's emergency beacon was activated about 11:20 a.m. on Thursday when it crashed near the monument, the U.S. Coast Guard said. Janet Kroll, 77, of Mount Prospect, Illinois, was pictured here at Mendenthall glacier park the day before she died in the plane crash Mark Henderson and Jacque Komplin were also killed in the plane crash on Thursday Pilot Rolf Lanzendorfer, 64, of Cle Elum, Washington, died in the crash. Lanzendorfer's Linkedin profile said he had worked for Southeast Aviation as a pilot since May 2015 Kathleen Grayson, Henderson's sister, told the Napa Valley Register that Henderson and Komplin, both from Napa, California, had sent messages during their trip 'talking about how gorgeous' it was in Alaska. 'They were having so much fun,' she said. Henderson was retired but had worked as a public defender, while Komplin was a registered nurse and instructor at Pacific Union College, the news outlet reported. Komplin coordinated a wellness program associated with Meals on Wheels for Community Action of Napa Valley, the group's executive director, Drene Johnson, told The Associated Press. She said Komplin was excited about the trip. 'We were all wishing her well, and that's what's so hard for us to comprehend is, now she's gone,' she said, describing Komplin as 'one of a kind.' One recent post on Kroll's Facebook page showed Mendenhall Glacier in Juneau in the background. Another was captioned: 'I finally made it to Alaska! Hooray!' Davis McArthur said his mother, Andrea McArthur, and sister, Rachel McArthur, were on a 'girls' trip' before his sister returned to college. He said Andrea McArthur was a flight attendant with Delta Air Lines and that the two women loved traveling and adventure. Andrea McArthur 'had a heart of gold,' he said, adding later: 'If there was a need, just know it was going to get met. If you needed somebody to talk to, she was that shoulder to lean on.' 'You could see Jesus in her,' he said. Rachel McArthur, too, was 'always wanting to help out,' he said. She also was independent and strong, he said. Lanzendorfer, of Cle Elum, Washington, had worked for Southeast Aviation as a pilot since May 2015, according to his Linkedin profile. Ketchikan Volunteer Rescue Squad personnel land and disembark from a Hughes 369D helicopter on Thursday The craft, a De Havilland Beaver, had been ferrying five cruise passengers from a Holland America Line ship stopping in the port town of Ketchikan, the officials said, adding that the pilot was among the dead Ketchikan is a popular stop for cruise ships visiting Alaska, and cruise ship passengers can take various sightseeing excursions while in port. Popular among them are small plane flights to Misty Fjords National Monument, where visitors can see glacier valleys, snow-capped peaks and lakes in the wilderness area. A helicopter company reported seeing wreckage on a ridgeline in the search area, and Coast Guard crew members found the wreckage around 2:40 p.m. A Coast Guard helicopter lowered two rescue swimmers to the site, and they reported no survivors, the agency said. However, poor weather and deteriorating visibility hampered early efforts to recover the bodies. Alaska State Troopers and members of the Ketchikan Volunteer Rescue Squad made it to the crash site Saturday afternoon via a chartered Temsco helicopter. The bodies of the six people who died will be taken to the State Medical Examiners Office in Anchorage, the troopers said. The National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the cause of the crash. The Federal Aviation Administration was also investigating. Delta Air Lines released a statement Sunday saying that it was 'mourning the loss of one of our own and our hearts and thoughts go out to the many who knew, worked with and admired her.' The US Coast Guard found the wrecked plane, operated by Ketchikan-based Southeast Aviation (pictured, file photo), and the victims after a search that also involved the US Forest Service and other agencies, the troopers said Clint Johnson, chief of the agency's Alaska region, said Lanzendorfer was the pilot in a July 9 incident in which a Southeast Aviation plane hit an inlet buoy on departure near Coffman Cove and flipped. Alaska State Troopers previously reported the pilot was the only person on board and that no injuries were reported. Johnson said that's just 'a piece of information that we're putting on the pile' as investigators probe Thursday's crash. The Seattle Times reported that Lanzendorfer had been flying commercial floatplanes for more than 40 years and was described by Clyde Carlson, founder of Washington-based Northwest Seaplanes, as 'an excellent pilot.' Foggy and reduced visibility conditions have also delayed efforts to recover the wreckage of the sightseeing plane, a National Transportation Safety Board official said. Johnson said efforts to reach the site Sunday were called off due to poor conditions. The team planned to try again Monday, he said. 'However long it takes, we will wait for the weather and wait patiently for it. But we're going to get this done,' he said. The wreckage was in a rugged, steep area that is heavily forested, at 1,800 feet to 2,000 feet 'up on the side of a mountain,' he said. The site is about 12 miles northeast of Ketchikan, Johnson said. 'Very challenging conditions,' Johnson said, adding that the wreckage would have to be removed by helicopter. He described conditions at the accident site as having low ceilings, reduced visibility and fog. Investigators also were conducting interviews in Ketchikan, he said. Holland America confirmed its passengers were aboard the plane when it crashed near Misty Fjords National Monument, a scenic area within the Tongass National Forest Holland America Line confirmed the five passengers on the flight had been traveling on the company's ship Nieuw Amsterdam, which was nearing the end of seven-day Alaska cruise. 'We can confirm that a floatplane carrying five guests from Nieuw Amsterdam was involved... and there are no survivors,' the cruise line said on Twitter, adding that it had not sold the independent tour. Ketchikan is a popular stop for cruise ships visiting Alaska, and sightseeing excursions, such as those to Misty Fjords National Monument, are among the options for exploring the area while off the ship. The cruise line said the excursion the passengers were on was not sold by Holland America Line. Southeast Aviation, in a statement Thursday, said it was cooperating with the agencies involved. 'All of us share in the anguish of this tragic incident, and our prayers go out to all affected,' the statement said. On Friday, Senator Lisa Murkowski tweeted condolences to the families of the six victims. 'My heart is heavy after hearing about the plane crash in Ketchikan yesterday which took six lives,' she tweeted. 'It's awful and devastating news that is felt across the Southeast and the Alaska aviation community. My prayers are with the families and all those impacted by this tragedy.' Small planes on similar excursions have crashed in the area in recent years. In 2019, a midair collision of planes carrying Misty Fjords sightseers killed six people and injured 10. In 2015, nine people were killed when a plane with cruise passengers crashed into a nearby mountain. Kamala Harris will talk with Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador on Monday to discuss the U.S. sending more vaccines to the neighbors in the south. 'We're going to talk on Monday in order to keep working on our joint agenda of collaboration,' Lopez Obrador said during a speech over the weekend at a new national guard installation in Ciudad Juarez, a border city with Texas. He did not provide any more details on other subjects he and the vice president will hit on during the Monday phone call but said he expects a shipment of 1.35 million vaccine doses from the U.S. The leftist president, however, did appear to preview additional U.S. vaccine donations as the Delta variant surges in both the U.S. and Mexico. 'There are commitments for us to have more vaccines, provided by the United States government,' Lopez Obrador continued in his Sunday remarks. He thanked Washington for an earlier vaccine donation of around 3.5 million doses. Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (right) said this weekend he will speak with Vice President Kamala Harris (left) about the U.S. donating 1.35 million more vaccines to Mexico The White House announced Friday that 50% of the entire U.S. population is now vaccinated against COVID-19 The seven-day rolling average of new COVID cases in the U.S. is 110,360 as of Sunday and in Mexico is upwards of 16,500. The spike in Mexico is reaching numbers similar to their highest case rate at the height of the pandemic in January 2021. Both the highly contagious Delta variant, first detected in India earlier this year, and the heightened number of breakthrough cases in the vaccinated are leading to the massive case spikes in the U.S. and Mexico. The White House announced last week that 50 per cent of the total U.S. population is now fully inoculated against coronavirus. Harris, a former senator from California, was tapped earlier this year by President Joe Biden to lead diplomatic efforts with Mexico and several Central American nations focusing on regional migration and economic development. D.C. already sent around 3.5 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine to Mexico. Here a shipment of Pfizer doses are unloaded in Mexico on December 23, 2020 While her role was quickly dubbed by outsiders as 'border czar', the White House has insisted she is focused on addressing 'root causes' of migration and not on the border crisis, which sees thousands of migrants arriving each day over the U.S.-Mexico border. Lopez Obrador on Sunday praised U.S.-Mexico relations under Biden's six-month-old administration, describing them as based on 'respect for our sovereignty and development cooperation.' Texas officials have also pleaded with the Biden administration to direct immigration agencies to stop releasing COVID-positive migrants into their communities after being apprehended at the border. Some cities and towns have blamed an influx in coronavirus cases to the fact unvaccinated migrants are being sent to their communities as an Alternative to Detention Program after illegally crossing into the U.S. The U.S. vaccination rate has plateaued as hesitant communities continue to refuse to get the jab The infection rate has spiked to winter levels as the Delta variant surges and breakthrough cases in vaccinated people continue to emerge The UK's withdrawal from Afghanistan is a strategic mistake which could spark a resurgence of terrorism, a former military commander has warned. General Sir Richard Barrons warned the decision to pull out would send a message to countries around the world that leaders in the West 'don't have the stomach to see these things through'. It comes as Taliban forces captured five cities in three days, including much of the capital of northern Afghanistan's Kunduz province as their advance continues. Fighting has intensified in recent weeks after Joe Biden ordered the withdrawal of US forces, a move followed by allies including the UK. General Sir Richard Barrons, a former head of UK Joint Forces Command, warned the decision to pull out was a 'strategic mistake' and 'sold the future of Afghanistan into a very dark place' October 7 will mark the 20th anniversary of the Western forces invasion of the country in which the Taliban were removed from powee over their support for Osama Bin Laden in the wake of the 11 September attacks. Gen Barrons, the head of UK Joint Forces Command between 2013 and 2016, told BBC Radio 4's The World This Weekend: 'The withdrawal now is a strategic mistake. 'I don't believe it's in our own interest - in making that decision to leave we've not only, I think, sold the future of Afghanistan into a very difficult place, we've also sent a really unfortunate message to the West's allies in the Gulf and Africa and Asia.' It suggests that 'we don't have the stomach to see these things through and we would rather leave than ensure that a humanitarian or political crisis doesn't occur'. Fighting has intensified across the country in recent weeks after Joe Biden ordered the withdrawal of US forces, a move followed by allies including the UK. Pictured: Afghans inspect a damaged building after airstrikes in Lashkar Gah city of Helmand province The insurgents have taken control of four provincial capitals since Friday in a rapid offensive that has overwhelmed government forces He added: 'We will run the risk of terrorist entities re-establishing in Afghanistan to bring harm in Europe and elsewhere. 'So I think this is a very poor strategic outcome.' Tory MP Tobias Ellwood, chair of the Commons Defence Committee, used a Mail on Sunday column to condemn the 'shabby withdrawal' that was 'abandoning the country to the very insurgency that drew us there in the first place'. He wrote: 'Unless we wake up to the reality of what is taking place, Afghanistan might once again become a terror state. This, remember, is the country that brought us 9/11. 'Moreover, by leaving, we are giving up a strategically crucial space to an expan-sionist China bent on taking our place. 'We would lose not just the achievements of the past, but our hold on the future as well.' Tory MP Tobias Ellwood, chair of the Commons Defence Committee, used a Mail on Sunday column to condemn the 'shabby withdrawal' that was 'abandoning the country to the very insurgency that drew us there in the first place' He called for the retention of a 5,000-strong coalition assistance force with sufficient ground, air and intelligence support to give the Afghan army the edge over the Taliban. A UK Government spokeswoman said: 'We recognise that the security situation in Afghanistan is serious, and reports of the escalating violence are extremely disturbing. 'We do not believe there is any military solution to Afghanistan's conflict, and call on the Taliban to end their campaign of violence and engage in meaningful dialogue with the Afghan Government. 'There needs to be a negotiated solution to ensure a lasting peace.' Businesses worry rule to get into venues will kill the cafe culture this summer Thousands of Britons holidaying in France face chaos under Emmanuel Macron's Covid passport rules which come into force today. Many are expected to go to France after it came off the UK's 'amber plus' travel list yesterday, meaning fully-vaccinated travellers will no longer need to quarantine on return. But they will have to prove they are fully vaccinated for everything in France from a trip up the Eiffel Tower to a glass of wine on an outdoor terrace. Proof of being double-jabbed, in the form of digital QR codes handed out by the NHS, must be uploaded to the French coronavirus smartphone app. The Mail failed to get NHS QR codes recognised at venues across France on several occasions over the past week but the authorities have insisted that things will work smoothly from today. However there was uncertainty for those who do not have a smartphone 20 per cent of the UK population with the French foreign ministry unable to clarify how the system would work for those without the digital code. Thousands of Britons heading to France on holiday will have to prove they are fully vaccinated for everything in France from a trip up the Eiffel Tower to a glass of wine on an outdoor terrace - after Emmanuel Macron brought in a new Covid passport rule Proof of being double-jabbed, in the form of digital QR codes handed out by the NHS, must be uploaded to the French coronavirus smartphone app NHS letters are accepted as proof of vaccination at the border prior to entering the country but there was no provision for using them to access tourist hotspots, cafes or restaurants. French ambassador Catherine Colonna said 'any specific query should be addressed to the French consulate' in the UK, which did not pick up the phone yesterday. But businesses are worried the move will kill the cafe culture this summer, just weeks after the country emerged from a brutal lockdown. Thousands of restaurants last night said they would defy the rules. A survey by French trade magazine L'echommerces found that 40 per cent of bar and restaurant owners will simply ignore it. Businesses worry it will kill the cafe culture this summer, just weeks after the country emerged from a brutal lockdown. Thousands of restaurants last night said they would defy the rules In Italy, the public have accepted the need to use Covid-19 passports to access restaurants, bars, gyms and theatres. Pictured: A customer uses their 'green pass' at the entrance of a gym in Rome And one in Brittany vowed he would rather go to jail than ask British holidaymakers to comply. Jean-Jacques Samoy, 60, who owns La Java Cafe in St Malo, was defiant as he said: 'I have put 45,000 euros (38,000) to one side in a blocked account to pay any fines and have packed my suitcase in case I go to prison. 'The British are always welcome but I won't be asking for your vaccine passports. It is not our job to play the role of health police. It is completely crazy.' Mr Samoy, who is fully vaccinated, said Mr Macron was 'using the pandemic as a pretext to treat the French people like children'. He added: '[It is] as if we have no common sense or intelligence anymore.' Dozens of restaurateurs across the region have also signed a petition vowing to ignore the new law. President Macron's law has been blasted as overbearing and authoritarian, with more than 200,000 people taking to streets across France on Saturday in the fourth consecutive weekend of demonstrations Anti-vax protesters have complained the use of Covid-19 passports is an imposition on their freedom and civil liberties Yet similar proposals to implement Covid-19 passports to help slow the spread of the disease in France have faced major opposition 'A red line has been crossed with the vaccine passport,' the owners of nearly 50 venues wrote on Facebook. 'If we don't react, it will destroy the very soul of our cafes.' Fines for customers who refuse to show the 'health pass' start at 135 euros (115), rising to as much as 3,750 euros (3,200) or even six months in prison for repeat offences. The same punishment applies for those using fakes or certificates belonging to someone else. Businesses can be hit with fines of 1,500 euros (1,300) or temporary closure orders if they fail to check the so-called 'health passes'. This rises to penalties of 9,000 euros (7,600) and a year in prison on the third offence. SAGE estimates the R rate which shows how quickly the virus is spreading is between 0.8 and 1.1. It means that, on average, every 10 people infected will infect between 8 and 11 other people Tourist testing costs probed by watchdog The competition watchdog has launched an investigation into rip-off coronavirus tests for holidaymakers. It will advise ministers on how best to ensure travellers can access affordable and reliable tests amid fury over prices. Families face paying hundreds of pounds extra to travel abroad this summer, and the Mail has championed calls for the Government to drive down costs. Campaigners want VAT to be axed and for ministers to allow travellers returning from green and amber countries to take cheaper lateral flow tests when they return to the UK. Health Secretary Sajid Javid has asked the CMA to assess what action might be taken to ensure that consumers do not face unnecessarily high costs or other poor provision. In a letter to CMA chief executive Andrea Coscelli, Mr Javid added: I would be grateful if you would provide me with advice on what further steps we might take to stamp out any exploitative behaviour in this market and would also urge you to take action to prevent such exploitation where you can under your existing powers. While it has powers to intervene directly in markets, the CMA expects it will be more effective to provide advice to the Government. A formal investigation that could lead to criminal action would take far longer. Last night Whitehall sources indicated there were still no plans to remove VAT on the tests. The Government has repeatedly said it is working with the travel industry and testing providers to see how to further reduce the cost of travel for the public. Advertisement President Macron's law has also been blasted as overbearing and authoritarian, with more than 200,000 people taking to streets across France on Saturday in the fourth consecutive weekend of demonstrations. In one of several protests planned in Paris yesterday, hundreds gathered at Pont de Neuilly metro station on the outskirts for a march to the centre, chanting 'freedom!' and 'no to the health pass'. Although many of the protesters are among those refusing to be vaccinated, some have taken the jabs but object to the principle of the health pass. The protest came as Italy prepares to introduce it's own 'green pass' system, where those who have at least one vaccine dose or have recovered from Covid-19 or who have tested negative within the past 48 hours will be allowed to access gyms and restaurants. The system, which will start on Friday, will be mandatory for everyone over the age of 12. France started its vaccine passport rollout on July 21 for nightclubs, sporting venues, museums, theatres and cinemas. But from today the rules are being extended to a new range of venues including large shopping centres, long-distance trains and domestic flights. Officials believe the measures will encourage more people to get the jabbed with just under half of the population fully-vaccinated. Macron urged citizens to remember the third part of France's motto, 'fraternite', calling on them to 'accept these collective rules and get vaccinated'. 'Its about citizenship. Freedom only exists if the freedom of everyone is protected its worth nothing if by exercising our freedom we contaminate our brother, neighbour, friend, parents, or someone we have come across at an event. Then freedom becomes irresponsibility.' But far-Left presidential hopeful Jean-Luc Melenchon, who plans to run against Mr Macron in next year's election, called the rules 'absurd'. He accused Mr Macron of trampling on people's freedoms. The Le Monde newspaper said Macron's decision to show no patience with the protesters had its risks, even for a leader who appears to thrive in confrontation with the street as during the 2018-2019 'yellow vest' protests. 'It is a perilous strategy. Playing with the street is to play with fire,' it said. Scramble to escape British summer! Airlines slash prices to Malta, Croatia and Germany among dozens of green list jaunts in last-minute getaway deals ByKatie Feehan For Mailonline Airlines are slashing their prices to popular holiday destinations in a boost for lockdown-weary Brits hoping to snap up last-minute getaways. Countries that have moved up the Government's traffic light system have seen their fares drop in a bid to encourage holiday-seekers to head abroad this summer. Seven new destinations were added to the UK's green list as of 4am this morning - Germany, Austria, Latvia, Norway, Slovakia, Slovenia and Romania - and all have seen a drop in price for flights. However, it should be noted that Austria requires tourists to quarantine for 10 days while Norway is not currently permitting tourists to enter the country. According to price comparison site Skyscanner, tickets direct to Frankfurt, in Germany, can be bought for as little as 21 from next Monday while you can head to Cologne from 33. Holidaymakers can fly to the Austrian capital Vienna from 27 or head to Riga, in Latvia, from 26. Meanwhile, Cluj-Napoca, in Romania, which is considered the unofficial capital of the Transylvanian region, will only set you back 18 for a flight there from mid August. Brits can fly to German from as little as 21 from mid August as airlines slash their fares in a bid to encourage more passengers to head abroad this summer. Pictured: Frankfurt in Germany Seven countries were added to the Government's green list as of 4am this morning including Germany, Romania, Latvia, Austria and Norway. Pictured: The city of Cluj Napoca in Romania But it's not just the new arrivals to the green list that have seen a drop in price. Popular tourist destinations including Croatia and Malta, which were both already green listed, have also seen fares slashed. Skyscanner is showing flights from 93 for a one-way ticket to Split or 143 to Dubrovnik while flights to Malta are going from as little as 55. Destinations on the amber list - where unvaccinated travellers must self-isolate while double jabbed Brits must provide a negative test - have also seen fares drop as airlines try and boost passenger numbers. This was especially true of countries that had been rumoured to move to the amber plus list but have remained amber including Portugal and Greece. Passengers can pick up flights to Faro in Portugal from 9 from mid August or to Porto from 24. You can also find fares from as little as 22 to Greece's Santorini or 13 to Santander in Spain. And those looking to take advantage of the relaxed rules regarding travel to amber-listed France could head to popular spots from as little as 9. From 4am this morning, arrivals from France who are fully vaccinated with a jab authorised and administered in the UK, US or Europe do not need to quarantine. Fares to the port city of Brest on the west coast will only set you back 9 while tickets to more popular destinations such as Marseille or Nice are going at 24 and 115 respectively. You can also fly to the amber listed Czech Republic from as little as 9 from mid August while popular destinations to the Canary or Balearic islands such as Tenerife or Ibiza will cost you around 24. From mid August, holidaymakers can pick up fares from 27 and head to Latvian capital Riga Pictured: View of Bratislava's historic downtown with St. Martin's Cathedral in Slovakia Gavin Harris of Skyscanner told the Telegraph travel firms were using low prices to help build confidence as people started to travel again and said prices were forecast to remain low. He added: 'This extremely competitive marketplace is fantastic news for travellers looking for good value trips.' According to the Telegraph, return tickets to popular Spanish resorts of Alicante, Tenerife and Malaga are all currently selling at more than a 10 per cent discount compared with before the pandemic. Rory Boland of consumer group Which?, said airlines had a lot of spare capacity as the number of flights remained dramatically reduced which means they can react quickly to any government announcements. He said: 'They add flights, making more seats available, and that pushes prices down. Countries already on the green list have seen fares drop including Croatia. Pictured: Dubrovnik Passengers can fly to Malta from 55 in mid August. Pictured: St Paul's Cathedral in Valletta 'Immediately when changes are announced you can see price increases because capacity has not had time to shift, but they tend to fall within a couple of days. 'Anyone booking a holiday to a green-list country should wait for a few days after travel restrictions have changed to get the cheapest flights.' It comes as bookings for foreign holidays soared by up to 250 per cent after the Government revealed rules on travelling to France would be relaxed while the green list was expanded. From 4am this morning, arrivals from France who are fully vaccinated with a jab authorised and administered in the UK, US or Europe do not need to quarantine. Meanwhile, Austria, Germany, Latvia, Norway, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia all moved to the green list, and Bahrain, India, Qatar and United Arab Emirates are now listed as Amber. The updates caused a surge in holiday searches, with Hays Travel, the UK's largest independent agent, reporting a 193 per cent surge in bookings between Thursday and Friday. British Airways reported a 260 per cent week-on-week increase in searches for holidays to the south of France as changes to restrictions were made (Pictured: Cote d'Azur, south of France) One of the biggest winners from the travel list updates was Jet2, which saw a 250 per cent spike in bookings to amber and green list destinations yesterday compared to the day before. According to Skyscanner, searches for holidays to Dubai were up 213 per cent, making it the second-most popular search on the comparison website after Spain - which saw a 42% rise in bookings compared with a week ago. The company said its top destinations are currently Malaga, Palma, Alicante, Tenerife, all in Spain, and then Dubai. Meanwhile British Airways reported a 260 per cent week-on-week increase in searches for holidays to the south of France. And Brittany Ferries said it took 1,400 bookings to France on Thursday, up from 568 a day earlier, while Eurostar said bookings from London to Paris doubled over the same period. It follows a spat between the UK and its neighbour to the south after the British Government made it the only amber list destination from which fully jabbed travellers had to quarantine upon return. While travel companies have praised the latest updates, some industry sources said it was 'too little too late.' Hillsong founder Brian Houston has broken his silence and expressed devastation over allegations he concealed his father's sexual abuse of a young boy. Houston, 67, was charged by police in his home state of NSW last Thursday, accused of concealing his dead father Frank's historic sexual abuse of a seven-year-old boy. He has vowed to 'vehemently' defend the case in court but faces up to five years behind bars if found guilty. Despite the serious charges, Houston remains in America where he hosted a series of church services in Springfield and Kansas City in Missouri on Sunday. Houston briefly commented on the charges against him when he confronted by a reporter while leaving his hotel before dodging further questions. 'Obviously I'm devastated, thanks,' he told Nine's US correspondent Alison Piotrowski before getting into the car. Houston refused to say when he's heading back to Australia or how he managed to obtain a travel exemption to travel overseas while other Aussies remain separated from loved ones due to coronavirus restrictions. Hillsong founder Brian Houston (pictured) says he's 'devastated' about the charges against him before dodging further questions Much is on the line for Brian Houston (right), who with wife Bobbie is the co-founder of the Hillsong church. The megachurch grew out of an evangelical parish in the north-western suburbs of Sydney, Australia Houston has been based in the United States for the last couple of months, where Hillsong has a large church presence. The evangelical church leader will eventually return to Australia to undergo two weeks of hotel quarantine in Sydney before appearing in Downing Local Court on October 5. Houston's refusal to comment on his travel exemption comes after NSW Police Minister David Elliot accused him of receiving 'preferential treatment'. 'Last year he had to go overseas and he wanted preferential treatment to go into a five-star suite. We arranged it,' Mr Elliott told the Sydney Morning Herald. '[This is] despite the fact that the Pope, President Biden and Foreign Minister Marise Payne can do most of their work remotely... and he's just a suburban preacher. Then he criticised our Covid policy. He's an ungrateful twat.' Mr Elliott said he was appalled to learn Houston travelled to Mexico during the pandemic, appearing to leave his parishioners high-and-dry during one of the most difficult times imaginable. Houston's church is within Mr Elliott's electorate, and he recently spent time with a man whose 12-year-old niece took her own life, partially due to the strain of lockdown. Mr Elliott claims the man turned to his local MP after realising his pastor, Houston, was out of town and not returning any time soon. 'Houston was nowhere to be seen, he was in Mexico,' Mr Elliott said. 'And at that time, I didn't know that the local constabulary were putting a brief together to charge him with allegedly concealing child abuse.' Sins of the father: Frank Houston (above with wife Hazel) died in 2004 aged 82. He had confessed to having a sexual interest in young boys prior to his death, including abusing a boy, seven, in 1969 and 1970 Star power: Two of the church's most famous parishioners were pop star Justin Bieber (who no longer follows Hillsong) and its celebrity pastor Carl Lentz (who was ousted in a sex scandal) Seven years ago, a royal commission found that Houston's dad Frank had confessed to having abusing the young boy during trips to Sydney in 1969 and 1970. But when the claims eventually came to light, Brian allegedly didn't report the crimes to NSW Police. If found guilty, Houston faces up to five years' jail. However the fallout from the legal bombshell won't just be confined to intense scrutiny of wealthy and well-connected Houston and the possibility he serves jail time. The global reputation of the church, known its glamour, gospel rock music and celebrity following, is on the line. Hillsong under siege, at home and abroad Hillsong, which grew out of an evangelical church in Sydney's north-west, has a massive global following. The church has outposts in 28 countries and a popular record label - all of which could be put at risk if its co-founder was found guilty of a crime. The Christian empire's name has already been tarnished by recent scandals, particularly that of former New York pastor and tabloid favourite Carl Lentz. Lentz left the church last year after admitting cheating on his wife and ever since been the subject of a series of sordid revelations and tell-all interviews. Just in April, the Daily Mail revealed a married New Jersey pastor resigned in April for sending another woman selfies of himself in a revealing pair of gym tights. But the perception that Hillsong turned a blind eye to sexual abuse - as has been the case with many religions - could be even more damaging. 'Hillsong Completes Transformation Into Mainstream Religion, After Leader Charged With Concealing Sex Offences,' was the headline of the satirical website The Shovel this week. Critics of the church and the Australian government have also latched onto the criminal proceedings to bash Hillsong and Prime Minister Scott Morrison. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison with Brian Houston - who has been described as a 'spiritual mentor' to the PM Brian and Bobbie Houston have been travelling in Mexico and the United States despite Australia's closed border and 'Fortress Australia' restrictions Above is the church in Norwest, Sydney, from which Brian and Bobbie Houston started a global phenomenon Houston has been described as a 'spiritual mentor' of Mr Morrison, the country's first evangelical PM. Houston sparked controversy only recently when he and wife Bobbie travelled to the United States and Mexico - despite 'Fortress Australia's' closed borders. The connection between the PM and Houston was this week seized upon by Opposition figures and sexual assault survivor Grace Tame this week. 'This is Morrison's mentor and mate,' tweeted the former Labor Senator Doug Cameron. Mr Cameron pointed out that Mr Morrison has admitted trying, and failing, to score Houston an invitation to a White House state dinner hosted by US President Donald Trump in 2019. Ms Tame said the Federal government had a problem with sexual abuse, both alleged and not. 'Houston, we have a problem,' she quipped. What Houston's court fight will come down to Brian Houston after giving evidence to the royal commission against child sexual abuse in 2014 The influential pastor is expected to argue that he has a legal defence to the charge. Seven years ago, a royal commission found that Frank Houston had confessed to his son that he had abusing the victim during a trip to Sydney from his native New Zealand, in 1969 and 1970. Frank Houston stepped down as a pastor afterwards and died in 2004, aged 82, after arranging for the victim to be paid $10,000 at a meeting at a McDonald's restaurant. Brian Houston has also claimed the victim told him in a phone conversation that he didn't want the matter pursued by authorities. The victim has denied that happened. The law Houston has been charged under states that a person has a 'reasonable excuse' not to notify police of a serious indictable crime if three criteria are met. The crime has to be a sexual or domestic violence offence, the victim has to have been an adult at the time the crime was learned of, and the accused must believe the alleged victim doesn't want the information reported to police. Whether Houston is guilty or not will be up to a court to decide. He will face Sydney's Downing Centre Court on October 25. Famed blind jazz musician Robert Ringwald has died at the age of 80, his movie star daughter Molly Ringwald announced. Ringwald, known to friends and fans as Bob, died August 3, Molly Ringwald wrote in an obituary Saturday for the Sacramento Bee. No cause was given. Born in Roseville, California with vision problems, Ringwald went blind at an early age. He began taking piano lessons at 5 and started his first band at 13. 'Four years later, at the age of 17, he was able to grow enough of a beard to be able to pass for an adult to play in nightclubs as a professional musician, an occupation he held for the next six decades,' his daughter wrote. Obituary: Molly Ringwald, 53, paid memorial to her late father Bob Ringwald following his passing this past Tuesday at 80 Inspiring: She said of her father, 'Though he never wanted to be defined by his blindness, he couldn't help being an ambassador for changing the perception of what is possible to do while living with a disability' Bob Ringwald played in bands such as The BoonDockers, Sugar Willie and the Cubes and The Great Pacific Jazz Band. He is seen left with his daughter, Molly The star of 80s classics including Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club and Pretty in Pink also took to Instagram Saturday with multiple pictures alongside her late father. 'It's with a heavy heart that my family says goodbye to my father,' she said. 'I consider myself very lucky to have had him in my life for as long as I did.' She said of her father, 'Though he never wanted to be defined by his blindness, he couldn't help being an ambassador for changing the perception of what is possible to do while living with a disability. 'His dignity, humor, strength of character and courage will always be remembered and cherished by everyone whose lives were touched by his.' Ringwald played in bands such as The BoonDockers, Sugar Willie and the Cubes and The Great Pacific Jazz Band. At first drawn to modern jazz, the music of Louis Armstrong instilled in Ringwald a lifelong passion for the performance and preservation of traditional New Orleans jazz. The star of 80s classics including Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club and Pretty in Pink also took to Instagram Saturday with multiple pictures alongside her late father By the 1970s, Ringwald was playing piano at clubs seven nights a week. He co-organized the first Sacramento Jazz Festival in 1974, and his band headlined the event, which became an annual city tradition. In 2012, Ringwald was honored by the festival as 'The Emperor of Jazz.' In addition to music, Ringwald's passions included ham radio and the Los Angeles Dodgers, for whom he once served as a guest announcer, reading the lineup in Braille. 'Anyone who knew Bob also knew his mischievous streak, and his ever-present, slightly ribald sense of humor. If you didnt sufficiently beg to get off of his email joke list, you would have received one just a couple of days before he died,' Molly Ringwald wrote. Besides his daughter Molly, Robert Ringwald is survived by Adele, his wife of 60 years; a sister, Renee Angus; another daughter, Beth Ringwald Carnes; a son, Kelly Ringwald; two grandsons; two granddaughters; two step-granddaughters; one great-grandson; and one step-great-grandson. A memorial service is pending. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made either to the Foundation Fighting Blindness or to CURE Childhood Cancer. One man was killed and another was wounded after a bloody gun battle erupted in the parking lot of a Pennsylvania Target store. Bullets flew around 2:15pm Sunday afternoon at a strip mall in Lower Nazareth Township near Allentown. Terrified witnesses looked on, with one reporting blood gushing from a man's neck after he was struck by multiple bullets. The gun fight saw two men fire at each other from behind their respective cars, one white and one black. After, both took off, with a third man opening the door of the passenger sedan and slumping to the ground with severe injuries. An unnamed eyewitness said: 'He was so disoriented, he was really bleeding bad.' Two men were hit with one man succumbing to their injuries at a local hospital. He has not been identified, and it is unclear if the man who slumped out of the car was the same person who later died. The other man shot is currently listed in stable condition, and no further information about his identity has been released. A gun is visible next to an evidence marker in the parking lot of the Target in Lower Nazareth Township, Pennsylvania after Sunday's shooting which killed one man and injured another Blood-stained clothes and a pair of sneakers were also visible next to a black Buick whose driver is believed to have been one of two men involved in Sunday's shooting Two people were taken to hospital with one person later dying from their injuries Police were called to a shooting at a Target store in Lower Nazareth Township near Allentown, Pennsylvania The shooting happened at around 2:30pm on Sunday afternoon Police say at least two cars pulled up to the strip mall at Lower Nazareth Commons, with a verbal altercation between two men quickly spilling into extreme violence, according to 6Action News. Several 911 calls were placed from the scene from concerned individuals. An eye witness, Hunter Phillips, 21, told Morning Call that he was in the parking lot with his father when gunshots rang out. Phillips explained how he saw a man leaning over the hood of a white car and firing towards a black car. Northampton County District Attorney Terry Houck, left, said one car was in the lot when at least one additional car drove up. 'Two people were hit. One was killed. The other one is currently in the hospital in what we're being told is stable condition,' the district attorney said Meanwhile, a man sitting in the driver's seat of the black vehicle was firing back. The area in front of the store was taped off while at least a dozen police cars were situated around the parking lot as an investigation began. A handgun could also be seen on the ground next to various evidence markers together with blood stained clothing. Another witness, John Volpe, told how he was in the store when there was a sudden rush to leave the shop as word of a shooter spread. Two cars pulled up in the parking before occupants began firing at each other. Pictured, overturned shopping carts are seen in the parking lot One Target worker told how customers started running back into the store after the shooting. 'We all had to shelter-in-place and the police locked down the lot,' Jayden Ofray told NBC10. Either way, panic quickly spread throughout the store. 'At first I was really, really scared; I thought I was going to pass out,' Tammy Lee James said to WFMZ. 'The girls were screaming and I went back for my purse, they went with the woman who was handling the fitting room department.' Investigators have not given any further details as to what led to the shooting. The NHS is planning to buy a fleet of 100,000 electric ambulances to help eliminate its carbon footprint and reduce fuel bills. Health bosses are working with Ford to turn their Transit van into a double-crewed emergency vehicle, which will be unveiled next month. The battery is expected to have a range of 250 miles from a single charge and engineers are confident that it will not run out of power mid-shift. Four per cent of the UKs greenhouse gas emissions can be attributed to the NHS but it wants to become the first health service in the world to become net zero by 2040. This will mean using greener vehicles, making hospitals more energy-efficient and promoting greater use of remote consultations to reduce the number of patient journeys. Last year the Government revealed that it intends to ban the sale of new petrol and diesel cars and vans from 2030. The NHS is working with Ford to convert their Transit vans into electric ambulances. Pictured: Ford's 3.5-tonne ambulance, developed with Venari Group to meet UK national specifications The Ford Transit ambulance, which will be made in Dagenham, Essex, and sold worldwide, is undergoing final tests. Details of the diesel and electric versions are expected to be revealed at the Emergency Services Show in Birmingham on September 7 and 8. Production of the diesel version is already under way, with the electric model expected to follow next year. Ford said their new ambulance was designed with input from industry experts and frontline medical teams. This is understood to include senior fleet managers from NHS ambulance trusts. Critics warn that the UK lacks the infrastructure to support widespread uptake of electric vehicles and have questioned their suitability for emergency use. An ambulance service source said: Electric vehicles are getting better all the time but still have a very limited range compared with petrol and diesel versions. Patients will be anxious that an electric ambulance has sufficient power to get through a day, so it does not run flat while on a blue light call. A 2018 NHS review found it typically costs a fifth less to convert a van into an ambulance than making the traditional box-style design. Pictured: An electric Ford Transit van (stock image) These fears are unfounded, said Oliver North, chief executive of emergency vehicle manufacturer Venari, which is in partnership with Ford to produce the ambulance. The vehicle will be able to do more than enough miles on a single charge to meet the demands of a typical shift, he added. We anticipate that it will be deployed most often in an urban environment, where it may do as few as 70 miles a day, with a lot of stopping and starting in traffic and at junctions. It has more immediate acceleration than a diesel and will give a smoother ride. The electric ambulance is expected to sell for around 100,000, roughly in line with current diesel models. West Midlands Ambulance Service is trialling the countrys first all-electric double-crewed ambulance, which was produced by a rival firm. It is heavier than the Ford with a range of 105 to 110 miles and a top speed of 75mph. Bosses say it is well liked by crews and maintenance costs have been much lower than its diesel equivalents. An alternative hydrogen-powered ambulance is also in development. A 2018 NHS review found it typically costs a fifth less to convert a van into an ambulance than making the traditional box-style design. Van conversions are also lighter and do a third more miles per gallon. Advertisement The burial site of an ancient teenage warrior filled with more than 15,000 pieces of gold jewelry and artefacts has been discovered in Kazakhstan - with hundreds of the items set to go on display in the UK. The male, aptly dubbed the 'golden man', was an archer and part of the fierce Saka warrior people and is believed to have been no older than 18 when he received a hero's burial some 2,500 years ago. The ancient tribe's culture saw elites buried in specially created mounds along with their horses and surrounded by treasures. Many of the mounds have been looted over the millennia but the teenage warrior's site was left fully intact by rockfall, which shielded it from would-be thieves. Now more than 300 items from the boy's treasure trove will go on display at the Cambridge Fitzwilliam museum in a UK first. The boy's mound - discovered at the Eleke Sazy burial mounds in the east of the country - was only the second intact Saka burial site to be discovered in Kazakhstan, according to the Fitzwilliam Museum. The remains of the first so-called 'golden man' were found in the south of Kazakhstan in 1969, at the Issyk burial mound. One of the burial mounds where a collection of golden artefacts unearthed from, built by Saka warrior people, in Kazakhstan Gold dove headdress plaques part of a collection of golden artefacts unearthed from ancient burial mounds The artefacts recovered from Eleke Sazy, including jewelry and horse harness ornaments, will be exhibited in Cambridge and are being studied by researchers using non-invasive technology. More than 300 artefacts will be displayed, some of which are made up of thousands of tiny parts. The Saka culture of central Asia, which flourished from around the 8th century BC to the 3rd century BC, is largely unknown outside of Kazakhstan, according to the Fitzwilliam. Known as fierce warriors and skilled craftspeople, the Saka were nomadic people of Iranian origin. The exhibition will display finds from three burial complexes in eastern Kazakhstan: Berel, Shilikti and Eleke Sazy. It will include a reconstruction of the burial of the teenage archer, showing the golden symbols of power and how they were laid alongside him. Luke Syson, director of the Fitzwilliam Museum, described the loaned artefacts as 'incredibly important'. 'We look forward to bringing the extraordinary culture of the Saka people to life for our audiences and are grateful to our partnership with East Kazakhstan without which enlightening exhibitions such as these would simply not be possible,' he said. Danial Akhmetov, governor of the East Kazakhstan region of the Republic of Kazakhstan, said: 'This exhibition will present Kazakhstan's most outstanding archaeological discovery of recent years; the "golden man" found in one of the mounds of the Eleke Sazy cemetery, which dates back to the 8th century BC. A gold dagger sheath with turquoise and lapis lazuli inlays, part of a collection of golden artefacts unearthed from ancient burial mounds A curled feline gold clothing plaque, part of a collection of golden artefacts unearthed from ancient burial mounds built by Saka warrior people in Kazakhstan Shilikty earring made from rings, beads and a leaf arrow shaped pendant, part of a collection of golden artefacts 'This man was named "golden" not because of the more than 15,000 individual gold items that were found there such finds come from other elite, but heavily looted and destroyed mounds but because his was only the second undisturbed Saka burial in Kazakhstan, the first being the Issyk mound in Zhetysu.' He said the 'exceptional state of preservation' gave new opportunities for scientists to study the 'religion, world view and funeral rites of the early Saka people'. 'It has been proven that the Saka created truly unique jewelry masterpieces, using technological processes that were advanced for their time, constructed grandiose and exceptionally complex religious, funerary and memorial monuments,' he said. 'We are confident that the exhibition, and the research carried out around it, will open to the public new pages in the history of both the East Kazakhstan region, and all humankind.' The free exhibition, called Gold of the Great Steppe, runs from September 28 at Cambridge's Fitzwilliam Museum. Jodie Meschuk has gone viral after she filmed herself licking items at a supermarket in an effort to prove that COVID-19 'isn't a big deal' A self-proclaimed antivaxxer has gone viral after she filmed herself licking items at a supermarket in an effort to prove that COVID-19 'isn't a big deal'. Jodie Meschuk, who claims she cured autism, posted a since-deleted video to Instagram where she attempted to educate her followers about the spread of disease. Meschuk was filmed licking several items in the grocery store including her shopping cart, produce bags and the door handle of a beer fridge. 'Germs fortify your immune system. Exposure to germs builds defenses against asthma and allergies. Microbes help digestion,' Meschuk captioned the footage. She also told her followers to 'be free,' likely suggesting that coronavirus mandates restrict freedoms and to have 'love over fear, not law'. Meschuk is believed to live in Colorado, although it is unclear where clip was filmed. The licking video has been removed from Meschuk's Instagram page. It is unclear if she took it down, or if Instagram removed the video themselves. DailyMail.com reached out to her for comment. Meschuk was filmed licking several items in the grocery store including her shopping cart, produce bags and the door handle of a beer fridge. She told her followers to 'be free,' likely suggesting that coronavirus mandates restrict freedoms and to have 'love over fear, not law' According to her social media accounts, Meschuk lives a 'holistic lifestyle' and provides information about quantum medicine to her more than 17,000 followers. Her posts address hot-button issues such as the coronavirus, vaccines, racism in America and religion. She also wrote a book titled Autism Reimagined where she allegedly explains how to 'reverse the diagnosis'. Meschuk is not the first person to make headlines for licking items in a grocery store. According to her social media accounts, Meschuk lives a 'holistic lifestyle' and provides information about quantum medicine to her more than 17,000 followers. Her posts address hot-button issues such as the coronavirus, vaccines, racism in America and religion There were several licking instances in 2020 at the height of the first wave of COVID: The first licking incident to go viral occurred in 2019, pre-virus, when a Texas woman was filmed licking a tub of Blue Bell ice cream in a local Walmart and placing it back on the shelf. The wild act inspired a challenge where teens dash into stores and run their tongues on cartons of ice cream. Pictured: Scout Pedersen, five, before her diagnosis A desperate mother whose daughter is battling leukaemia is terrified her five-year-old will die if lockdowns are abolished before everyone in Australia is fully vaccinated against Covid-19. Gold Coast mum Noelle Pedersen fears her daughter, Scout, and other sick kids are being treated as 'disposable' amid a growing push to 'learn to live' with Covid instead of trying to eliminate the virus. As the Delta strain of coronavirus continues to tear through New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland, Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly on Friday said it was unlikely the nation would ever reach zero cases and the the focus should be on trying to get everyone vaccinated. Similarly, NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian conceded trying to achieve zero Covid would be difficult until 70 per cent of people were vaccinated. 'We know, given where the numbers are and the experience of Delta overseas, that we now have to live with Delta in one way or another - and that's pretty obvious,' she said. Noelle Pedersen (pictured with Scout in ICU) says her daughter will die if people aren't vaccinated against Covid Scout Pedersen (pictured in hospital) was placed on a respirator while fighting off an infection after chemotherapy Scout's mother has seen her daughter trapped to a machine because she was unable to breath on her own (pictured), and said she wouldn't with it on anyone But Mrs Pedersen, 45, said opening the nation up while Covid was still circulating would be a disaster for kids like Scout, whose immune system is too low for the jab due to chemotherapy. 'When they talk about learning to live with the virus, it's like Scout and other sick kids are disposable, or expendable,' the mum-of-three told Daily Mail Australia. 'Intellectually, I know they can't keep locking people down, but it hurts to know she'll be the cost of this.' Sydney saw a fresh 283 cases on Monday, Queensland had four and Victoria recorded 11 - all of the Delta variant. Nationally, only 15 per cent of the population have received both jabs. Ms Pedersen acknowledged that achieving zero cases in the long term would be unlikely and Scout would have to try and survive in a world with Covid. As such, she said it was important that people who refused to get vaccinated had their freedoms restricted. 'We're in an unprecedented event that threatens all of us and it's our responsibility to do what it takes to get out of it, together,' she said. Pictured: Scout with her brothers Ever (centre) and Bay (right), who are pulled out of school every time their is a new Covid outbreak in their area Pictured: Scout with her brother Bay. Her siblings are too young to get a Covid vaccine Ms Pedersen and her husband Dan are fully vaccinated, but their eight and ten-year-old sons are too young to be eligible. Every time there is a new outbreak near where they live on Queensland's Gold Coast, they are forced to pull the boys out of school and put themselves into a strict lockdown to eliminate any chance of Scout contracting Covid. Ms Pedersen said she feels irate whenever she sees Australians flouting lockdown rules, refusing to wear masks and protesting against restrictions. 'I have seen my daughter attached to a respirator and unable to breath on her own due to infection, and I wouldn't wish that upon anyone,' she said. 'If they had been through what I have been through, no one would be protesting and everyone would be following the rules.' Scout (pictured with her family) celebrated her fifth birthday this year, but her mother is terrified she could catch Covid and die Scout's brothers are pulled from school every time there's an outbreak near the Gold Coast On Monday, Scout went to preschool for what could be the last time to say goodbye to her friends and teachers before she undergoes another round of chemotherapy. Even if vaccines were open to children, Scout's immune system wouldn't be able to cope with the vaccine while she is undergoing cancer treatment. The youngster was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, which affects blood and bone marrow, when her mother noticed bruises all over her body during a trip to the beach. The family were shocked because she didn't show any symptoms, but had a large amount of cancer cells in her body. Her survival rate dropped to 50 per cent at one stage, and she had to learn to walk again at the age of four. To help with medical and living costs, family friends set up a Go Fund Me page. Chaos in Sydney: Tens of thousands swarmed George Street in the CBD for the anti-lockdown protest Pictured: The Pedersen family, left to right: Dan, Noelle, Bay, eight, Scout, five, and Ever, ten Scout had to learn to walk again at the age of four after multiple rounds of chemotherapy decemated her body Despite lockdowns, crowds have continually flocked to beaches and holiday areas in NSW and Queensland, with police handing out hundreds of fines. In late July, thousands of anti-lockdown protesters flooded capital cities to rebel against the restrictions imposed on people living in hotspots. Sydney, Melbourne and parts of Queensland have seen spikes in the number of positive cases since the demonstrations, but contact tracers have not been able to determine whether the protests were the source of each outbreak. 'We feel anger towards people who are putting their freedoms ahead of the safety of society,' Ms Pedersen said. 'People don't think it will be them, but it's disheartening that people would just discard young people's lives because they don't want to wear a mask.' 'We watch the press conferences every morning and follow the instructions, but some people are very casual about it and don't do the right thing - because of that, my daughter's life is on the line.' On Monday, Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk responded to comments by NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian that restrictions in her state may be eased as vaccination rates increased - warning thatQueensland would 'go harder' if necessary. 'We are absolutely concerned about what is happening in New South Wales,' she said. 'The further north the virus travels is alarming for us so we'll be watching that incredibly carefully.' Queensland recorded four new community cases as Cairns enters its first day of a three-day snap lockdown and Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk warned the state may 'go harder' on border restrictions with NSW. The Cairns area will remain in lockdown until Wednesday, 4pm, after it was discovered an unvaccinated taxi driver had been infectious in the Cairns community for 10 days. In response to comments by NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian that restrictions in her state may be eased as vaccination rates increased, Ms Palaszczuk warned that if necessary Queensland would 'go harder' in enforcing border restrictions with its southern neighbour. 'We are absolutely concerned about what is happening in New South Wales,' she said. 'The further north the virus travels is alarming for us so we'll be watching that incredibly carefully.' 'We already have those border patrols and those border controls in place at present. But if we have to go harder, we will.' Ms Palaszczuk said the new case in Cairns was linked to the reef pilot who tested positive in Cairns last week. 'The marine pilot actually travelled in that person's taxi,' she said. 'A lot of contact tracing is now happening, of course, with those exposure sites but it is great to know that linkage has been done.' Chief health officer Jeannette Young said it appeared the taxi driver drove the marine pilot from his home to the airport while the latter was infectious. Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said Queensland may increase border restrictions with NSW as a result of a new case identified in Byron Bay Queensland Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young announced yesterday a three-day lockdown for the Cairns area after it was discovered an unvaccinated taxi driver had been infectious in the community for 10 days People in Brisbane are seen returning to work on Monday morning after south-east Queensland came out of a seven-day lockdown on Sunday afternoon The four new community cases were linked to the original Indooroopilly cluster and were all in-home quarantine during their infectious period. One is a staff member at the Ironside State school, another is a parent of a child attending that school and a third is a household contact of a student at Ironside. A fourth case is a household contact of a Brisbane Boys' Grammar School student. A further case was detected in hotel quarantine. A positive case on the Gold Coast reported over the weekend remained under investigation, with an exposure site named as Woolworths at Mudgeeraba. The Premier also announced the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre would be opened as a mass vaccination centre from this Wednesday. The opening of the new centre precedes the arrival of extra Pfizer doses in Queensland in the next two weeks, brought forward from September to August. Ms Palaszczuk announced the centre would be open from 8.30am until 4.30pm each day and asked people between 16 and 59 to register on the Queensland Health website as the venue was not a walk-in facility. 'We'll start on Wednesday with about 1,000 to 1,500 vaccines a day,' Health Minister Yvette D'Ath said. 'When we get the extra vaccine, due on Friday, we hope to be doing 3,000 a day by the weekend.' Dr Young said she hoped three days in lockdown for Cairns and Yarrabah would be enough to evaluate the risk of infections spreading. "We all know that once the virus has got out, we can't put it back. So we've got to go really early," Dr Young said on Sunday. A number of exposure sites were announced in Cairns on Sunday afternoon, including Brothers Leagues Club, Cairns 24-Hour Medical Centre on Grafton St and a OML pathology at Cairns Day Surgery. Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said she had faith in the Cairns community to follow the rules. "I need you to stay at home, minimise your movements, let's test, test and test as much as we possibly can, and then we can evaluate that over the next three days to see if there are any more cases out there," the premier said. Ms Palaszczuk re-emerged yesterday after two weeks of hotel quarantine following her visit to Tokyo as part of the successful Brisbane 2032 Olympics bid. Seven of the nine new cases announced on Sunday were linked to the Indooroopilly cluster centred on schools in western Brisbane. A girl in Cairns undergoes a Covid-19 test at a testing station set up on the Cairns Esplanade in front of Cairns Base Hospital on Sunday Health workers conducts a Covid-19 test at a drive-through facility at Woree in Cairns on Sunday People shop for fresh produce at Rusty's Markets in Cairns, Sunday, as the area entered a snap three-day lockdown on Sunday evening Eleven local government areas in the state's southeast emerged from an eight-day lockdown on Sunday. Many rules have been relaxed in Brisbane, Ipswich, Logan City, Moreton Bay, Redlands, the Sunshine Coast, the Gold Coast, Noosa, Somerset, the Lockyer Valley and Scenic Rim. Residents are still subject to a number of restrictions until at least August 22 including mandatory mask-wearing, a limit of ten visitors to a home and a one person per four square metre rule. Up to ten visitors can now gather in public spaces. Weddings and funerals will be limited to 20 guests and no community sport will be allowed for the next two weeks. Schools will reopen but all high school students must wear masks at school and travelling to and from school. All staff must also wear masks and no inter-school sport is allowed. More than 12,000 people remain in home quarantine, mostly in Brisbane. Advertisement The Earth is likely to warm by 1.5C within the next 20 years a decade earlier than previously expected and heatwaves, flooding and droughts will become more frequent and intense, a bombshell United Nations report dubbed a 'code red for humanity' has warned. Scientists had expected temperatures to rise by 1.5C above pre-industrial levels between 2030 and 2052 but now believe it will happen between this year and 2040. The world's largest ever report into climate change also said it was 'unequivocal that human influence has warmed the atmosphere, oceans and land'. Since 1970, global surface temperatures have risen faster than in any other 50-year period over the past 2,000 years, the authors said, while the past five years have been the hottest on record since 1850. 'It's just guaranteed that it's going to get worse,' said report co-author Linda Mearns, a senior climate scientist at the US National Center for Atmospheric Research. 'I don't see any area that is safe Nowhere to run, nowhere to hide.' It comes as record heatwaves, wildfires and floods hit countries around the world. Last month western Europe saw its worst flooding in decades, leaving more than 180 people dead after heavy rainfall hit Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg, Switzerland and the Netherlands. A blistering heatwave killed hundreds of people across the west coast of the US and Canada earlier this summer, while more than 300 died and almost 13 million others were affected by floods that engulfed Henan province in China at the end of July. The 1.5C mark is considered to be the point where climate change becomes increasingly dangerous. The 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change committed countries to limiting warming to 1.5C but they have already risen by 1.2C. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called the new report a 'code red for humanity'. He warned: 'The alarm bells are deafening, and the evidence is irrefutable: greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuel burning and deforestation are choking our planet and putting billions of people at immediate risk.' The key findings of the report are: Humans are very likely the main driver of the global retreat of glaciers, decline in sea ice, warming oceans and rising sea levels It is 'virtually certain' that heatwaves 'have become more frequent and more intense across most land regions' A rise in sea levels approaching 2 metres by the end of this century 'cannot be ruled out' The Arctic is likely to be 'practically sea ice-free' in September at least once before 2050 Carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere are higher than they have been for three million years Some changes, such as sea level rises, will be 'irreversible' for hundreds to thousands of years However, some experts say there is still hope that cuts in emissions of greenhouse gases could stabilise rising temperatures. Scientists involved in the report said the 1.5C or 2C thresholds are not cliff edges the world will fall off, but that every bit of warming makes a difference, so it is important to curb temperature rises as much as possible. Professor Richard Betts, from the Met Office Hadley Centre and a contributing author to the report, said: 'Like the speed limit on a motorway, staying below it is not perfectly safe and exceeding it does not immediately lead to calamity, but the risks do increase if the limit is passed. Scroll down for video If temperatures continue to rise, there could be devastating effects here on Earth, including a dramatic loss of sea-life, an ice-free Arctic and more regular 'extreme' weather Climate change: The bombshell UN report comes as record heatwaves, wildfires and floods hit countries around the world. A firefighter is pictured above trying to extinguish a wildfire burning on the island of Evia, Greece at the weekend These graphs show how human influence has warmed the climate at a rate unprecedented in at least the last 2,000 years The UN scientists modelled the changes in annual mean temperatures worldwide based on 1.5C, 2C and 4C global warming The projected changes in extremes are larger in frequency and intensity with every additional increment of global warming Key findings from the UN's new climate science report It is 'unequivocal' that human activity has warmed the atmosphere, ocean and land with widespread and rapid changes across the world. Many of the changes are unprecedented over many centuries to many thousands of years, with the world warming at a rate unprecedented in at least 2,000 years. Carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere are higher than they have been for three million years and methane concentrations are higher than they have been for 800,000 years, with rises in both greenhouse gases well above natural changes seen for hundreds of thousands of years. Global average temperatures were nearly 1.1C higher in the last decade than in pre-industrial times, or the period 1850-1900, driven by emissions caused by human activities such as burning fossil fuels and deforestation. Human-caused climate change is already affecting many weather and climate extremes in every region around the world, with stronger evidence of more frequent or intense heatwaves, heavy rain, droughts and tropical cyclones and the role humans play in driving the changes. Humans are very likely the main driver of the global retreat of glaciers, decline in sea ice, warming oceans and rising sea levels. The rate of sea level rise is speeding up. Global surface temperatures will continue to increase until at least mid-century, and the world will reach or exceed 1.5C of warming over the next 20 years. Global warming of 1.5C and 2C limits countries have committed to in order to avoid the most dangerous impacts of climate change will be exceeded in the 21st century unless deep reductions in carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions occur in the coming decades. Continued warming will drive increases in the frequency and intensity of hot extremes, marine heatwaves, heavy rain, droughts in some regions, the proportion of intense tropical cyclones, and reductions in Arctic sea ice, snow cover and permafrost. Every additional increment of warming causes larger changes in extremes, with every extra 0.5C temperature rises leading to clear increases in the intensity of heatwaves, heavy rain that can cause flooding, and droughts. Under scenarios for the future with increasing carbon dioxide emissions, the ocean and land carbon sinks such as forests are projected to be less effective at slowing the accumulation of the greenhouse gas in the atmosphere. Changes to oceans, sea levels and melting permafrost and glaciers are irreversible for decades, centuries or even millennia as a result of past and future warming. Strong, rapid and sustained reductions in emissions of methane would help curb warming, and would also improve air quality Advertisement 'Limiting warming to 1.5C clearly needs much more urgent emissions cuts than is currently happening, but if the target is still breached we should not assume all is lost and give up it will still be worth continuing action on emissions reductions to avoid even more warming.' Today's report by the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) was produced by 200 scientists from 60 countries. Drawing on more than 14,000 scientific papers, the review includes the latest knowledge on past and potential future warming, how humans are changing the climate and how that is increasing extreme weather events and driving sea-level rises. The authors say it is 'virtually certain' that heatwaves 'have become more frequent and more intense across most land regions'. They also said a rise in sea levels approaching 2 metres by the end of this century 'cannot be ruled out', while the Arctic is likely to be 'practically sea ice-free' in September at least once before 2050. Mr Guterres urged countries to urgently step up efforts and set out national plans for cutting emissions this decade ahead of a crucial UN climate summit taking place in Glasgow in November. 'Global heating is affecting every region on Earth, with many of the changes becoming irreversible,' he said. 'The internationally agreed threshold of 1.5C is perilously close.' He called for an end to coal-fired power plants and fossil fuel exploration, a shift to renewable energy and funding to protect vulnerable communities, and said Covid-19 recovery spending must be in line with climate goals. Prime Minister Boris Johnson called the report 'sobering reading' and said it was clear the next decade was going to be pivotal to securing the future of the planet. 'We know what must be done to limit global warming consign coal to history and shift to clean energy sources, protect nature and provide climate finance for countries on the frontline,' he added. Mr Johnson, whose government is due to publish its strategy on cutting UK emissions to zero overall by mid-century this autumn, but faces concerns over how to fairly pay for the move, said: 'The UK is leading the way, decarbonising our economy faster than any country in the G20 over the last two decades. 'I hope today's IPCC report will be a wake-up call for the world to take action now, before we meet in Glasgow in November for the critical Cop26 summit.' It comes as the Government faces growing pressure from Tory backbenchers to delay bans on fossil fuel cars and boilers. According to a report in the Times, Chancellor Rishi Sunak is drawing up plans for richer households to bear the brunt of funding Britain's climate-change targets in an attempt to protect low-income families. Moves to decarbonise the economy include replacing gas boilers and switching to electric or hydrogen cars both of which involve huge upfront costs. Humans are 'unequivocally' to blame UN scientists said humanity's damaging impact on the climate was a 'statement of fact', adding that it is 'unequivocal that human influence has warmed the atmosphere, oceans and land'. Humans are very likely the main driver of the global retreat of glaciers, decline in sea ice, warming oceans and rising sea levels, the report said. It also found that human activity is already responsible for 1.1C of global warming since 1850, while temperatures will continue to increase until at least the middle of this century. Scientists said the world will reach or exceed 1.5C of warming over the next 20 years. Weather will become more extreme Human-caused climate change is already affecting many weather and climate extremes in every region around the world, the landmark report said, with stronger evidence of more frequent or intense heatwaves, heavy rain, droughts and tropical cyclones and the role humans play in driving the changes. Heatwaves, flooding and droughts will only become more frequent and intense, the UN scientists warned. Severe heatwaves that happened only once every 50 years are now happening roughly once a decade, while most land areas are seeing more rain or snowfall in a year and severe droughts are happening 1.7 times as often. Arctic summers may soon be free of ice The Arctic is likely to be 'practically sea ice-free' in September at least once before 2050, according to the IPCC's most optimistic scenario. The region is the fastest-warming area of the globe at least twice as fast as the global average. While Arctic sea ice levels vary throughout the year, the average lows during summer have been decreasing since the 1970s and are now at their lowest levels in 1,000 years. This melting creates a feedback loop, with reflective ice giving way to darker water that absorbs solar radiation, causing even more warming. Sea level rises are 'irreversible' Scientists warned that a rise in sea levels approaching 2 metres by the end of this century 'cannot be ruled out', adding that these changes would be 'irreversible' for hundreds to thousands of years. Warming in the polar regions is not only melting sea ice but also causing thermal expansion, where the water expands as sea temperatures rise. Both of these phenomena are factors in rising sea levels. If they keep rising as fast as they are then coastal regions and islands could be flooded or left underwater, leading to the displacement of millions of people and the loss of land for food growing. Projections for 2050: According to Climate Central, people in Liverpool, Hull, Blackpool and along the Norfolk coast could lose their homes if sea levels continue to rise The authors of the IPCC report considered scenarios where global temperatures increased by 1.5C, 2C and 4C and the impact each one would have on mean temperatures and precipitation across Europe The report also looked at how these scenarios would affect mean temperatures and precipitation levels in North America What will happen if temperatures continue to increase? Coastal regions and islands underwater Sea level rises are 'irreversible' for hundreds or perhaps thousands of years, the report warned. It 'cannot be ruled out' that sea levels could rise by around 2m by the end of this century and 5m by 2150. This could lead to more flooding, the displacement of millions of people and a loss of land for food growing. An ice-free Arctic The Arctic is likely to be 'practically sea ice-free' in September at least once before 2050, UN scientists said. This is causing animals such as polar bears to suffer because of their shrinking habitat. Extreme weather commonplace It is 'virtually certain' that heatwaves, flooding and droughts will become more frequent and intense across the world. Hot extremes have become more prevalent since the 1950s, while cold events have become less frequent and less severe. Dramatic loss of sea-life The Earth's oceans will continue to warm and become more acidic, killing coral reefs and harming infant cod, blue mussels, starfish and sea urchins in particular. Advertisement Inger Andersen, head of the United Nations Environment Programme, said the world 'listened, but did not hear' the extent of the dangers of the climate crisis. She criticised global leaders for 'not acting strongly enough' and said a generation of politicians, business leaders and 'conscious citizens' was needed to make 'systematic changes'. 'It's time to get serious because every tonne of CO2 emission adds to global warming,' she added. Climate activist Greta Thunberg said the report 'confirms what we already know... that we are in an emergency.' 'We can still avoid the worst consequences, but not if we continue like today, and not without treating the crisis like a crisis,' she wrote on Twitter. Cabinet minister Alok Sharma, who is Cop26 president, said: 'The science is clear, the impacts of the climate crisis can be seen around the world and if we don't act now, we will continue to see the worst effects impact lives, livelihoods and natural habitats. 'Our message to every country, government, business and part of society is simple. The next decade is decisive, follow the science and embrace your responsibility to keep the goal of 1.5C alive.' He called on countries to come forward with ambitious 2030 emissions reduction targets and long-term strategies with a pathway to net zero by the middle of the century. Governments need to take immediate action to end coal power, accelerate the rollout of electric vehicles, tackle deforestation and reduce methane emissions, he urged. Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said the report 'is the starkest reminder yet that the climate crisis is here right now and is the biggest long-term threat we face'. He said: 'It confirms that the extreme weather events of recent months are only going to become more frequent and that we need urgent action both to drive down emissions in this decisive decade and to adapt to the changes to our climate that are already baked in. 'The biggest threat we now face is not climate denial but climate delay. Those who, like our prime minister, acknowledge there is a problem, but simply don't have the scale of ambition required to match the moment. 'Our communities and planet can no longer afford the inaction of this Government, who are failing to treat the crisis with the seriousness it deserves.' This graphic from the UN report shows scientists' prediction of future emissions including CO2, methane and nitrous oxide Human activity is already responsible for 1.1C of global warming since 1850, while temperatures will continue to increase until at least the middle of this century. The temperature changes from human influence, including greenhouse gas emissions, aerosols, land-use changes and aviation vapour trails are shown above No 10 fears carbon target will hurt Red Wall voters Boris Johnson's 'net zero' plans have been thrown into doubt over fears that 'Red Wall' voters will bear the brunt of the costs. A Treasury review of the costs of reducing net greenhouse gas emissions to zero by 2050 has been delayed since the spring. The report has yet to be published over fears that it will be politically toxic in the northern Red Wall seats won from Labour by the Tories in the last election, The Sunday Telegraph reported. Chancellor Rishi Sunak is also said to be increasingly concerned about the surging cost of lowering greenhouse emissions. A report in the Times newspaper claims he is drawing up plans for richer households to bear the brunt of funding Britain's climate-change targets. Treasury sources insisted that Mr Sunak would protect low-income families, as the Government faces growing pressure from backbench Tories to delay bans on fossil fuel cars and boilers. Ministers are said to be working on plans to achieve net zero without disproportionately 'clobbering' the finances of poorer families. Moves to decarbonise the economy include replacing gas boilers and switching to electric or hydrogen cars which involve huge upfront costs. It comes after the Daily Mail revealed on Saturday that a court has told climate policy chiefs to show why they think reaching net zero will cost only 1.3 per cent of GDP. The target is the centrepiece of Mr Johnson's Cop26 strategy but other countries have put a much higher cost on the same goal. A Government spokesman said: 'At every step on the path to net zero, this government will put affordability and fairness at the heart of our reforms such as through investing 1.3billion into keeping bills low.' Advertisement The report has been published just days after a 'scary' study warned that the Gulf Stream is at its weakest for over 1,000 years due to climate change. It is approaching a 'tipping point' where it could collapse and push temperatures in Europe down by 18F, according to the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, Germany. The Atlantic Ocean circulation system is responsible for the mild temperatures in the UK and Europe, moving heat from the tropics to the northern hemisphere. Its underlying system has become destabilised, researchers discovered, which could eventually result in it switching to a 'weak mode' and lead to its collapse. When it happens warm water won't be moved up through western Europe, causing freezing cold winters. In June, an interactive map showed the British seaside spots likely to be wiped out by 2050 because of rising sea levels caused by global warming. The map, created by US climate news website Climate Central, shows people in Liverpool, Hull, Blackpool and along the Norfolk coast would lose their homes by 2050. Other areas that could be permanently underwater include South Wales, Gloucester, Weston-super-Mare, Portsmouth and huge swathes of East Anglia. Campaigners seized on today's UN report to urge the UK Government to do more to reduce emissions. Jake Woodier, from The Climate Coalition, which includes groups ranging from the National Trust and the Womens Institute to WWF, Oxfam and the RSPB, said: 'Climate change is already here, and after a summer of chaotic and destructive weather, the public want Boris Johnsons government to act decisively. 'We already know whats needed to secure a safer future: from saying no to polluting fossil fuels like the Cambo oil field, to restoring the natural world, protecting forests and meeting financial promises to support people on the frontline of the climate crisis. 'Now, it's time to get on and do it,' he urged. Professor Joanna Haigh, from Imperial College London, said: 'The window is still open for governments to avoid the worst impacts and risks and to secure a strong outcome at Cop26 just three months away but this will depend on nations coming forward ahead of the summit to put in place robust emission reduction plans for the next decade. 'This window won't remain open for much longer,' she warned. A near-destroyed street is pictured in the German town of Euskirchen after flooding last month caused widespread destruction, with the death toll now above 180 More than 230 deaths were reported in British Columbia after a blistering heatwave, labelled a once-in-10,000-year 'heat dome', gripped Canada and the west coast of the US. The Canadian city of Vancouver in British Columbia is pictured WHAT ARE THE KEY GOALS OF THE PARIS CLIMATE AGREEMENT? The Paris Agreement on Climate Change has four main goals with regards to reducing emissions: 1) A long-term goal of keeping the increase in global average temperature to well below 2C above pre-industrial levels 2) To aim to limit the increase to 1.5C, since this would significantly reduce risks and the impacts of climate change 3) Goverments agreed on the need for global emissions to peak as soon as possible, recognising that this will take longer for developing countries 4) To undertake rapid reductions thereafter in accordance with the best available science Source: European Commission Advertisement Connor Schwartz, climate lead at Friends of the Earth, said: 'Every fraction of a degree now matters more than ever. 'Loud wake-up calls have been sounding for years but world leaders have chronically over-slept, and people are paying the price with their lives. 'If we want a habitable planet, the window is just about still open, thats today's report in a nutshell.' Today's report is the first comprehensive assessment of the science of climate change since 2013 and offers the starkest warning yet about the speed and scale of warming. An interim report published in 2018 said global warming was likely to reach 1.5C between 2030 and 2052. But the new IPCC forecasts will bring this window forward a decade to between 2021 and 2040, according to The Sunday Times. The document is predicted to trigger a 'turning point' in the run-up to the Cop26 climate conference in Glasgow in November. The 2018 IPCC report warned that overshooting the 1.5C limit would mean more extreme weather, greater sea-level rises and damage to health, wildlife and crops. Wildfires have also hit Greece this week, forcing the evacuation of more than 2,000 people as the country faces its worst heatwave for 30 years. Yesterday ferries carried hundreds of tourists and residents to safety as wildfires raged on the island of Evia. The inferno was among dozens in Greece after temperatures soared to 45C (113F). Fire crews from London, Merseyside, Lancashire, Wales and the West Midlands flew to Athens at the weekend to help. Ordinary Britons WILL have to pay to go green: Minister pledges help for families to pay for environmentally friendly initiatives amid Tory disquiet over punishing taxpayers By David Wilcock, Whitehall correspondent for MailOnline Ministers pledged help for hard-pressed families to go green today amid questions over the cost to taxpayers of the Boris Johnson's climate change plans. The Prime Minister wants a 'net zero' Britain by 2050 that includes banning gas boilers in homes and sales of new petrol and diesel cars. Mr Johnson today said a damning UN report highlighting the scale of global climate change was a 'wake-up call' for the world and demanded an end to the use of coal for power. But the PM, who hosts the Cop26 meeting of world leaders to discuss climate action in Scotland in the autumn, is facing growing pressure from Tory backbenchers. If hydrogen is part of a zero-carbon future, it could have to be produced by electrolysis (as shown above), which sees electric currents passed through water. Another option is for the plants to capture the carbon emissions and pump them underground How much will new green and anti-obesity projects cost Britons? Boris Johnson's green and anti-obesity projects could end up costing Britain's households more than 28,000 each over the coming decade if they are fully implemented, it emerged today. The Prime Minister is considering a range of eco-friendly policies during his tenure such as a ban on new fossil-fuelled cars including hybrids by 2033. 15,000 : Extra average cost of buying a new electric vehicle is 44,000 compared to 29,000 for a new medium-sized car : Extra average cost of buying a new electric vehicle is 44,000 compared to 29,000 for a new medium-sized car 10,500 : Extra cost of energy efficiency measures, such as improving insulation and installing low carbon boilers. A new gas-fired boiler costs about 1,500 with installation, compared to up to 11,000 for an air source heat pump : Extra cost of energy efficiency measures, such as improving insulation and installing low carbon boilers. A new gas-fired boiler costs about 1,500 with installation, compared to up to 11,000 for an air source heat pump 2,400 : How much a 'snack tax' would cost the average family of four over a decade if implemented - which is 60 per person per year : How much a 'snack tax' would cost the average family of four over a decade if implemented - which is 60 per person per year 200 : Average bill for new light fittings after the ban on sales of halogen bulbs from September, with an average of 4.4 new fittings each. : Average bill for new light fittings after the ban on sales of halogen bulbs from September, with an average of 4.4 new fittings each. TOTAL: 28,100 Advertisement Kent MP Craig Mackinlay has launched a group to push back at plans he argues could 'completely kill us off politically'. He and others argue they will hit poorer voters in former 'Red Wall' areas who voted Conservative for the first time in 2019. Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng said today that ministers 'want to try and help people make that transition' when asked about the expense to consumers of scrapping gas boilers. He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'There is a transition and that's something that we're focused on and we want to try and help people make that transition... We've got a Heat and Buildings Strategy that is going to come out very soon - I don't think it was quite January, I think it was in March, but... I'm very keen to see it published because I think that will set out a number of options.' But he admitted he was 'concerned' about a '20 billion hole' in the public finances created by a loss of fuel duty through the switch to electric cars, adding: ' I don't have the authority to write budgets or dictate tax policy.' Mr Kwarteng said the UK Government was 'on track' to hit net zero emissions by 2050 but acknowledged 'it's challenging'. He told Sky News: 'If you look since 1990 we've reduced our emissions by 45 per cent and we've managed to grow the economy by 80 per cent, this is a world-beating figure.' He told the BBC that a carbon tax - seen as a tax on meat - is also still being considered. He added: 'It's 2021 now, I think there's every chance we will hit the target. It's a lot of work and I think we can do that ... it is challenging, it's not an easy thing, if it were an easy thing we wouldn't be going on about it.' But South Thanet MP Mr Mackinlay, who is also a member of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Motorists and hauliers, told the Politics Home website: 'We don't want to be on the wrong side of the electorate, that just will not wear this.' At the weekend it was reported the green agenda had hit another stumbling block amid growing fears within government that it will hit poorest households the hardest. Chancellor Rishi Sunak was reportedly leading push-back against net zero, fearing it will spark a cost-of-living crisis with energy bills already on the rise and inflation spiking as Covid lockdowns ease. The National Infrastructure Commission said the poorest tenth of households will pay an extra 80 each year by 2050 while the richest tenth will face a 400 bill to help sectors that currently have a low chance of hitting the Net Zero emissions target He is drawing up plans for richer households to take the bigger hit from green changes, the Times reported today. Senior Tories fear the crisis could prove politically ruinous in so-called Red Wall seats in traditionally working class areas of the north that flipped blue from Labour at the 2019 election, handing Mr Johnson a landslide victory. A Treasury review into the costs of meeting the net-zero 2050 goal has already been delayed twice from its original spring publication date. According to the Sunday Telegraph, the delay is due to fears that analysis shows working class families bearing the heaviest share of the burden. Last month experts advising the Government on infrastructure warned Britain's families face paying hundreds of pounds more a year on food, flying and shipping costs to help industries remove greenhouse gases from the atmosphere. The driver of a car that crashed killing five teenagers has apologised from his hospital bed saying he made a 'stupid mistake'. Tyreese Fleming, 19, was the sole survivor after his Nissan Bluebird hit a power pole so hard it was cut in half near Timari in South Canterbury, New Zealand. Javarney Wayne Drummond, 15, Niko William Hill, 15, Andrew George Goodger, 15, Jack Graeme Wallace, 16, and Joseff Alan James McCarthy, 16, all died. Police found their bodies, including one crammed into the boot, at the scene at the intersection of Seadown and Meadows roads about 7.30pm on Saturday. This Nissan Bluebird hit a power pole so hard it was cut in half near Timari in South Canterbury, New Zealand, in a horror crash that killed five teenagers Niko William Hill, 15, (left) Javarney Wayne Drummond, 15, (centre) and Andrew George Goodger, 15, (right) were all killed in the crash Melissa Bryce, the first witness on the scene, found Fleming trapped inside the car and said he muttered 'how the f**k did I survive this?' Later after he was rushed to hospital, the teenager posted a photo of himself in his hospital bed to social media on Sunday with an apology. 'Hello everyone just wanted to say I'm not dead I am very very lucky to still be alive and I can't believe what has happened,' he wrote. 'I am so so so sorry to the families that I have put in pain coz of stupid mistakes that I made that has costed (sic) 5 lives.' Ms Bryce described how she was examining the wreck looking for survivors when she heard a voice from the gloom inside. 'I yelled out, "can anybody hear me?" Then from behind me I heard a voice go, "how the f**k did I survive this?",' she told Stuff. Ms Bryce helped Fleming call his mother and heard him tearfully tell her he 'f**ked up' and what happened. Tyreese Fleming, 19, who was driving the car, was the sole survivor and posted a photo of himself in his hospital bed to social media on Sunday with an apology The car (pictured) was cut in half when it crashed into a power pole on Saturday night Niko's relative posted a tribute on Facebook on Saturday night expressing his shock at the teenager's sudden death. 'I just got the phone call that our son Niko Hill has passed away in a car accident tonight,' he wrote. 'Oh, my heart is broken my one and only sending love and light to the families of this tragic event in Timaru.' Steve Drummond woke to the news on Saturday night that his son, Javarney, died in the crash. Jarveney left home late Saturday afternoon and headed to Caroline Bay in Timaru to hang out with friends. Shortly before midnight, Drummond's daughter received text messages saying Javarney had died in a car crash. She immediately woke her sleeping father. Mr Drummond told Stuff his son was a 'social butterfly' and was not known to be involved in joyriding. None of his friends had cars, but he went to primary school with Fleming. His father said Jarveney left home late Saturday afternoon and headed to Caroline Bay in Timaru to hang out with friends 'Oh, my heart is broken my one and only sending love and light to the families of this tragic event in Timaru,' a relative of Niko (pictured) wrote on Facebook He incredibly said he was not angry, just 'disappointed' - especially that one of the boys was in the boot. 'There's no point in taking any stress or any anger out on anybody because it's not going to bring my son back... it's not going to bring the five kids back,' he said. Mr Drummond said Fleming, who he knew well, only had his restricted licence for about three months. Timaru Boys' High School said Niko had been a student at the school until the end of term 1 this year. 'He had a close set of friends and enjoyed playing rugby during his time here,' the school said in a Facebook post. 'We held a short assembly to acknowledge the pain and sense of loss that our community will be feeling, and to inform students how to access support.' Steve Drummond, father to Javarney (pictured) who died in the crash, said his son was a social butterfly and had not known he was involved in joyriding Andrew Goodger was one of the five teenagers killed in the South Island's worst crash in two decades Aoraki police area commander Inspector Dave Gaskin said many people in the small community would be touched by the boys' deaths. 'It is a tragedy and will reverberate around our community for a long time. It's one of the worst jobs we do,' he said. He said the driver, who was seriously injured in the crash, was in a stable condition in Timaru Hospital on Sunday morning. Inspector Gaskin said he could not confirm whether the driver held a full licence. 'But you would think the young men who died, being 15 and 16, and the driver only being 19 you would suspect he didn't have a full licence,' he said. He also declined to comment on the likely cause of the crash, other than to say 'speed was obviously a factor'. 'There were six people in the vehicle, there is only five sets of seatbelts. It is not possible at the moment to say who was wearing seatbelts, but I think it is pretty clear to say that only a very few, if anyone, were wearing seatbelts,' he said. Aoraki Alternative Education manager Rob Emerson, who reportedly taught two of the teenagers, said everyone in the community was affected by the tragic deaths. 'It cuts deep. There's only 20 of us at Aoraki Alternative Education. Their cohort is still with us. It's a crushing blow,' he said. The crash happened near Timari in South Canterbury, New Zealand, about 7.30pm on Saturday A friend of one of the victims said she was in shock over the crash. 'I'm in a lot of shock I'm finding it hard to process I was hanging out with (him) on Friday. I wish this was all a dream,' she said. She described her friend as 'a funny kind man who loved to laugh all the time and have as much fun as possible'. Timaru resident Ray Colvill, who lives about 500m from the crash scene, told Stuff he called police about 5.55pm to report four cars doing burnouts at the intersection. He said the area is a popular spot with 'boy-racers', a term given to a young person who drives in a fast and aggressive manner. He rang emergency services when the racers got worse. 'I said, "they're starting early tonight. If you don't send somebody out somebody is going to get bloody killed at some stage".' Inspector Gaskin confirmed police were called about 'anti-social road users' earlier on Saturday and officers were sent to the area before the crash. 'We are urging members of public who saw the vehicle which was a Nissan Bluebird, registration number UI1799 prior to the accident to come forward,' he said. Advertisement Disturbing before and after photos released Sunday reveal how California's second largest ever recorded blaze has destroyed homes, businesses and an entire historic town. The Dixie Fire is now 463,477 acres and, as of Sunday morning, only 21 percent contained. It has burned for 23 days straight spreading across Plumas, Butte, Tehama and Lassen counties. Officials say four people remain missing. A before and after photo series shows how the monstrous Dixie Fire in northern California has grown to become the second-largest wildfire in state history, destroying a home and car that stood in its path The historic town of Greenville is pictured shortly before the Dixie Fire swept through it on August 4, obliterating its main street The Dixie Fire's path has obliterated Greenville, a small mountain town about 125 miles northwest of Reno, Nevada, that is home to just 1,000 people. Authorities in Plumas County, where Greenville is located, issued three more mandatory evacuation orders on Sunday, CBS 13 reported. Thousands of residents have fled the area, many finding temporary housing even living in tents in the area, often unsure whether their homes have survived. Four Greenville residents remain unaccounted for. The Plumas County Sheriff's Office has identified them as Lillian Basham, Joseph Basham, Blanca Auban and Michael Auban. Anyone with information regarding their whereabouts is asked to contact authorities. No fatalities have been reported at this time. The Dixie blaze is the largest active wildfire in the United States, but one of only 11 major wildfires in California. Over the weekend it surpassed the 2018 Mendocino Complex Fire to make it the second-worst fire in state history, the authorities said. Crews estimate the fire, which began July 13, will not finally be extinguished before August 20. Weak winds and higher humidity were providing some succor to firefighters, but they are bracing for higher temperatures expected to exceed 100 degrees Fahrenheit by midweek. 'We're seeing fire activity that even veteran firefighters haven't seen in their career,' Cal Fire spokesman Edwin Zuniga told The Washington Post. 'So we're just in really uncharted territory.' A color infrared satellite image shows Lake Almanor during Dixie Fire in California on August 8 A barn in Greenville and white Jaguar sedan are pictured as flames begin to take hold on August 6, and after they'd been consumed by the Dixie Fire's flames A home in Indian Falls is already alight in the first photo, and has since been reduced to a small pile of rubble A real estate agency in historic Greenville, California is pictured on July 23, and after its destruction on August 7 The sky behind this quaint gas station in Greenville glowed red on July 23 - with the building eventually destroyed by the Dixie Fire on August 7 The last time Greenville saw this level of destruction was 140 years ago, according to the SF Gate. On Monday, April 25, 1881, the Greenville Bulletin printed a headline reading: 'The most destructive fire which ever visited the town of Greenville broke out about fifteen minutes before 4 o'clock on last Saturday morning.' The city's entire commercial district had been destroyed in the blaze and only four structures remained. However, unlike in 1881, Greenville will be forced to completely rebuild its downtown area in wake of the Dixie Fire. Crews were able to save many homes in the town but not the commercial district. 'We lost Greenville tonight,' U.S. Rep. Doug LaMalfa, who represents the area, told the newspaper. 'There's just no words.' Locals in Greenville listen to country music outside their home on July 23. It was one of many structures burned to the ground after Dixie swept through on August 4 The Way Station cocktail bar is pictured top, on July 23, and again on August 7 after being destroyed by the Dixie fire A before and after series shows homeowner Jerry Whipple (R) speaking to a neighbor about ignoring a mandatory evacuation order in front of his home on July 23, 2021, and after it burned on August 7, 2021 during the Dixie fire in Greenville, California The area destroyed is now larger than Los Angeles and bigger than the land ruined by the vast Bootleg Fire in southern Oregon. Smoke has helped 'shade and moderate' the blaze but also hindered firefighters' ability to work from the air. Crews on the ground were left to spray retardant on mountain ridges and around threatened communities. Authorities say the Dixie Fire has destroyed several hundred buildings. The cause of the fire remains under investigation. Pacific Gas & Electric has said it may have started when a tree fell on one of the utility's power lines. On Friday U.S. District Judge William Alsup ordered the utility company to provide information about the tree falling incident. 'PG&E's responses will not be deemed as an admission by PG&E that it caused any fire, but they will serve as a starting point for discussion,' Alsup wrote in a statement. The company told the Washington Post on Saturday that they were aware of the court's orders and would respond by the judge's August 16 deadline. A home is seen burning (above) on July 24, 2021 and the remains are seen two days later on July 26, 2021 during the Dixie fire in the Indian Falls neighborhood of unincorporated Plumas County, California A before and after series shows a truck burning on August 5, 2021 (above) and after it burned (below) on August 6, 2021 during the Dixie fire in Greenville, California A before and after series shows a community center in flames on August 4, 2021 and after it burned on August 5, 2021 during the Dixie fire in Greenville, California Meanwhile, in the state capital of Sacramento, the plumes of smoke have led officials to warn of an 'unhealthy' air quality. The fire has also burned through the small town of Canyondam but authorities were faced with some resistance from residents told to evacuate. As thousands were told to leave their homes, authorities were met at times by armed residents refusing to budge, the Los Angeles Times reported. When that happens, cops are asking the residents for the names of next-of-kin - to be notified if the fire claims their lives. A before and after series shows downtown Greenville, California before it burned on July 23, 2021 (above) and the day it burned (below) on August 4, 2021 during the Dixie fire A before and after series shows a vehicle exploding into flames (above) on July 24, 2021 and after it burned on August 7, 2021 during the Dixie fire in the Indian Falls neighborhood of unincorporated Plumas County A before and after series shows downtown Greenville, California before it burned on July 23, 2021 (above) and the day it burned (below) on August 4, 2021, during the Dixie fire in Greenville, California This satellite image taken on August 8 shows the extent of the damage the Dixie Fire inflicted on another small town, Canyondam More than 5,000 fire and rescue crews are now battling the Dixie blaze, which is sending enormous clouds of smoke into the air that are easily visible from space. While the fire continued to swell overnight Friday, officials said Saturday that cooler, calmer weather was giving firefighters a much-needed break. Cooler temperatures and calmer winds moved into the area overnight in a boon to weary firefighters, the state agency Calfire said. The Dixie Fire's movement northeastward has been slowed in part because it has reached what the CalFire website calls the 'scar' of an earlier blaze, the 2007 Moonlight Fire, reducing available fuel. By late July, the number of acres burned in California was up more than 250 percent from 2020 - already the worst year of wildfires in the state's modern history. The wildfires have been blamed on a long-term drought that has left the area vulnerable to explosive and highly destructive fires and which scientists say is driven by climate change. A cocktail bar owner in Prime Minister Scott Morrison's electorate has blamed slow government support for his decision to shut down after three decades. The Baker Lane bar in Cronulla is the latest casualty of Sydney's lockdown, now in week seven. Owner Jonathan Lane blamed Mr Morrison, his local federal MP, and his state counterpart Attorney-General Mark Speakman, whose Sutherland Shire electorates overlap. Premier Gladys Berejiklian was also singled out with many businesses still waiting for JobSaver help. 'I just can't believe that this has been allowed to happen by Scott Morrison, Mark Speakman and Gladys,' Mr Lane said. The Baker Lane closure also means the end of the old Fusion nightclub. 'That an iconic business for the past 31 years running in the Sutherland Shire has now got to close due to greed from the landlords,' Mr Lane said. 'There's a lot of people suffering out there and we're only one of thousands and yet nothing is done about it. 'It's about time that we all stood up and actually said to these guys, "Enough is enough".' Scroll down for video The Baker Lane nightclub in Cronulla, in Sydney's south, has announced it will close after 31 years because of the lockdown. Owner Jonathan Lane (pictured) blamed his federal and state Liberal members of parliament, Prime Minister Scott Morrison and NSW Attorney-General Mark Speakman, whose Sutherland Shire electorates overlap, along with Premier Gladys Berejiklian Unlike March 2020, during the start of the pandemic, landlords during the Sydney lockdown have not been banned from evicting tenants. Jonica Williams, who runs the Sundae Sesh ice cream shop at Umina on the Central Coast north of Sydney, has waited three weeks for government payments and fears she will have to close the business if the lockdown is extended. 'I'm pretty frustrated and furious that the government has left us hanging out to dry,' she told Daily Mail Australia. 'I've got four children to feed. I can't access superannuation because we pulled it out last time around. 'We don't have any savings left because we used them all up last time around and we still haven't had any word on whether we're even eligible for anything this time around.' New South Wales Small Business Minister Damien Tudehope expressed his frustration at the fact that only 40 per cent businesses, as of Sunday, had so far received any government support even though the greater Sydney lockdown began on June 26. 'From a perspective of small businesses who are waiting for this money, it's still not good enough,' he told 2GB broadcaster Ben Fordham on Monday. Jonica Williams (pictured with her husband Clint), who runs the Sundae Sesh ice cream shop at Umina on the Central Coast north of Sydney, has waited three weeks for government payments and fears she will have to close the business if the lockdown is extended The state and federal governments on July 13 announced the JobSaver scheme, offering weekly payments of between $1,500 and $10,000 if their revenue had plunged by 30 per cent or more as a result of the lockdowns. The maximum help per week was increased to $100,000 on July 28, with the payments are based on 40 per cent of their weekly payroll The state and federal governments on July 13 announced the JobSaver scheme, offering weekly payments of between $1,500 and $10,000 if their revenue had plunged by 30 per cent or more as a result of the lockdowns. The maximum help per week was increased to $100,000 on July 28, with the payments are based on 40 per cent of their weekly payroll. Treasurer Dominic Perrottet a day later said 'every single business - 99 per cent of businesses will be able to access some form of payment' as part of the $5.1billion JobSaver program 80 per cent funded by NSW. JobSaver is also coinciding with federal Covid disaster payments of up to $750 a week for Australians who lose more than 20 hours a week of work, and $450 for those losing eight to 20 hours a week of work. A separate state government grants program is also offering $7,500 to $15,000 help for businesses with a turnover of up to $10million a year. The state and federal governments on July 13 announced the JobSaver scheme, offering weekly payments of between $1,500 and $10,000 if their revenue had plunged by 30 per cent or more as a result of the lockdowns. The maximum help per week was increased to $100,000 on July 28, with the payments are based on 40 per cent of their weekly payroll Almost two weeks on from that announcement, 40 per cent of businesses are still yet to receive a cent from the government, with 195,000 applications as of Monday lodged for JobSaver, business grants and Covid disaster support. Of those, more than 80,000 are still waiting for help. Among that group of struggling busineses, 68,000 proprietors have applied for JobSaver, with only 18,000 business paid so far, receiving $86million between them. Another 32,000 business are set to receive $114million this week, a spokesman for Customer Service Minister Victor Dominello told Daily Mail Australia. Ms Williams and her husband Clint Williams opened their shop in December last year, and were initially ineligible for government help because they were unable to compare their revenue with 2019 before the pandemic. They continued to trade on June 27 - the day after Sydney, the Central Coast, Wollongong and the Blue Mountains went into lockdown - but they only made $14 in a day. 'I think we sold one ice cream and one waffle,' Ms Williams said. Jonica Williams and her husband Clint Williams opened their shop in December last year, and were initially ineligible for government help because they were unable to compare their revenue with 2019 before the pandemic While ice cream shops can serve customers, the absence of visitors from Sydney and customers going straight home after buying groceries meant their business now had no income. On top of that, the Sundae Sesh owners owe $10,000 in debt plus rent and mortgage costs, with banks only allowing repayment deferrals of 90 days. An extended lockdown would most likely kill the business, which had employed ten casual staff. 'If it goes any longer, that's not going to be enough to cover it,' Ms Williams said. 'You make a couple of dollars profit from an ice cream and that's it. 'When you have to not only pay your outgoings and your staff, and your product costs and your rent, but then you also have to try and pay off debts from the time you are closed, we're never going to make that back.' They continued to trade on June 27 - the day after Sydney, the Central Coast, Wollongong and the Blue Mountains went into lockdown - but they only made $14 for an another day Service NSW is now tasking call centre staff to ring businesses begging for help. 'There is a cohort we have employed for the purpose of making those return phone calls,' Mr Tudehope said. 'One of the issues which arose last week was people waiting on the phone for up to four hours and no one answering the phone with respect of the claim which they had.' Mr Tudehope also admitted the eligibility criteria to get JobSaver was confusing to people who had 'never ever made an application to government before in their lives'. New South Wales Small Business Minister Damien Tudehope (pictured right with Premier Gladys Berejiklian and Treasurer Dominic Perrottet)O expressed his frustration at the fact less than 60 per cent of businesses, as of Sunday, had so far received any state support even though the lockdown began on June 26. Mr Tudehope also admitted the eligibility criteria to get JobSaver was confusing to people who had 'never ever made an application to government before in their lives' 'We will worry about the fraud later on,' he said. Funds are meant to be arriving in bank accounts within a week but many businesses are reporting delays. 'You give us the documents, we will pay you. That should be the message going out from any person who is making a call to a business owner who lodged an application,' Mr Tudehope said. Newly-opened businesses struggled to get help because they were unable to compare their turnover with 2019 before the pandemic, but those rules have been relaxed. The governor of Arkansas admitted Sunday that his law banning mask mandates in the state was an 'error'. Gov Asa Hutchinson made the admission less than two weeks after he defended his ban. Now as Arkansas, which has one of the lowest vaccination rates in the nation, is seeing a surge in COVID-19 cases, Hutchinson is saying that new policies may be necessary. 'It was an error to sign that law. I admit that,' he said, explaining that he realized that school districts needed more options to protect children, especially those who were not old enough to get vaccinated. 'Facts change, and leaders have to adjust to the new facts and the reality of what you have to deal with,' Hutchinson said on CBS News' Face the Nation. 'Whenever I signed that law, our cases were low, we were hoping that the whole thing was gone, in terms of the virus, but it roared back with the Delta variant.' Gov. Asa Hutchinson admitted during an interview on CBS Sunday that his law banning mask mandates in Arkansas was an 'error' In late March, Arkansas lawmakers approved SB 590, a bill that prohibited the state from reimposing a mask mandate to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. The proposal granted exceptions to private businesses, health care facilities, and correctional facilities which could impose compulsory mask rules if they wished. That measure was passed in April, just a day after Hutchinson lifted the state's coronavirus mask requirement. The Senate voted 20-9 in favor of the measure prohibiting mandatory face coverings, sending the measure to the House, where it was passed with ease by the Republican-dominated majority. Hutchinson has previously said he signed the measure into law because it 'was the will of the General Assembly,' noting that Arkansas' legislators are 'capable of making their decisions'. It was an error to sign that law, Arkansas Gov. @AsaHutchinson says of his previous support for bill banning local mask mandates. I realized that we needed to have more options for our local school districts to protect those children. pic.twitter.com/NTM1GCl5NQ Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) August 8, 2021 Hutchinson said the bill, which prohibited the state from reimposing a mask mandate to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, was enacted when the state's cases were low Hutchinson stands next to a chart displaying COVID-19 hospitalization data indicating a surge in the state as he speaks at a news conference at the state Capitol in Little Rock, Ark. on July 29 Now, in wake of the rising case count and outbreaks in schools, the Republican governor said Sunday that signing the bill was a mistake and has taken steps to try and modify the legislation. Hutchinson said he asked the legislature to 'redo the law' but they refused to act, prompting a judge to temporarily block the measure on Friday. 'Thank goodness if the legislature did not act this week, which they didn't, the court stepped in and held that [law] as unconstitutional,' Hutchinson told CBS. 'Now we have that local flexibility for schools to make their decision to protect the children based upon the unique circumstances of their district.' While the governor has expressed regret for signing the mask ban, he did reiterate that he does not support vaccine mandates but believes leaders should educate their community members to increase vaccination rates. 'I don't support a vaccine mandate,' he said. 'We can do it through education, but I do expect that broader acceptance of the vaccine- I do expect that some employers in sensitive industries will require vaccines. But you have to have the FDA approval before that is more broadly accepted.' He also argued that to see an increase in vaccination rates, medical experts must 'dispel the myths' surrounding the shots and that the FDA needs to issue final approval of the vaccines. Currently, the three shots used in the USA - from Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson - only have emergency FDA approval. The Arkansas Department of Health released updated COVID-19 data for the state on Sunday, indicating an increase in active cases of coronavirus Arkansas number of daily cases, showing an increase as high as the cases reported at the beginning of the year A graph showing the number of daily COVID-19 deaths in Arkansas since the coronavirus pandemic outbreak started last spring A graph indicating the number of daily deaths in the last 90 days in Arkansas, showing an ascendant curve in July The Arkansas Department of Health released updated COVID-19 data for the state on Sunday, indicating an increase in active cases of coronavirus. Health officials reported 1,369 new cases, raising the total case count to 404,277. The active case count went up to 23,921 after an increase of 21. The state now has a seven-day rolling average of 2,351 new daily cases. The health department also reported 11 deaths in the last 24 hours, bringing the state's total fatalities to 6,301. 33 new hospitalizations were also reported. Arkansas has 1,095,166 residents who are fully vaccinated against the virus. 2,410 people became fully immunized in the last 24 hours. According to the CDC, 166,203,176 Americans have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as of Friday. The White House said this accounts for more than half of the U.S. population Nationally, 166,203,176 people have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to CDC data released Friday. The White House said this accounts for more than half of the U.S. population. 194,346,486 individuals have received at least one dose of the vaccine. The seven-day average of newly vaccinated people is up 11 percent from last week, and up 44 percent over the past two weeks. Daily new cases, deaths and hospitalizations have risen sharply in recent weeks. Last week, there was an average of 90,000 new coronavirus cases per day, with Florida and Texas accounting for a third of them, the White House said. The United States is back up to around 380 COVID-19 deaths a day, with hospitalizations averaging 7,300 a day over a week. The level of community transmission of the virus is 'high' or 'substantial' in 85 percent of the country, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported. The United States is the nation hardest-hit by the pandemic, with 615,000 deaths. Daily new cases, deaths and hospitalizations have risen sharply in recent weeks. Last week, there was an average of 90,000 new coronavirus cases per day, with Florida and Texas accounting for a third of them, the White House said Advertisement Nicola Sturgeon has warned Scots that there is no guarantee lockdown won't return after clubbers packed out venues across the country from midnight to mark Freedom Day. Legal requirements for physical distancing - except in healthcare settings - have been removed from today and all venues, including nightclubs, are now able to reopen. However, the First Minister refused to guarantee that lockdowns won't return and also ruled that face masks will continue to be needed on public transport and shops for 'as long as necessary'. She said: 'I think any politician, anywhere in the world, in the face of a pandemic of an infectious virus that sits here and says 'I can guarantee something' is not being sensible and actually it's not being frank with people. Every fibre of my being hopes that the restrictions we are lifting today in Scotland will never, ever have to be imposed, and am I optimistic about that? Yes. 'Can I guarantee it? Well, I could tell you that right now for the sake of an easier interview, but it wouldn't be the right thing to say because keeping this virus under control depends on all of us continuing to do all of the sensible things I've been talking about.' Ms Sturgeon also revealed that the SNP will be allowing government workers and civil servants to continue working from home as part of a new hybrid model. She said: 'Let's think about a more hybrid working model for the future. The Scottish government is doing that for our own employees and that may help us in months to come over the virus but there are also issues over work life balance and wellbeing.' Her appearance on BBC Breakfast came as clubbers took advantage of Freedom Day as they packed out venues at the stroke of midnight. Joanna Traynor, Amy Evans and Robyn Spence arrives at Lulu's night club in Edinburgh, Scotland as it opens at 0:01 Legal requirements for physical distancing - except in healthcare settings - have been removed and all venues, including nightclubs, are now able to reopen The First Minister told MSPs last week that the country could move beyond Level 0, the lowest level of a five-tier system of restrictions in Scotland, due to the 'steady decline in cases' and 'the success of vaccination'. Under the new rules, double-vaccinated adults and all children will be able to avoid self-isolation if they are a close contact of someone with coronavirus so long as they are symptomless and provide a negative PCR test. Pupils and teachers will have to continue wearing masks indoors for up to six weeks after schools return, the Government has said. But whole classes in schools will no longer have to stay at home if an infection is discovered, although children and adults who are higher-risk close contacts will be told to isolate. Outdoors events of more than 5,000 people and indoor events of more than 2,000 will have to apply for permission from local authorities and the Government to go ahead. When announcing the lifting of further restrictions, Nicola Sturgeon hailed Monday as 'perhaps the most significant date so far' in the pandemic. She has since stated that Scotland is in a 'much better position' with Covid than could have been expected at the start of summer but urged Scots to 'continue to take sensible precautions' despite many of the legal coronavirus rules being lifted from Monday. Scotland's Freedom Day: What happens from August 9? Nicola Sturgeon confirmed a raft of changes will come into effect on August 9. Going Social distancing Size limits on public gatherings Self-isolation for people aged five and over who pass a PCR test Blanket self-isolations for whole school classes Staying Face coverings in public indoor spaces Masks for secondary pupils and one-metre social distancing by schools staff for six weeks from September Contact tracing of positive cases - pubs and restaurants must collect customer details Advice to work from home Special permission required for some mass events to take place Advertisement SNP health minister Humza Yousaf was also quick to warn of the risks of a new variant triggering another lockdown ahead of the easing of restrictions. Mr Yousaf told BBC Scotland's Sunday Show: 'All it takes of course is a new variant to come from somewhere halfway across the world to make its way into Scotland. 'And depending on how effective our vaccine is against it, that could make a big, big difference in terms of restrictions.' Health minister Mr Yousaf also added: 'I think we would expect cases to rise as people interact more, potentially in bigger numbers, but also when schools return as well. 'There's perhaps some sense of an artificial break when it's the summer holidays. So we would expect [a rise in cases] but of course we are continuing to vaccinate people which is the real positive. 'But that of course is why we're keeping some mitigations absolutely in place. 'Our modelling hopefully will be able to tell us that the pressure we're feeling in the NHS hopefully will remain in a place where we can cope with that, but of course that's why these measures continue to always be kept under review.' Despite the warnings, Scotland's nightclubbers vowed to be 'out every night' as the easing of coronavirus restrictions allowed venues to reopen for the first time in more than a year. In Glasgow, dancers took to the floor at the Boteco Do Brasil club. Martin Stewart, 24, from the city, was among the crowd and said he was glad to be back. 'It's been a long wait I'll be out till closing,' he said. At the nearby Polo Lounge, an LGBTQ inclusive club, revellers chanted and screamed as the clock struck midnight and the doors re-opened. Luke Dunsmuir, 19, from Strathbungo, said he was eager to get back. 'I've been nightclubbing since I was 15,' he said. 'Oot and aboot.' He said with clubs closed he had missed meeting different people and networking with others. He said he wasn't worried about Covid-19 as he was double-vaccinated. 'The only worry was older people, that was the only worry for me, but the younger generation the percentage of them getting Covid is so low,' he said. He said his next few weeks would be 'busy busy'. 'Out every night, just you wait, you'll be seeing my face everywhere,' he added. In the city's centre people queued round the block outside the Savoy nightclub. Mark Grant, 19, and Johnny Matthews, 21, both from the Southside, were among those waiting to get back inside. Mr Grant said he only had two months of clubbing when he turned 18 before the country locked down. Under the new rules, double-vaccinated adults and all children will be able to avoid self-isolation if they are a close contact of someone with coronavirus so long as they are symptomless and provide a negative PCR test SNP health minister Humza Yousaf was quick to warn of the risks of a new variant triggering another lockdown ahead of the easing of restrictions 'I spent most of my 18 inside so it's been good to get back out,' he said. 'It's a huge part of our teenage life especially teens to early twenties it's a huge part of it, and we've not had it. So we have a lot of time to make up for,' he said. Mr Matthews said: 'I'm buzzing I've got Monday off work, I put a holiday in'. He said he was double vaccinated but would be taking precautions. 'We will be wearing the mask, but it should be all right,' he said. He added: 'It's a good laugh, cheap drinks, so it's good to get back.' Nightclubs were among the last venues to reopen in Scotland, long after bars were allowed to welcome back customers. Following initial confusion last week, the Scottish Government clarified that masks would not have to be worn when dancing or drinking. A mutual acquaintance of Bill Gates and Jeffrey Epstein is a glamorous neurosurgeon who was hired by the convicted pedophile as his science advisor. Dr. Melanie S. Walker, 49, who is married to a former Microsoft executive, reportedly helped bring the pedophile financier into the billionaire software mogul's orbit after she was hired by the Gates Foundation, the charity started up by the multibillionaire software mogul. Walker met Epstein in 1992 while she was sightseeing in New York City. It was reported that Epstein approached her at the Plaza Hotel alongside Donald Trump, who at the time owned the landmark property. Walker was hired by the Gates Foundation in 2006, shortly after she moved to Seattle to be with Steven Sinofsky. Sinofky, who eventually rose to become president of Microsofts Windows division, introduced Walker to Gates at a company barbecue in the early 2000s, according to Rolling Stone. She also became close to Gates's scientific advisor Boris Nikolic, who later introduced the pedophile finance mogul to Gates. Dr. Melanie S. Walker, 49, was a mutual acquaintance of Bill Gates and Jeffrey Epstein Gates and Epstein met numerous times beginning in 2011 - after he was convicted of sex crimes. In fact, Gates visited Epstein at least three times at Epstein's New York City townhouse Two years ago, The New York Times reported that Gates and Epstein met numerous times beginning in 2011. In fact, Gates visited Epstein at least three times at Epstein's New York City townhouse, according to The Times. Those who were employed at Gates' foundation were also reported to have made multiple visits to Epstein's townhouse, the Times reported. The visits by Gates and the foundation workers took place despite the fact that Epstein pleaded guilty to sex crimes against children two years earlier. Gates admitted on Wednesday that it was a 'huge mistake' to spend time with Epstein and revealed that they shared 'several dinners.' Gates, 65, also revealed that his divorce from ex-wife Melinda French Gates 'was a source of great personal sadness' for the Microsoft co-founder in an extensive and wide-ranging interview with Anderson Cooper on his CNN show. Gates' relationship with Epstein dates back to 2011 but it became a point of contention in September 2013 between him and Melinda - who has been said to have been concerned about his relationship with the convicted pedophile. Epstein was first accused by the federal government of grooming underage girls to have sex with him in 2007. Walker (left) was hired by the Gates Foundation in 2006, shortly after she moved to Seattle to be with Steven Sinofsky (right). Sinofky, who eventually rose to become president of Microsofts Windows division, introduced Walker to Gates at a company barbecue in the early 2000s But a controversial plea deal allowed Epstein to serve 13 months of an 18-month jail sentence - most of which he was allowed to serve at his mansion in Palm Beach, Florida. The deal did require Epstein to register as a sex offender. Epstein was arrested by federal authorities in July and held at a Manhattan lockup, where he committed suicide before he could be tried for running a child prostitution ring. After Epstein's shock suicide on August 10, Gates' named popped up as one of the high-powered men who potentially had some sort of working relationship with the disgraced businessman. Before ever meeting Gates, Epstein knew of two people who were in his inner circle - Walker and physician Boris Nikolic. Walker met Epstein just after she graduated college in 1992. She moved to New York. Her listed address was a Manhattan apartment that Epstein owned, but Walker never lived there. She was at the apartment just a couple of times for quarterly meetings with lawyers in 1999. Walker relocated to Manhattan after Epstein told her he could get her an audition for a modeling job with Victoria's Secret. Walker met Epstein just after she graduated college in 1992. She moved to New York and stayed at a Manhattan apartment that Epstein owned after Epstein told her he could get her an audition for a modeling job with Victoria's Secret Epstein was an adviser to Leslie Wexner, the billionaire who owned the lingerie maker. After Walker finished medical school in Texas, Epstein hired her as a science adviser in 1998. At the time, Walker was pursuing post-doctoral study at Cal Tech. According to Rolling Stone, Walker was deeply grateful to Epstein for hiring her as well as the career advice he provided. The magazine reported that Epstein encouraged Walker to finish medical school. In fact, Epstein tried to discourage Walker from a career in modeling, according to Rolling Stone. Walker later met Sinofsky, a senior executive at Microsoft who headed the company's Windows division. She moved to Seattle to be with Sinofsky. Eventually, Walker would join the Gates Foundation as a senior program officer. At the foundation, Walker became friends with Nikolic, who was the organization's science adviser. Nikolic was known as a man who traveled and socialized frequently with Gates. Walker, who kept in touch with Epstein, introduced him to Nikolic, and the two became friends. That eventually led to the first face-to-face meeting between Gates and Epstein, which took place at Epstein's New York City townhouse in January 2011, according to the Times. The meeting is said to have included other associates of Epstein, including Eva Andersson-Dubin, the former Miss Sweden who is married to hedge fund billionaire Glenn Dubin. Gates was introduced to Epstein by Boris Nikolic (right), who serves as science adviser to Gates' foundation. The two men are seen in Washington, DC in July 2012 Gates is seen second from right alongside Epstein at Epstein's New York City mansion in 2011. From left to right: James E. Staley, who at the time was a senior JPMorgan executive; former Treasury Secretary Lawrence Summers; Epstein; Gates; and Boris Nikolic After the hours-long meeting, Epstein wrote an email to friends saying: 'Bill's great.' Gates also reportedly had positive things to say about Epstein. In an email to colleagues obtained by the Times, he wrote: 'A very attractive Swedish woman and her daughter dropped by and I ended up staying there quite late.' A few months later, Gates and Epstein were reportedly spotted conversing at a TED Conference in Long Beach, California. Soon afterward in May 2011, Gates paid another visit to Epstein's Manhattan townhouse, according to the Times. The Times published a photo showing Epstein, Gates, Nikolic, former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers, and James Staley, who at the time was an executive with JPMorgan. At the time, the Gates Foundation and JPMorgan began discussions about creating a global charity that would fund health care projects in poor countries. Staley reportedly told JPMorgan colleagues that Epstein wanted to be involved in the venture. Epstein held sway with JPMorgan since he had millions of dollars parked in accounts with the investment bank, according to the Times. He also referred a number of wealthy people who would become clients of JPMorgan, the Times reported. Epstein wanted to pitch in to the idea. He reportedly proposed that he would solicit donations from his wealthy friends, but that he would receive a 0.3 per cent commission of whatever amount of money he raised. Gates, 65, made a number of bombshell revelations during an extensive and wide-ranging interview with Anderson Cooper on his CNN show on Wednesday He revealed that his divorce from ex-wife Melinda French Gates 'was a source of great personal sadness': The couple are pictured with their three kids in a 2018 family photo. The kids - Jennifer (center), Rory (right) and Phoebe (left) are now aged 25, 21 and 18 Bill Gates explains his past relationship with Jeffrey Epstein, saying they shared several dinners in which he hoped to raise billions of philanthropy. When it looked like that wasnt a real thing, that relationship ended it was a huge mistake to spend time with him. pic.twitter.com/ljBMYD94Ei Anderson Cooper 360 (@AC360) August 5, 2021 Arnold told the Times that Gates was unaware that Epstein was looking to profit from the charitable venture. She said Epstein 'did propose to Bill Gates and then foundation officials ideas that he promised would unleash hundreds of billions for global health-related work.' In late 2011, Gates sent a team from his foundation to Epstein's home in New York to discuss philanthropy, the Times is reporting. At the meeting, Epstein told his guests that the crime for which he pleaded guilty was no worse than 'stealing a bagel.' The Times reported that employees of the Gates Foundation were shocked to discover that the charity was working with a man who was a registered sex offender. A few months later, another team from the Gates Foundation visited Epstein. During this meeting, Epstein claimed he could get access to trillions of dollars of his clients' money which would benefit the charity. But the team from the foundation found these claims to be unrealistic and began to doubt Epstein's credibility, the Times is reporting. Gates and Epstein met several times afterward, though Arnold declined to specify how many times they saw each other. In March 2013, Gates is said to have flown on Epstein's private plane - the aircraft that has been dubbed the 'Lolita Express' because it was allegedly used to traffic young girls. There is no suggestion of any wrongdoing on Gates' part. Arnold told the Times that Gates was not aware that the plane belonged to Epstein. In September of that year, Gates and Epstein met for dinner in New York to discuss philanthropy, according to Arnold. In October 2014, Gates donated $2million to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Media Lab. MIT officials believed the donation was 'directed' by Epstein. But Gates' spokeswoman is denying that Epstein was asked to control the money. 'There was no intention, nor explicit ask, for the funding to be controlled in any manner by Epstein,' Arnold told the Times. Epstein met Walker in 1992 while she was sightseeing in New York City. He is reported to have approached Walker after seeing her in the Plaza Hotel. Epstein was with the then-owner of the Plaza Hotel, Donald Trump, when he first met Walker, according to Rolling Stone By the end of 2014, Gates and Epstein were no longer in contact, prompting Epstein to complain to an acquaintance that Gates was shunning him, the Times reported. The joint charitable fund that was discussed never came to be. Arnold said: 'Over time, Gates and his team realized Epstein's capabilities and ideas were not legitimate and all contact with Epstein was discontinued.' Former employees of the Gates Foundation said at least two senior officials with the charity kept in touch with Epstein until late 2017, but Arnold said the foundation was unaware of such contacts. Nikolic told the Times he was 'shocked' to learn that before Epstein killed himself in jail, he amended his will and named Gates' science adviser as a fallback executor in the event that the primary executors are unable to serve. Nikolic has told the courts that he does not wish to serve as executor. He told the Times: 'I deeply regret ever meeting Mr. Epstein.' Last year, it was reported that Walker enjoyed a close friendship with Prince Andrew. The Duke of York, 61, went for dinners with Walker, who he jokingly referred to as a 'dork' and 'smarty pants'. The prince allegedly got so close to Walker that she attended the Queen's 'Dance of the Decades' party at Windsor Castle in 2000, according to The Sun. The party was held to mark four royal birthdays, including Andrew's 40th. Billionaire Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, 59, the socialite accused of recruiting girls for Epstein's sex trafficking ring, also attended. Andrew first met Walker in New York in 1999, which is the same year he met Epstein. In a 2003 interview, Walker praised the Duke, saying that 'he calls me Mel and addresses me "Hey Dork" or "smarty pants". She did insist that the pair were just friends who chatted 'mostly about science and medicine'. In 2019, Epstein killed himself in New York while he was awaiting trial on charges of trafficking young women for sex. One of those women, Virginia Roberts, claimed she was forced to have sex with Prince Andrew three times when she was still a teenager. Andrew has repeatedly denied the claims and in November 2019 told Newsnight's Emily Maitlis: 'I have no recollection of ever meeting this lady, none whatsoever.' Roberts's lawyer claimed that new evidence is set to emerge which undermines Andrew's claim that he did not know Roberts. Pauline Hanson was shut down for spreading Covid misinformation live on TV after declaring she should have the choice to die from the virus. The One Nation senator said she 'would not be bullied' into getting jabbed and accused state governments of trying to compel Australians to do so. She clashed with Sky News political reporter Tom Connell in a heated interview on Monday, where she talked down the effectiveness of the vaccines. Senator Hanson was repeatedly cut off when she started ranting inaccurate information during the 10-minute interview. 'I won't be bullied or threatened into having the vaccine,' she said. 'If people like myself haven't had the vaccine, then I get Covid and die from it, that's my choice.' Sky News host Tom Connell clashed with One Nation Senator Pauline Hanson over her views on the Covid-19 vaccine Tensions escalated after Connell told Senator Hanson her decision doesn't just impact her if she gets Covid and risks passing the virus onto others. 'So does anyone who's had the vaccine Tom, it doesn't stop you from passing Covid on,' she fired back. Connell was quick to point out that Senator Hanson's claims were extremely exaggerated and dangerously undermined the vaccine rollout. 'Well it actually doesn't. That's actually untrue, senator.' Connell agreed the vaccines aren't entirely 100 per cent effective but pointed out that those who receive Pfizer are 80 per cent less likely to get Covid while AstraZeneca gives 60 per cent protection. 'That's a fact in all the studies that have been done,' he added. Pauline Hanson says Australians shouldn't be bullied by government or companies into being vaccinated. Pictured is Australia's first drive-through vaccination clinic in Melbourne's west Senator Hanson claimed she's never had the flu despite not once getting a vaccine against it, while others who've had the jab have had side effects. 'It didn't stop them from getting the flu,' she said. 'Let people do their research, let them make an informed decision of what is best for them and their health situation.' Earlier in the interview, the pair clashed after Senator Hanson again questioned the effectiveness of vaccine, claiming they hadn't been properly tested and that people don't know the long-term effects. She added she's spoken to health experts reluctant to endorse the vaccines. Connell jumped in to set the record straight, insisting they have been extensively tested more than any other vaccine. 'Covid vaccines are now numbering in their billions around the world and what we know about side effects and risks are that they're much less than the risk of Covid and overall they are very safe,' he argued. 'The testing of this has been extensive, it's happening right there in the real world.' Pauline Hanson (pictured) says it's her choice if she gets Covid-19 and dies from the virus Senator Hanson's claims of Australians being bullied came after SPC became the first Australian company to demand staff to be vaccinated. All of 450 on-site employees at at the company's factory in Shepparton in regional Victoria have until September 15 to schedule their first dose while all staff and contractors must be fully vaccinated by the end of November. 'This is purely discrimination with no grounds for them to do it,' Senator Hanson claimed. Victoria and NSW ramped up their vaccination rollout to wider age groups in recent weeks in the wake of recent outbreaks. Senator Hanson had no problem with vaccinations being accessible to those who want them but said Australians should have the right to choose. 'What is happening is a lot of coercion, bullying, threatening... and I believe the states are using lockdowns as a bullying tactic,' she said. Connell set the record straight, insisting all Covid-19 vaccines have been extensively tested more than any others in history with billions of doses administered 'Those people who do have health issues, the aged and vulnerable, by all means encourage and look after them. 'Do not bully the rest of the Australian people. Give the rest of the Australia the right to decide how they want to go forward with their health issues. 'I think it's wrong what the government's doing. Give them opportunity, make sure the vaccines are there for the people who need them but you've got to have an end date and I'm saying December 1... then you open it (Australia) up.' Connell countered that most young people won't become seriously ill from Covid, but getting the vaccine would protect elderly relatives and those with health conditions. Senator Hanson also erroneously likened Covid to the flu, saying Australia never shut down the country to prevent deaths from that virus or forced people to get the flu shot. Anti-vaxxers are calling for a boycott of a major fruit and vegetable company after it become the first non-healthcare Australian firm to demand staff get vaccinated. Canned food maker SPC gave all 450 of its on-site employees until September 15 to schedule their first dose, and November to get the jab. Enraged anti-vaxxers responded by campaigning for a boycott of SPC's products, which include Ardmona, Goulburn Valley, ProVital, Kuisine, and PomLife. Some Australians are not happy with this decision, saying it should be up to personal choice Anti-vaxxers have taken to social media using the hashtag #BoycottSPC (pictured) to try to bring down the company Who do SPC think they are, trying to mandate vaccines for all onsite staff and visitors? Are they going to assume financial liability for workers who are injured or die from the jab? Are they going to illegally discriminate against & fire those who don't get it.#BoycottSPC pic.twitter.com/BhonTrjepv Backyardjob (@Backyardjob) August 5, 2021 SPC follows numerous companies overseas, like Facebook and Google in the US, that made it mandatory for on-site workers to get a Covid vaccine. Australian governments are contemplating restrictions on unvaccinated residents and greater freedoms for those double-jabbed. 'If you get vaccinated, there will be special rules that apply to you. Why? Because if you're vaccinated, you present less of a public health risk,' Prime Minister Scott Morrison said in late July. 'You are less likely to get the virus. You are less likely to transmit it.' Though legions of anti-vaxxers vented their outrage at SPC's vaccine mandate, many more were supportive and hoped more businesses would follow its lead. '#BoycottSPC you mean #SupportSPC surely. They're only trying to protect their works and other members of the community,' one wrote. I will be buying extra SPC canned goods because of their fantastic idea, and to make up for the anti-vaxxer clowns #BoycottSPC #auspol #COVID19Aus Rat's Bollocks (@jackbollocks) August 5, 2021 Many have come out in support of the company on social media (pictured) 'Would you prefer to buy your baked beans and tinned fruit from a third-world country that pay their workers poverty wages and sack their workers if they're not vaxxed?' Another wrote: 'So let me get this straight, galaxy brains. SPC is making the vax a requirement for their workers and you're so outraged on behalf of those workers you're going to #BoycottSPC and put them out of work? 'Hmm, it's almost like the welfare of these folks is not actually what you care about,' wrote another supporter.' Tasmanian senator Jacqui Lambie praised SPC for 'having the guts' to make vaccinations mandatory for its staff. Canned fruit and vegetable processor SPC announced on Thursday it had given all of its 450 on-site employees until September 15 to schedule their first dose of a Covid-19 vaccine. Pictured is the SPC factory in Shepparton in central Victoria Poll Should Australia companies be allowed to mandate Covid-19 vaccines for their workers? Yes No Should Australia companies be allowed to mandate Covid-19 vaccines for their workers? Yes 593 votes No 860 votes Now share your opinion 'The last thing we need is for food suppliers, which are so crucial, to be shutting down,' she told the Today show on Thursday morning. 'I applaud them, [for] having the guts to come out and do that.' All staff and contractors at the company's factory in Shepparton in regional Victoria must be fully vaccinated by the end of November. Chairman Hussein Rifai said the emergence of the highly contagious Delta variant prompted the move - which is a first in Australia for non-health-related businesses. 'Lockdowns are not a sustainable solution and the Australian economy needs to open up again,' he said. 'The Delta variant poses a significant threat to our people, our customers and the communities we serve. 'The only path forward for our country is through vaccination.' All SPC workers will be offered paid time off to get their vaccinations. 'It's not a matter of opinion. This is science. Vaccines work,' he told The Australian. All staff and contractors at the company's factory in Shepparton in regional Victoria must be fully vaccinated by the end of November SPC Chairman Hussein Rifai said the emergence of the highly-contagious Delta variant had prompted the move - which is a first in Australia for non-health-related businesses Staff will also get special paid leave of up to two days if they become unwell after vaccination. SPC noted there might be some workers with a pre-existing condition who are unable to be vaccinated and their circumstances will be considered on a case-by-case basis. SPC chief executive Robert Giles said the company was setting an example for others. 'Australian companies must go further by rapidly vaccinating their staff,' he said. 'By taking proactive steps now, we are shoring up our company for the future. 'We firmly believe that it will be manufacturers and innovators like SPC who will help drive Australia's post-Covid economic recovery.' Canada on Monday lifted its ban on Americans crossing the border for non-essential travel, allowing vaccinated visitors to once again head north for the first time since March 2020. Within minutes of the border reopening at midnight long queues had already begun to form at checkpoints, leaving some travelers waiting for up to seven hours to pass through. To cross, Americans will need to show proof of vaccination and a negative Covid-19 test from the previous three days. They must also fill out a detailed on application on the arriveCAN app before crossing, and information must be submitted within 72 hours before arrival. Visitors from other countries would also be allowed into the country on September 7, provided Canada's COVID rates remain low. The development comes as coronavirus infection rate in Canada has dropped to 2.1 percent, with 524 cases recorded as of Monday. Additionally, 71 percent of Canadians have received at least one vaccination dose and nearly 60 percent have been fully vaccinated. Meanwhile the US is still not allowing non-essential travel from Canada amid a spike in COVID-19 infections in recent weeks. As of Monday the seven-day rolling average for new cases stood at 89,977, a 33.7 percent increase over the previous week's average of 67,274. The positivity rate for the country is 9.5 percent. Just over half of all Americans have been fully vaccinated. American travelers made their first treks across the US border Monday morning since the coronavirus forced its closure in March, 2020 Within minutes of the border reopening at midnight Monday long queues had already begun to form at checkpoints, leaving some travelers waiting for up to seven hours to pass through While vaccination got off to a slower start in Canada, nearly 60 percent of its population has been vaccinated, while 50 percent of Americans have so far With the additional verification steps, the Canadian Border Security Agency said travelers should plan for the possibility of additional processing time at the border. 'CBSA will not compromise the health and safety of Canadians for the sake of border wait times,' agency spokeswoman Rebecca Purdy said in a statement. As of Monday morning, wait times at Canada's 25 border crossings ranged from no delay to a peak wait time of up to seven hours at the Fort Francis Bridge in Ontario. While the Canada Border Services Agency wouldn't say how many people it's expecting, Garnet Health, an Essex, Vermont-based company that offers same-day COVID-19 testing, has seen the number of tests it performs more than triple in recent weeks. The increase coincides with Canada's decision last month to drop a two-week quarantine requirement for its citizens when they return home from the US. The reopening comes as infection rates in Canada have hovered around 2.1 percent Nearly 60 percent of all Canadians have been fully vaccinated Visitors from the US must show proof of vaccination as well as a negative coronavirus test from the past three days in order to cross Officials said they would not require follow-up tests from people who are fully-vaccinated, unless they are subjected to random testing, according to the Wall Street Journal. The U.S. has said it will extend its closure to all Canadians making nonessential trips until at least Aug. 21, which also applies to the Mexican border. But the Biden administration is beginning to make plans for a phased reopening. The main requirement would be that nearly all foreign visitors to the US will have to be vaccinated against the coronavirus. In the United States, however, infections have been climbing, with a 89,977 seven-day moving average of new cases as of Monday Vaccinations in the US have slowed, and as of Monday just over 50 percent of all Americans have been vaccinated Already, Americans eager to make the crossing have done so. Asawari Kaur, of Indiana, along with her family gathered at Detroit's duty-free shop at midnight, just as the nearby border was set to reopen. Some of them hadn't seen her brother in almost two years. 'We were all so eagerly waiting for that day,' Kaur told the Detroit Free Press. 'As soon as it hits midnight, were gonna enter the border.' Carolyn Ferroni and David Bruns of Ohio have a lake house just across the border, and haven't been able to take their annual ritual trip there since the start of the pandemic, the outlet also reported. 'Its just part of a family culture and tradition we go there every year,' Ferroni said. The 5,500-mile border between the United States and Canada has been closed since March 2020, with officials from both countries extending the travel ban every month as the pandemic continued. But over time, pressure grew within the two countries to re-open the border, which saw more than one million cars pass from Canada into the United States every day before the pandemic, Bloomberg reported. Last year, though, that number decreased to just over 100,000. Already some travelers eager to make the crossing to see family or property have done so. One traveler can be seen waiting as he and others lined up at the Thousand Island Bridge Crossing in Ontario shortly after midnight Travelers at Thousand Island Bridge crossing. Wait times have ranged from none to seven hours in some spots In Canada, tourism officials have said that the travel restrictions have cost them about $20billion Canadian in revenue last year, and in the United States, the U.S. Travel Association estimates that each month the border is closed costs $1.5billion in economic impact. In early July, Rep. Bill Huizenga, of Michigan, led 75 House members in sending a letter to president Joe Biden, calling for the border to be reopened. In the letter, obtained by the Holland Sentinel, asked the United States president 'to begin taking science-based, data-driven steps to safely reopen international travel.' Then in mid July, the Michigan State Senate passed a resolution calling on both Biden and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to end the travel ban, the Holland Sentinel reports. 'The ongoing bans on travel between the US and Canada are having a huge effect on both nations' economies and on hardworking people throughout Michigan,' the resolution stated. 'The bans are hurting our economy by limiting trade and tourism with our closest ally and economic partner,' it said. 'They're also hurting Michigan families who are currently unable to visit loved ones in Canada. 'And it's all completely unnecessary.' A young Afghani woman who was murdered by her husband after he paid a $15,000 dowry to her family was desperate to avoid an arranged marriage because she finally felt 'free' and at home in Australia. Ruqia Haidari, 21, and her family fled Afghanistan for Australia when she was 16 years old, seeking a better life for themselves. She loved the culture and embraced everything she could with friends at McGuire College in Shepparton, Victoria, but was weighed down by the knowledge that she'd be expected to wed after graduation. Abbey Gawne, Ms Haidari's best friend, told Daily Mail Australia she had dreams of travelling and adored her new home for the freedoms it afforded her. And yet, she was expected to tolerate an arranged marriage with 25-year-old Uber driver Mohammad Ali Halimi, who packed up and moved them both to the opposite side of Australia in Perth following their wedding in November 2019. Ms Gawne never got to speak to her best friend again. Abbey Gawne, Ms Haidari's best friend (pictured together on the day of graduation), told Daily Mail Australia she had dreams of travelling and adored her new home for the freedoms it afforded her She had been trying to get in contact with Ms Haidari since the wedding, and claims she spoke to several of their school friends the day before the 21-year-old's death. None of them had heard from her either. 'We'd try to call and text, but her phone was always switched off. We were all so worried about her. When our friends said her phone was off whenever they tried too, that indicated something was up,' she said. Ms Haidari was murdered on January 18, just two months after she was married. Halimi called Ms Haidari's brother several times on the morning of January 18, whining that his new bride wasn't affectionate enough and refused to consummate the marriage, the Sydney Morning Herald reported. Muhammad Taqi Haidari listened helplessly as the pair argued. His sister was on the other end of the line pleading with Halimi, shouting 'don't touch me, don't hit me' as her husband demanded she be quiet. The line eventually went dead, but Halimi called again a short time later. 'If you're a man, come get your sister's dead body,' he said. Ms Haidari (right) married Halimi (centre) in November 2019, and by January 2020, she had been killed In the time between calls, Western Australia's Supreme Court last week determined Halimi found a stainless steel knife from the kitchen and slit Ms Haidari's throat twice. The former Uber driver wrote a letter to the court claiming he reached breaking point after 'a long period of rejection, emotional heartache and confusion'. He'd previously sent videos to Ms Haidari's family complaining that the marriage wasn't what he expected. He was upset that she would not cook and clean for him while he worked as an Uber driver or factory hand. Halimi denied knowing Ms Haidari had been forced to marry him, despite previously admitting to police that she told him as much. Ms Gawne visited her best friend's grave on Monday, as she does most days, to reminisce on the good memories. 'She just wanted to be free,' Ms Gawne said. Ms Haidari spoke little about her upbringing in Afghanistan but was quick to tell her new friends in Shepparton that life in Australia was all she could have ever hoped for. 'She would say how much she preferred Australia to Afghanistan, how she wanted to go overseas [to travel] but not too much.' It was easy for Ms Haidari to consider Australia home, and she quickly picked up the English language at her school in Shepparton. Police taped off Ms Haidari's home home and conducted forensic testing after her husband led them to the body Ms Gawne recalls it taking a little while for Ms Haidari to open up to her peers, but that she quickly became well liked. 'She was just so outgoing and bubbly by year 12. She'd introduce herself to anyone, she just wanted to be everyone's best friend.' Toward the end of high school, Ms Haidari opened up to Ms Gawne about the prospect of an arranged marriage. She knew it would happen, but had no idea when. Ms Haidari said she did not want to marry a man she didn't know, but felt there were no other options available to her. 'She was coming to school exhausted, and tired and really drained. To the point that she was sleeping in classes. I guess it's because that's where she felt safe,' Ms Gawne recalled. The 21-year-old had secretly informed the Australian Federal Polices human-trafficking team that she was being coerced into the marriage three months before they wed. Forced marriage is considered a form of slavery in Australia and a criminal offence, but statistics show up to 80 have taken place in the last financial year alone. Nobody has ever been prosecuted for orchestrating a forced marriage in Australia. Halimi will spend at least 19 years behind bars before he is eligible for parole. AFP 131 237 www.mybluesky.org.au assists people who are at risk of a forced marriage Melburnians endured hours trapped in traffic jams last year as Victoria Police enforced Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews' 'Ring of Steel' around the city. And now he wants to do the same in Sydney. As greater Sydney grapples with a spiralling Covid outbreak, Mr Andrews has argued for NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian to adopt a similar Ring of Steel around the city to stop the virus spreading. But the Victorian premier's enthusiasm for the tactic is not shared by many in his own state, including Victoria Police, which said it was deeply flawed and full of loopholes. The ring of steel tightened around Metropolitan Melbourne's city borders with increased police checks (police checkpoint pictured) as regional Victoria lifted coronavirus lockdown last year VICTORIA POLICE DUMP RING OF STEEL As of Tuesday, Victoria Police will be deploy 200 police officers to the metropolitan Melbourne, regional fringe areas to enforce the Chief Health Officer directions. 'Our focus is to ensure people from Melbourne do not travel to regional Victoria unless they have an exemption to do so,' it said. By using smart camera technology it believes its members can quickly see if someone is from Melbourne or regional Victoria and through this intel-led approach 'generally only intercept people from Melbourne'. And even if people do find a way to get across the border, its regional police officers will continue to intercept vehicles in their local communities, it warned. 'They are the eyes and ears of the town and if they see what looks like an influx of tourists, you can expect to be asked why you are there and not at home,' police said. Anyone caught deliberately ignoring Chief Health Officer directions will be fined. This time people caught in regional Victoria without an exemption will be stung $5452. Advertisement It was September 19 last year when Mr Andrews brought in his 'ring of steel' around metropolitan Melbourne. By then, the premier's bungled hotel quarantine scheme, which allowed the virus to spread into the community, had already kill 757 Victorians. Victoria still had 834 active cases and the Ring of Steel was implemented as part of Melbourne's supposed 'road map' out of Covid misery. On its very first day, traffic headed into Geelong, southwest of Melbourne, stretched back for 13 kilometres all the way from Little River to past Werribee as police performed identity checks on motorists. Under the regional travel crackdown, Victorians were warned if they left a restricted area without a lawful excuse they would be handed a $4957 fine. On the other side of town, motorists attempting to travel along Sydney Road towards the Hume Highway were also trapped. Similar scenes took place near Ballarat on the Western Highway - west of Melbourne. A day earlier, motorists in country Victoria reported equally frustrating delays as traffic near Nar Nar Goon came to a stand still. About two weeks before Bondi exploded with Covid in June, Victoria Police Deputy Commissioner Rick Nugent outlined all of the reasons why the Ring of Steel did not actually work. Mr Nugent said the ring of steel on the edge of Melbourne was more taxing on the forces resources, mostly held up motorists with a legitimate reason to leave home and diverted police away from back roads where most rule-dodgers were likely to be. On Monday, as Victoria opened up its regional areas once again - confining only Melburnians to harsh lockdown - Victoria Police announced it had dumped Mr Andrews' Ring of Steel. A Melburnian's view in September as he attempted to travel from Melbourne into Geelong for work Police were scared off by a bit of rain and let traffic into Geelong flow freely during the ring of steel Melburnians were subjected to a 'ring of steel' around the city keeping them locked in Instead, roving patrols will saturate the regional borders instead of using fixed checkpoints. 'This model has worked exceptionally well along the state border and gives us the flexibility to patrol main arterials and backroads,' Commander Deb Robertson said. 'We know it is usually only the people doing the right thing who travel on the main roads those trying to sneak out of Melbourne usually drive through the backroads so this enforcement approach allows us to patrol both areas.' Sydney had only recorded 136 new cases when Mr Andrews shared his Covid wisdom with his northern neighbours last month. Mr Andrews called on NSW authorities and the Commonwealth to enforce the same measure for NSW as he imposed on Victorians back then. 'If there is a national emergency and Im not doubting that for a moment in Sydney then it is a national responsibility that Sydneysiders are locked into Sydney,' Mr Andrews told reporters on July 23. 'We need a ring of steel around Sydney so that this virus is not spreading into other parts of our nation.' 'Lets focus on whats going on in Sydney, lets focus on not spreading whats going on in Sydney across the rest of our country.' Mr Andrews urged NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian to 'do as we did'. 'Police, authorised officers and if you could get support from the ADF,' he said. 'We did it (ring of steel) last year to protect country Victoria and our country and the same must occur in relation to Sydney.' Melburnians lucky enough to still have a job continued to suffer through police check points HOW RING OF STEEL WAS REALLY A RING OF STRAW LAST YEAR July 2, 2020: Victoria Police had set up booze buses in various locations across Melbourne, including Roxburgh Park, Broadmeadows and Taylors Lakes - all in Melbourne's north west. Victorians expecting a 'Ring of Steel' were instead greeted by a 'Ring of Straw', with most motorists observed skipping the police check points altogether. Daily Mail Australia looked on as short queues of cars along Camp Road in Broadmeadows were directed into a holding lane where masked officers checked their licences and asked where they were going. Meanwhile, an officer armed with a wand directed traffic not able to get into the checking lane to move on. Checks on those that moved through the lane ranged from 28 seconds to a minute-and-a-half. Daily Mail Australia did not observe a single motorist turned around over a two hour period. Advertisement The Victorian premier doubled down on his advice days later, arguing Victorians could 'speak with authority' on how to slash Sydney's Covid numbers to zero. 'It worked here and theres every chance it could work there,' Mr Andrews said. 'Theyve got a different view and thats fine. Theyll be locked out of our state for as long as they have that view or until they get their cases down, whichever is sooner.' On Monday, NSW recorded 283 new Covid-19 cases and one death. Few Victorians who had to live through Victoria's Ring of Steel will forget the misery it heaped on an already miserable population. Police at the time said they would attempt to stop every vehicle at the seven permanent checkpoints and at mobile stops along the Mornington Peninsula. Many motorists entering the areas had carried work permits allowing them access into the Covid-free regional areas. Photographs showed how a part of Melbourne's Ring of Steel was left unattended by police because of heavy rain. The image showed the Little River checkpoint on the Princes Freeway near Geelong unmanned due to wet weather. Similar roadblocks attempting to keep Melburnians out of Victoria's southern coastal regions just months earlier had caused equal misery. Lorne's population had already exploded with Melburnians who had packed their cars and moved into their holiday homes in anticipation of the roadblocks. Social media lit up with complaints from angry motorists last year But Melburnians were still able to dodge the road blocks by travelling to Geelong along the 'Mad Max route' - the back roads into the area where the classic 1979 movie was filmed. That month, Daily Mail Australia observed scores of vehicles at Victoria Police check points at the borders of Covid-19 hot spots moving unhindered into neighbouring suburbs. They too had been caged within their own rings of steel, which were anything but. Video of former stripper Eve Black getting through the Ring of Steel went viral. When a police officer asked her where she was headed and why she was attempting to leave, she simply told him she didn't need to share that information. The frustrated officer eventually waved her through as she sped off with a grin on her face. Cops caught up with her later, but her matter continues to drag through Victoria's crippled justice system. Thousands of Victorians who were fined during the state's Ring of Steel experiment have since had them tossed in the bin by overworked authorities. Mr Andrews remained unapologetic about the checkpoints at the time and declared it was 'the only way' to stop Melburnians' seeding regional areas with Covid-19. More than a year on, the man who earned the nickname 'Charman Dan' is sticking to his guns no matter what the cost. A federal judge has granted Norwegian Cruise Lines request to temporarily block a Florida law banning cruise companies from asking passengers for proof of coronavirus vaccination before they board a ship. On Sunday night, U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams granted the preliminary injunction in a lawsuit challenging the states 'vaccine passport' ban, which was signed into law in May by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis. In a nearly 60-page ruling, the judge said Florida failed to 'provide a valid evidentiary, factual, or legal predicate' for banning vaccination proof. Williams also said the cruise line company 'has demonstrated that public health will be jeopardized if it is required to suspend its vaccination requirement.' Norwegian also argues that the law is an unconstitutional infringement on the First Amendments free speech guarantee. The lawsuit names state Surgeon General Scott Rivkees, who leads the Florida Department of Health. The states attorney, Pete Patterson, previously said the laws aim is to prevent discrimination against passengers who dont get vaccinated. Norwegian Cruise Lines has scored a win over temporarily blocking a Florida law banning cruise companies from asking passengers for proof of vaccination Florida Gov Ron DeSantis had signed into law the 'vaccine passport' ban The President and CEO of Norwegian has said he welcomes the ruling. The company had said that the ban was an unconstitutional infringement on the First Amendments free speech guarantee A Norwegian cruise is set to depart from Miami on August 15 - the companys first voyage from Florida since the pandemic halted its operations. 'We welcome todays ruling that allows us to sail with 100 percent fully vaccinated guests and crew which we believe is the safest and most prudent way to resume cruise operations amid this global pandemic,' Frank Del Rio, president and CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line, said in a statement Sunday. Cruise ships were the first super-spreaders amid the first COVID-19 outbreak in early 2020. The enclosed environment and contact between travelers from different countries were main factors contributing to the severity of the outbreak. On February 1, a passenger who had been aboard the Diamond Princess days before tested positive for the virus. After the ship arrived in Japan on February 3, more than 700 people on board became infected. The Diamond Princess was quarantined in the port of Yokohama and for weeks it was the largest outbreak in the world after China. Williams' ruling is DeSantis' latest loss in his ongoing battle with the CDC. While the CDC requires limited testing for ships with less than 98 percent of crew members and 95 percent of passengers fully vaccinated, DeSantis has been adamant that his state should have the autonomy to ease COVID-19 regulations. The CDC had scored a previous win over DeSantis in July, when a federal court overturned a Tampa district judge's decision to ignore CDC regulations in cruise ships. Christina Pushaw, the governor's press secretary, said in a statement: 'We are disappointed that the Obama and Clinton-appointed appellate judges found it appropriate to stay the trial court's injunction and thus continue the CDC's unlawful stronghold on an entire industrycosting Florida and its tourism industry hundreds of millions of dollars.' 'These cruise ships are sailing in other parts of the world where they don't even have vaccines available and they're doing it safely and people are having a good time on it. So they can do it,' said DeSantis. In June, Royal Caribbean announced they were bringing back six more ships, with sailings starting on July 2, and passengers not being required to be vaccinated. Florida holds 60 percent of all cruise embarkations in the U.SS, with the industry spending $9billion in the state in 2019 DeSantis has sued the CDC over mask and social distancing regulations, claiming that Florida should have autonomy over COVID-19 guidelines. He has banned mask mandates in schools and has prohibited businesses from asking customers for proof of vaccination COVID-19 cases in Florida are on the rise, with 23,903 new confirmed cases reported on Friday and 13,435 hospitalizations reported on Saturday, according to the Florida Hospital Association A Norwegian cruise is set to depart from Miami on August 15 - the companys first voyage from Florida since the pandemic halted its operations At a press conference in Tallahassee, DeSantis also said: 'It's completely unacceptable for either the government or the private sector to impose upon you the requirement that you show proof of vaccine to just simply be able to participate in normal society.' DeSantis has sued the CDC over mask and social distancing regulations and has banned mask mandates in schools. On April 2, he signed an executive order that prohibited Florida businesses from asking customers for proof of vaccination. Last Friday, recorded cases of COVID-19 in Florida spiked for the sixth day in a row. There were 23,903 confirmed new cases reported on Friday, according to the Florida Hospital Association. 13,435 total hospitalizations were reported on Saturday, taking 43 percent of Florida's ICU hospital beds, according to the Miami Herald. Florida is the center of cruising in the U.S., with over 60 percent of all the country's embarkations. According to the Cruise Lines International Association, passengers, crew and cruise lines combined to directly spend $9billion in Florida in 2019. A baby boy has died after being left inside a hot car which was parked outside an Arizona shopping mall on Saturday. The child who was just seven-months old was found to have been inside the car for almost two hours by the time police and paramedics were called to the vehicle outside JCPenney at Superstition Springs Center in Mesa. Temperatures in the shade would have been close to 100F at the time with heat inside the vehicle rapidly escalating the moment the car's engine and air conditioning were switched off. Mesa Police Department is investigating after a baby was left inside a hot car. Pictured, police officers were on the scene investigating the circumstances behind the boy's death A seven-month old boy stopped breathing after being left inside car for two hours. Pictured, police officers are seen outside the shopping mall The baby was not breathing at the time the emergency services were called. Fire crews attempted to resuscitate the child and took the baby to a local hospital where he later died. Officers say that it was the boy's own mother who found her son still sitting in his car seat having spent two hours in the mall. An investigation has been launched but no charges have yet been filed against the baby's mom. She has not been identified and has not explained how she came to leave the infant in the car. It is the first reported hot car death of a child in Arizona this year according to Fox10. Temperatures outside the vehicle were close to 100F in the shade at the time. Pictured, the medical examiner's vehicle is seen outside the shopping mall In April, a four-month old girl ended up in the hospital after her mother left her stuck inside a hot car for several hours. The youngster survived and although Cristina Valente, 35, was charged with negligence and child abuse, the charges were later dropped. Last year, far fewer children than normal died after being left inside hot cars due to the coronavirus pandemic which saw many people stay at home. Only one child, three-year-old Delilah Jones died in Arizona. In 2019, four children died after being left unwittingly inside hot cars. Dr. Rosina McAlpine told Fox News, that parents sometimes forget their children, leaving them inside hot vehicles, because they're in a rush to get to work, make an an appointment, or have some other obligation. The boy's mother was the one to call the emergency services. An investigation by Mesa Police has been opened but no charges against mother have been filed They 'forget they haven't dropped the child off at day care or school and rush off to the meeting or work distracted, leaving their child behind.' 'Later they remember in shock but often it is too late,' McAlpine says, noting some parents alternate dropping their child off at day care, and might 'forget it was their turn.' Some caregivers 'knowingly' leave children inside cars, as the kids 'are sleeping and don't want to disturb them in the hope they'll get back before they awake.' Those who leave their children in the car also may not understand the danger they're in, or consider how fast cars can heat up. The seven-month old boy was found unresponsive in a parking lot at Mesa Mall, pictured The interior temperature of a car can quickly soar with 80 percent of the total temperature rise happening in the first 30 minutes a child is inside a car. Temperatures inside the car can often exceed those outside by up to 50 degrees. The Centers for Disease Control say that it is never safe to leave children unattended in a car in any weather, even with the window cracked open. To remember that a child is in the car, they recommend keeping a stuffed animal in the child's car seat on days when they're not, and moving the stuffed animal to the front passenger seat when the child is there as a reminder. Other suggestions include placing purses or bags in the backseat by the child, or even one shoe so parents are assured to check before leaving the car. Six unvaccinated members of a Florida church died from COVID-19 in the last 10 days - including four people who were under the age of 35 and considered healthy. George Davis - a bishop at Impact Church in Jacksonville, which has over 6,000 parishioners, of whom 75 percent of them are black - said many members have parroted false information about the coronavirus or expressed hesitancy about getting the vaccine because they don't trust the government, The Washington Post reported. 'It's very frustrating knowing that these were avoidable deaths,' Davis told The Washington Post. 'You also don't want the loved ones who are left behind to feel horrible and don't want to seem like I'm putting guilt onto them, but the reality is, I know that these people would still be here had they gotten the shot.' George Davis - a bishop at Impact Church in Jacksonville - said he lost six members of his parish in the last 10 days Four members of Impact Church who died of COVID were healthy and under 35 Davis told the Washington Post that many of his 6,000 parishioners parrot false COVID-19 information to him or express hesitancy to get the vaccine because they distrust the government Davis has been hosting vaccine drives after each of the three services on Sunday The names of the parishioners killed have not been released. Impact first learnt of the outbreak in late July, when a single member tested positive. It was then hit by a 'cascade' of cases, with Davis saying those who fell seriously-ill did not spend long in hospital before ultimately succumbing to COVID. Between 15 and 20 members of the church remain in hospital with the virus. Another 10 who tested positive were able to stay home. Between three and five of whose who caught COVID were fully vaccinated. Throughout most of the pandemic, health professionals said people with underlying conditions and the elderly were most susceptible. Now, as the highly contagious and potent 'Delta' variant becomes more prevalent, more unvaccinated-but-healthy young adults are being hospitalized and dying. Mary Mayhew, president of the Florida Hospital Association, told The Washington Post, 'We now are seeing healthy 25-year-olds in the hospital in intensive care and on ventilators.' 'The delta variant has been ripping through a younger unvaccinated population and putting them into the hospitals.' Duval County in the northwest corner of Florida, where Jacksonville is located, has a seven-day rolling average of 851 new cases compared to the national average of 210, according to the CDC. About 53 percent of residents 12 and older have received at least one dose of the vaccine, and 42.7 percent have completed their vaccinations. Over the last week, the CDC reported there's been an 18 percent uptick in hospitalizations in Duvall County and 5.2 percent have required ICU treatment. The Delta variant has accounted for more than 83 percent of COVID-19 cases in the United States. The Delta variant has become increasingly deadly for healthy young adults An elderly man is missing in the West Australian outback after vanishing while gold prospecting. Trevor McDonald, 83, was last seen on Saturday when he left to go prospecting near Meekatharra, an eight-hour drive north-east of Perth. Mr McDonald and his wife had split up to prospect in the famous gold-mining area about 2pm Saturday, agreeing to meet back at their caravan. But when he failed to arrive back later in the day, she went to a farmhouse to alert Meekatharra Police about 7pm on Saturday night. Trevor McDonald, 83, was last seen on Saturday when he left to go prospecting near Meekatharra, an eight-hour drive north-east of Perth Planes, drones and officers from five different regional WA towns are involved in the search for Mr McDonald The police searching for Mr McDonald includes officers from Geraldton, Yalgoo, Mt Magnet and Cue, as well as DFES State Emergency Service volunteers A search for Mr McDonald was started about 50km from the Meekatharra townsite and 5km south of the Bluebird Mine. It had now been expanded to include police from Geraldton, Yalgoo, Mt Magnet and Cue, and DFES State Emergency Service volunteers. A police drone from Geraldton and Australian Maritime Safety Authority Challenger Jet were also involved in the search. 'Police are asking any motorists who saw anyone walking or resting along the side of the highway, wearing a green/black checked flannel shirt and black jeans, to call Police on 131 444,' WA Police posted on Facebook. The Mid West-Gascoyne area of WA where Mr McDonald is missing is one of the state's most important mining areas, producing around $4 billion in annual revenue from gold, iron ore, copper, mineral sands and salt deposits. Australia's beleaguered vaccine rollout has been given a shot in the arm with the approval of the highly effective Moderna coronavirus jab. One million doses will arrive next month after the American vaccine was given provisional approval by the Therapeutic Goods Administration on Monday afternoon. The vaccine requires two doses 28 days apart and latest data from the US shows it is 93 per cent effective against Covid-19 infection, 98 per cent effective against severe disease and 100 per cent effective against death. Australia has approved the Modern coronavirus vaccine. Pictured: Pfizer vaccinations for HSC students in Sydney on Monday Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison (right with TGA boss John Skerrit) speaks to the media during a press conference at Parliament House in Canberra The jab - which has been approved for over 18s - uses the same mRNA technology as the Pfizer vaccine and is not linked to the rare blood clots caused by the AstraZeneca vaccine. Professor John Skerritt, head of the TGA, said the decision was made to approve the jab in adults only - rather than wait for more data on teenagers - to help speed up the rollout. 'We made the decision in conjunction with the company to do the adults first because that enabled us to reach a decision earlier which can then start the whole process of access to the vaccine in Australia earlier,' he said. 'The data on the teenagers does look good and we should be able to make a decision again convening the expert advisory committee within the next three or four weeks.' Professor Skerritt described the jab as 'really exciting' because of its high efficacy. The Moderna jab has been used widely in the UK, Europe and the US where 140million doses have been given. One million doses are expected to arrive in Australia in late September and three million in each of October, November and December. A woman receives the AstraZeneca vaccine at the new drive-through centre in Melbourne on Monday (pictured) Everything you need to know about the Modern jab: WHO IS MODERNA? Moderna is an American Biomedical and pharmaceutical firm which specialises in RNA therapeutics. The company is based in Cambridge Massachusetts and has developed 24 vaccine candidates for diseases like the flu, HIV and the Nipah virus. It first gained approval for its Covid jab in the US in late 2020. HOW DOES THE VACCINE WORK? Moderna, like the Pfizer jab, uses mRNA technology to 'teach our cells how to make a proteinor even just a piece of a proteinthat triggers an immune response inside our bodies,' the Centre for Disease Control in the US explained. That means, those who receive the potentially life-saving shot can gain protection without ever having to risk the serious consequences of getting sick from Covid-19. HOW EFFECTIVE IS IT? Even against the highly infectious Indian Delta variant, Moderna's vaccine is highly effective with US clinical trials showing a 94.1 per cent protection rate from coronavirus after the second dose. DO I NEED TWO JABS? Like other Covid vaccines, the inoculation requires two shots about 28 days aparts for maximum results. IS IT SAFE? The Moderna vaccine has proven very safe during its use throughout the world and has been given the green light by Australia's medicines watchdog, The Therapeutic Goods Administration. However there is no vaccination that is entirely risk-free, so it is best to speak with your GP before receiving the shot. WILL THE MODERNA JAB REQUIRE BOOSTER SHOTS? As the coronavirus continues to mutate, boosters shots are likely to be offered to those already fully vaccinated. This will be the case for Moderna and almost every other vaccine provider. WHO IS ELIGABLE FOR THE MODERNA JAB? The US Centers for Disease Control recommends anyone over the age of 18 is suitable to get vaccinated with Moderna. In Australia, regulatory health bodies are yet to determine what age group will be eligible. BUT WHAT ABOUT KIDS? Given the highly infectious nature of the Indian Delta variant Moderna is in the midst of planning a clinical trial for children aged between 6-12. About 6000 children are expected to be involved in the US study and the company has also flagged it may include nations like Canada and Australia. Exactly when the trial is to get underway and if Australia will be involved is still being discussed. WHAT ADVANTAGES DOES MODERNA HAVE? Although the Moderna vaccine is similar to the Pfizer jab, it doesn't not need to be stored at minus-75 degrees Celsius in specifically designed medical freezer units. Moderna doses can be stored at -20 degrees Celsius, roughly the same temperatures as a regular kitchen freezer. That means it will be far easier to transport the Modern vaccine into rural areas. Advertisement Australia's agreement with Moderna is for 10million doses of their current vaccine in 2021 and 15million doses of booster or variant-specific versions of the vaccine in 2022. 'This means we have an additional 25 million doses of Moderna to add to the 125 million Pfizer doses and 53 million AstraZeneca doses we've already started rolling out,' Prime Minister Scott Morrison said. 'We will have 10 million of the Moderna doses arriving before the end of this year. The first one million doses is on track to arrive next month and will go to pharmacies.' It comes as 16 million Australians in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane are in lockdown due to outbreaks of the Delta variant of Covid-19. Mr Morrison insisted the rollout was rapidly ramping up with 1.3 million jabs handed out last week (pictured, queues at Sydney's Olympic Park on Monday) On Monday afternoon the Byron Bay region near the NSW-Queensland border was also locked down after a man from Sydney travelled there and later tested positive. The stay-at-home orders apply to Byron Shire, Richmond Valley, Lismore and Ballina Shire Local Government Areas from 6pm on Monday until 12.01am on August 17. Only 22.56 per cent of eligible Australians have been fully vaccinated, way behind rates in the UK (74.5 per cent), Canada (70.2 per cent) and the US (58.7 per cent). But Mr Morrison insisted the rollout was rapidly ramping up with 1.3 million jabs handed out last week. 'We've a plan to get to 70 per cent of Australians vaccinated before the end of the year. 'We can do this because we are doing this. Every vaccination saves lives. Every vaccination gets us a step closer to where we want to be,' he said. Pedestrians walk along High Street wearing face masks in Penrith on Monday as Sydney remains in lockdown Labor health spokesman Mark Butler said the Moderna jabs were arriving too late because the government only signed a deal in May this year. 'In America, they started using Moderna in December, nine months ago. In France, Germany and Italy in January, eight months ago. In Singapore in March, in the UK and Canada in April, and in Japan in May,' he said. 'By that time, Australia had not even sat down to do a deal with Moderna. Australia has the lowest vaccination rate in the developed world all because Scott Morrison has been so slow to act in procuring deals with Pfizer and with Moderna.' The Prime Minister signed off his press conference with a message to Australians struggling through Sydney's extended lockdown. 'I don't want it to be like this for you and your family. I don't want it to be like that for your kids who I know you want to go to school,' he said. 'I want my kids to go to school too. We all want that, but there are no shortcuts here. Delta has made it clear that we have to get through the suppression phase and keep it at bay as best as we can. 'So, if you're in an area that's in a lockdown, please stay at home. Don't go out for hours on end. Don't congregate in areas of Sydney. Don't do it. Stay at home. Only go out if you absolutely have to.' The Moderna vaccine uses the same mRNA technology as the Pfizer vaccine. Pictured: Sydney residents in Bondi on Monday Moderna is also considering using Australia as a trial country for children as young as six months if the medicines regulator grants approval. Finance Minister Simon Birmingham said the government ultimately wanted people of all ages included in the rollout. 'Moderna's looking at a global trial, Australia may be part of that, but that will be subject to all of the technical and scientific advice that needs to be provided,' he told Sky News on Monday. Professor Skerritt said Moderna had not yet applied for a clinical trial. 'They are interested in testing the efficacy of their vaccines in children as young as six months. We welcome that,' he said. A 50-year-old British woman has been raped while lying unconscious in the street on the Spanish holiday island of Mallorca. The woman was attacked around 3am Sunday in the Les Meravelles area, south of the island capital of Palma. Horrified witnesses dragged the attacker away before calling police, who arrested a 40-year-old German man a short time afterwards. A German man, 40, has been arrested after a 50-year-old British woman was raped around 3am Sunday while lying unconscious on this street in Playa de Palma, Mallorca The man has been arrested on suspicion of sexual assault and taken to a police station for questioning, Diario de Mallorca reported. Meanwhile the woman has been transferred to a local hospital. She was under the influence of alcohol at the time of the attack, local newspapers said. Police said she was found with her clothes partially removed. The attack happened on a street close to the beach that is filled with bars and restaurants and is a popular night-time spot. Dozens of witnesses were around at the time of the assault which happened in the middle of the street, according to Ultima Hora. Investigators believe the suspect and the victim were known to each other, and may have met in a bar earlier in the day. Investigations are ongoing, and no charges have yet been brought. The man is expected to appear in court today. The attack took place in Las Maravillas, a beach resort to the south of island capital Palma which is popular with tourists The gruesome injuries suffered by a 16-year-old boy who was allegedly bashed to death by a pack of teenagers at a housing commission residence in Sydney's west can be revealed. The boy, who can't be named for legal reasons, was allegedly lured to the home at Perigee Close, Doonside, last week and may have spent up to two days at the property. Police will allege last Wednesday afternoon the teenager, described as a drifter, was set upon by four boys aged between 13 and 15, plus two girls, 15 and 19. . The offenders allegedly 'took turns' jumping and stomping on him, with much of the brutal alleged attack recorded on mobile phones and later posted online. At 4.39pm, someone in one of the recordings shouted 'leave him', police will allege in court, and minutes later most of the alleged offenders left the home. Police sources told Daily Mail Australia at 5.42pm, teen mum Kayla Dawson, 19, called 000 and told operators the teenage boy was showing 'no signs of life. Paramedics rushed to the scene and performed CPR on the boy for a 'very long' time. Scroll down for video Police will allege in court that Kayla Dawson, 19, rang 000 at 5.42pm on Wednesday, August 4, telling operators the 16-year-old boy showed no signs of life Paramedics worked on the boy at Ms Dawson's home in Doonside, in Sydney's west, for a very long time, police sources told Daily Mail Australia - even restarting his heart witha shot of adrenalin The boy had no pulse and wasn't breathing - but the ambulance workers managed to restart the boy's heart with a shot of adrenalin. The teenager was rushed to Westmead Hospital where he was placed in an induced coma and put on life support. He had suffered blunt force trauma to the head, chest and body area, two collapsed lungs and swelling on the brain, police will allege. Upon arrival at the hospital, doctors found he was brain dead. His injuries were described as 'non-survivable'. The boy died on Saturday. Friends, acquaintances and classmates have raised more than $30,000 for his family to pay for the funeral. The boy was rushed to hospital via ambulance but doctors found he was brain dead and kept him alive on life support. He died on Saturday Doctors found the boy's injuries were 'non-survivable', a police source said THE BOY'S SHOCKING INJURIES * Brain dead and breathing only via life support * Swelling on the brain * Blunt force trauma injuries to head, chest and body * Two collapsed lungs Advertisement 'I loved the chats and laughs we had and our time we spent together in class and in the playground,' one fellow pupil wrote. A reading support staff member at school said: 'He was always happy, a bit cheeky and chatty with me - though sometimes he chatted to get out of his literacy work. 'It is a great sadness that such a lovely soul should have been taken from this world at such a young age and so violently.' Another said of the allegations: 'No human should be treated the way he did.' Six teenagers have been charged with murder and police investigations are ongoing. Dawson is the latest to be charged, was neighbours taking photos of her arrest on Sunday afternoon. Last Thursday, the day after the alleged incident, Dawson had told a TV news reporter she had 'no idea what happened'. 'I can't go back to my house because it's still under investigation,' she said as she sipped on her coffee and rolled her eyes. Kayla Dawson was arrested at an address in Doonside in Sydney's west about 3pm on Sunday and later charged with murder 'It was like a bashing... I don't know what it's over.' Dawson appeared in Blacktown court on Monday charged with murder, taking or detaining in company with intent, actual bodily harm, and causing grievous bodily harm with intent. She did not apply for bail and it was formally refused. Daily Mail Australia understands that the boy was told there would be a 'huge party' at the address. He trusted Dawson and knew her well enough to follow her on Instagram, and is believed to have travelled to the house by train. It has been claimed he may have been targeted after a fake pair of Airpods went missing from Dawson's home last month In the wake of the alleged crime, disturbing video claiming to show the incident was distributed on social media apps. The 16-year-old victim may have endured two days inside the home with at least six offenders, though in social media posts Dawson denied ever laying a finger on the boy Daily Mail Australia understands the boy was told there would be a 'huge party' at the address, and that he trusted Dawson In the shocking footage, the boy was allegedly forced to repeat the phrase 'f**k the '21' - an apparent reference to postcode wars in the community. '21 District' is a group of gangs also known as the 'Innerwest Brotherhood' linked to several postcodes, including Guildford, Merrylands and Blacktown. The boy was also seemingly made to apologise to the '27' postcode, comprising the suburbs of Mt Druitt and Doonside, part of Sydney's westernmost ring of suburbs. In social media posts Dawson denied ever laying a finger on him. 'It was not me that killed him... I didn't set him up to die,' a message from Dawson's Facebook account allegedly read. Sporting a Lonsdale jumper and black cap, Dawson agreed to be interviewed by 7News at the scene the day after the boy was found and rushed to hospital Pictured: Several police cars arrived at Dawson's home on Sunday afternoon She later allegedly told former friends she would 'hand herself in to police' when they called to question her about the boy's death. In audio heard by Daily Mail Australia, Dawson was concerned about 'losing everyone' over the alleged incident. Sydney rapper Big Kash has slammed the toxic culture which promoted and glorified violence within young fans. 'This is the life that all you dumb rappers glorify to these little kids without telling them the consequences of this life... condolences to the family, nothing but pain and misery on that side of the fence,' he said in a tribute post. He was allegedly targeted after a fake pair of Airpods went missing from Dawson's home last month Youth outreach group Junction Works has confirmed Sydney's brutal 'postcode violence' was now spreading across the city's sprawling suburbs. Starting in the far western suburbs, vicious tribal gang identities based on where teenagers live are appearing throughout the city. 'It is across all of Western Sydney that this is happening,' a spokesman said. 'It's an ongoing issue. It's mainly in the Guildford and Blacktown areas but there's also recently been issues with gang violence among young people in different postcodes within the Canterbury-Bankstown area too.' All six young people remain before the courts. Youth outreach group Junction Works confirmed Sydney's brutal 'postcode violence' was now spreading across the city's sprawling suburbs. Pictured: OneFour The 21District crew hail from the Harbour City's inner west and have millions of views online for their drill rap videos Advertisement Have you seen an overloaded PCR drop bin? Email your pictures to tips@dailymail.com Advertisement The testing firm walloped by customers for their overflowing 'drop bins' today hit back and told them to pay for swabs to be couriered to their lab if they aren't happy to leave them piled up on the street as it was revealed it has made at least 120million during the pandemic. Randox also denied claims that personal information was 'left for anyone to take' because of the piles of uncollected tests or that the 'absolute mess' outside pharmacies was the reason for any delayed test results. Gavin Marshall tweeted one of the photos from Sutton, south-west London and said: 'Forced to pay @RandoxOfficial over the odds for Day 2 PCR test, drive 30 mins to drop off sample because so few collection points only to find it over-flowing and insecure. Covid travel rip off'. Replying to his tweet the company said: 'If these locations do not suit your needs then the onus is on the customer to arrange an alternative company'. A spokesman added: 'These sample kits do not include any customer personal information whatsoever'. Northern Ireland-based Randox Health, the UK's largest Covid-19 PCR testing provider with a turnover of 118million-a-year, is one of the companies offering the service, with drop off points for samples in 100 locations. And last September the business became responsible for a quarter of all community tests across the UK after winning a 133million contract in March 2020. Before the pandemic it made most of its cash from tests created for cardiac risk, various cancers and diabetes. The 'absolute mess' in Britain's 'rip off' PCR testing system was laid bare today in shocking pictures of uncollected 50-a-time samples piled high outside UK pharmacies. Travel guru Paul Charles tweeted: 'What's the point of taking a Day 2 PCR test?', adding the photos were 'a symbol of the absolute mess that PCR testing has become. Samples left for anyone to take, and proof of private labs that aren't in any hurry to turn around the results. Let alone send them for genomic sequencing that Government isn't so interested in now'. The chaos at Randox drop-off boxes in London was revealed by angry customers who said they didn't dare leave their tests, branding them 'overflowing and insecure'. A rammed Randox drop off point in London with uncollected PCR tests piled high in a picture showing the chaos of the current privately run holiday testing system A worker comes to empty an overflowing Randox drop off box in Warwick this afternoon These Randox boxes were also overflowing overnight as customers complained about the PCR testing system enforced by the government Randox collection points around the country are filling up as more people are forced to take time sensitive tests required for travel abroad Northern Irish testing firm with overflowing swab bins that has made millions from pandemic Randox Laboratories was founded by Dr Peter FitzGerald in 1982 and currently employs more than 1,500 people. Dr Fitzgerald pictured above Randox has hoovered up commercial testing contracts during the pandemic - and is the recommended tester for airlines including British Airways. It offers tests for as little as 40 but prefers tests are dropped at their 'bins' outside pharmacies rather than receiving them in the post like other companies. Before the pandemic it made most of its cash from tests created for cardiac risk, various cancers and diabetes. By last September Randox became responsible for a quarter of all community tests across the UK after winning a 133million contract in March 2020. Randox Laboratories was founded by Dr Peter FitzGerald in 1982 and currently employs more than 1,500 people, with offices in Brazil, America and India among others. Its main base is in Antrim in Northern Ireland but it has sites all over the world. The lab employs Conservative MP Owen Paterson as a consultant for 100,000 a year which easily surpasses his salary as an MP. Paterson has previously lobbied the government on behalf of the company. Randox has insisted its relationship with Mr Paterson had no role in it winning the multimillion contract from the government. It has also denied prioritising commercial contracting. Advertisement It came as Britain' competition watchdog launched an investigation into coronavirus tests for holidaymakers who are being forced to pay 400-plus private testing companies up to 575 for mandatory testing, even when returning from green list countries. Millions of Britons are currently preparing to go abroad or on holiday in green or amber list countries, and are forced by the Government to pay private companies for quick turnaround tests before and after foreign breaks. With pre-departure PCR tests, Day 2 and Day 8 tests as well as Day 5 'test and release tests', these swabs can cost 300 or more per person on average. Randox provides more than 100 drop-off locations across the UK but yesterday's images have caused outrage amongst experts, MPs and customers. Labour MP for Exeter, Ben Bradshaw, said: 'These pointless rip-off day two PCR tests for people returning from amber & green list countries most of which have a fraction of our #COVID19 rates are becoming a bad joke. #SaveOurSummer. Gavin Marshall, 51, from Southfields, London, travelled 30 minutes to the nearest drop off point to deliver his 16-year-old daughter's day two PCR test on her return from Portugal. However, when he arrived the bin in Westmead Street, Sutton, was overflowing and insecure, with COVID-19 tests stuffed to the brim, on Sunday. Gavin, a teaching assistant said he feels 'ripped off' after paying 43 for his daughter to complete the required PCR tests. The father-of-two is not the only one dissatisfied and worried. Other photos show sites where dozens of tests are piled - 20 boxes high - at the side of the road. Drop off points covered in overflowing tests, included bins in Isleworth and Bishop's Stortford. A spokesperson for Randox Health, said: 'Randox is constantly expanding and improving its COVID-19 testing capacity and associated logistics network, which is already the largest in the United Kingdom, to meet the rapidly growing demand resulting from the loosening of travel restrictions. 'Randox continues to increase the number of drop boxes across the United Kingdom, which already totals over 200, and is increasing the frequency of box collections which are already occurring multiple times per day. 'Randox is providing premium testing services in dynamic and rapidly changing circumstances and is committed to continuously improving its logistics network, to ensure that all international travellers receive their results in time.' Holiday chaos for thousands of Britons heading to France as Macron's tough new vaccine passports come in Thousands of Britons holidaying in France face chaos under Emmanuel Macron's Covid passport rules which come into force today. Many are expected to go to France after it came off the UK's 'amber plus' travel list yesterday, meaning fully-vaccinated travellers will no longer need to quarantine on return. But they will have to prove they are fully vaccinated for everything in France from a trip up the Eiffel Tower to a glass of wine on an outdoor terrace. Proof of being double-jabbed, in the form of digital QR codes handed out by the NHS, must be uploaded to the French coronavirus smartphone app. The Mail failed to get NHS QR codes recognised at venues across France on several occasions over the past week but the authorities have insisted that things will work smoothly from today. However there was uncertainty for those who do not have a smartphone 20 per cent of the UK population with the French foreign ministry unable to clarify how the system would work for those without the digital code. Advertisement It came as Britain' competition watchdog launched an investigation into 'rip-off' coronavirus tests for holidaymakers. It will advise ministers on how best to ensure travellers can access affordable and reliable tests amid fury over prices. Families face paying hundreds of pounds extra to travel abroad this summer, and the Daily Mail has championed calls for the Government to drive down costs. Campaigners want VAT to be axed and for ministers to allow travellers returning from green and amber countries to take cheaper lateral flow tests when they return to the UK. Health Secretary Sajid Javid has asked the Competition and Markets Authority to 'assess what action might be taken to ensure that consumers do not face unnecessarily high costs or other poor provision'. In a letter to chief executive Andrea Coscelli, Mr Javid added: 'I would be grateful if you would provide me with advice on what further steps we might take to stamp out any exploitative behaviour and also urge you to take action to prevent such exploitation where you can.' While it has powers to intervene directly in markets, the CMA expects it will be more effective to provide advice to the Government. A formal investigation that could lead to criminal action would take far longer. Last night the Liberal Democrats joined the growing clamour for ministers to cap the cost and scrap VAT on PCR tests for travel. Analysis conducted by the party suggested that, of the 400 government-approved providers, only 47 were offering tests for less than 50. The most expensive test was for 575 and more than 100 firms were charging more than 200. Greece and Italy have capped the price of their tests, while in France they are free for citizens. Lib Dem health spokesman Munira Wilson said: 'International travel cannot become a luxury that only the wealthy can afford. The price of PCR tests for international travel is a rip-off and far higher than most other countries. 'When the cost of providing a test is estimated to be 20, why are many companies charging well over 100 and some over 500? If it is safe to travel it should be affordable to travel.' She called on the Government to cap the cost of PCR tests for international travel, scrap VAT on tests and 'cut the red tape that is keeping prices high'. Critics have said the pictures show the 'rip off' PCR testing regime is an 'absolute mess' A person drops off two PCR tests as the company says that no personal data can be stolen from the packs Two more full Randox drom boxes in Southwark, South London today Last night Whitehall sources indicated there were still no plans to remove VAT on the tests. The Government has repeatedly said it is working with the travel industry and testing providers to see how to 'further reduce the cost of travel for the public'. Travel chiefs and business leaders demanded ministers act to reduce the cost of rip-off tests for holidaymakers. Ministers announced on Wednesday that restrictions on international travel will be scrapped allowing cruises to begin again. They also said that double-jabbed US and EU travellers will be able to travel to the UK without the need to quarantine. But there was nothing said about the high cost of tests that travellers must take to prove their Covid negative status, which can be hundreds of pounds. Abta, the group which represents tour operators and travel agents, welcomed the resumption of cruising but warned barriers remain. A spokesman said: 'We need to see the Government make further progress on making testing more affordable and proportionate, and we need to see more destinations added to the green list at next week's review.' Willie Walsh, the director of airline group IATA and former head of British Airways, said: 'Why are travellers forced to test twice, the second time using expensive PCR tests?' Travel chiefs and business leaders demanded ministers act to reduce the cost of rip-off tests for holidaymakers Claire Walker, co-executive director of the British Chambers of Commerce, said firms wanted to see cheaper tests for foreign visitors to the UK to incentivise them to come. She added: 'These costs must not be allowed to become an impediment to the viability of businesses.' Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said easing restrictions for EU and US travellers coming to England was a 'smart, sensible' approach. He admitted the Government 'cannot guarantee' that US and EU travellers will not try to show fake vaccination certificates but said it was 'highly unlikely'. THIS is the paperwork needed for a family of 3 to have an amber-list holiday - but is it worth it? Yes, says Travel Editor TED THORNHILL, who enjoyed his trip to France and Spain despite the admin faff Fit to fly certificates. Check. NHS double-jab certificates. Check. Passports. Check. Car hire forms. Check. Boarding passes. Check. But there's something else... oh yes, the pre-UK-arrival antigen tests for generating the return fit to fly certificates. There was a headache-inducing amount of paperwork involved for my recent trip to amber-listed France and Spain with my partner and four-year-old daughter but it was worth it. The headache-inducing amount of paperwork involved for MailOnline Travel Editor Ted's recent trip to amber-listed France and Spain THE RULES FOR RED, AMBER AND GREEN-LISTED COUNTRIES RED Before travel to England you must: take a Covid-19 test children aged 10 and under do not need to take this test book a quarantine hotel package, including 2 Covid-19 tests complete a passenger locator form On arrival in England you must: quarantine in a managed hotel, including two Covid-19 tests AMBER Before you travel to England you must: take a Covid-19 test you must take the test in the three days before you travel to England book and pay for Covid-19 tests to be taken after arrival in England complete a passenger locator form You must do these things whether you are fully vaccinated or not. On arrival in England If you are fully vaccinated After arrival in England, you must take a Covid-19 test on or before day two. This applies if you're fully vaccinated under either: the UK vaccination programme the UK vaccine programme overseas an approved vaccination programme in Europe or the USA - not all are recognised in England It also applies if you are: taking part in an approved Covid-19 vaccine trial in the UK or the USA under 18 and resident in the UK, a UK Overseas Territory, the USA or one of the specified European countries If you are not fully vaccinated If you do not qualify under the fully vaccinated rules, on arrival in England you must: quarantine at home or in the place you are staying for 10 days take a Covid-19 test on or before day two and on or after day eight If you are in England for less than 10 days, you need to quarantine for the time you are here. You need to book day two and day eight travel tests. You only need to take the tests if you are still in England. GREEN Before you travel to England you must: take a Covid-19 test children aged 10 and under do not need to take this test book and pay for a day 2 Covid-19test to be taken after arrival in England complete a passenger locator form On arrival in England You must take a Covid-19 test on or before day two after you arrive. Children aged four and under do not need to take this test. You do not need to quarantine unless the test result is positive. You must quarantine if NHS Test & Trace informs you that you travelled to England with someone who has tested positive for Covid-19. If you have been in a country or territory on the red or amber list If you have also been in or through a country or territory on the red list in the 10 days before you arrive in England, you must follow the red list rules. If you have also been in or through a country or territory on the amber list in the 10 days before you arrive in England, and have not visited a country on the red list, you must follow the amber list rules. Source: FCDO. Used under the Open Government Licence. Advertisement It was worth it to soar in a jet plane once more above turquoise waters, epic mountains and mesmerising white fluffy clouds, to sip rose on sunbaked terraces with the glistening Med in the background and discover hidden coves teeming with fish. But first, there were the administrative Covid hoops to jump through. France was our first port of call and to get in note, at the time - we needed double-jab certificates and a negative PCR or antigen test result and a 'fit to fly' certificate. The former involved logging onto the NHS app, downloading the certificate and printing it out. The app took security very seriously and scanned my face to match it with my passport photo. This took several attempts. For the Covid test, we decided to go for the gold-standard PCR (just in case the rules suddenly changed and for extra peace of mind) and turned to The Regenerative Clinic to process it all. It has its own laboratory on London's Harley Street, so it doesn't need to rely on third-party analysis. The negative results and certificates arrived the day before our flight. For the return pre-arrival antigen test we used Qured, which has a clear and easy-to-use website and reasonable prices. They posted two tests for us to pack that we would then self-administer on a video call with a health professional before flying home. The final piece of the paperwork jigsaw was the health declaration form demanded by the French authorities, which asked us to confirm that we weren't ill and hadn't been in contact with anyone who had been. Top tip: EasyJet has a great Covid-19 hub on its website that includes an interactive map. Just click on a country and the entry requirements pop up. We flew with the airline from Gatwick (my first flight since November 2019) and the experience was very smooth. An agent from the airline thoroughly examined our fit to fly certificates before we checked in our bags and before too long, we were soaring on a half-empty plane to Marseille. Where it was apparently 2018. The border agent pushed all our Covid paperwork to one side and said 'just the passports'. We took the ferry from Toulon to Mallorca after a few days and bio-security was similarly patchy. A health declaration control form by the Spanish government had been demanded, but mine wasn't checked as I boarded, though my double-jab certificate was. We had to present that or a negative antigen or PCR test. The day before we were due to fly back with easyJet from Palma we logged on to Qured for our video-call antigen test, which was straightforward enough. Insert swab, add to solution, drip onto slide, take a picture of the marker together with ID and email to Qured within 30 minutes. Our fit to fly certificates were emailed that day and the following day, after spending breakfast filling out our passenger locator forms, we found ourselves at the airport in a gargantuan queue that nearly stretched out of the terminal. An easyJet agent studied our double jab certificates very carefully, but didn't ask to see our fit to fly certificates. The flight was half empty and the views of Mallorca upon take-off magnificent. It was a good flight, in an A321 neo, with chirpy service. Then frustration and tedium enveloped us at Gatwick. We stood in a queue at border control for 90 minutes, among extremely frustrated families. At one point our line was being funnelled past a solitary border control agent, though not for the duration, other checkpoints were opened. One mother had her baby on a blanket and was gently pulling it along the floor. And one passenger started a group chant of 'we want a third runway at Heathrow'. When we were eventually called forward my passenger locator form was analysed, together with my passport. Then through we went. At no point on the journey had my fit to fly certificate been checked, a task that falls to the carrier, I'm told. The wait at border control, which I later learned was exacerbated by E-gate problems, meant that by the time we reached baggage reclaim the carousel for our flight had switched to another flight. Is all the amber paperwork worth it? With views like this, yes, says Ted. He snapped this picture as his easyJet flight soared over Mallorca on its way to Gatwick. In the bottom left of the picture is Magaluf. The capital, Palma, can be seen at the top We found our suitcase and hold-all in the middle of the floor. A passenger who went through Gatwick border control at the same time as us described the experience as 'hell'. Gatwick Airport said: 'We are sorry you had this experience as we know the current requirements from Government are incurring more time for admin checks by UK Border Force. 'We are continuing to work with UK Border Force regarding queues at passport control to ensure that best use is made of E-gates where possible and we are hopeful they will be able to support with additional staff as passenger numbers increase. 'In the instance of Sunday [when we landed], there were longer queues due to an issue with UKBF's systems and E-gates that the GAL/UKBF teams responded to, and it's an area we're focused on supporting where we can. Ted after disembarking his easyJet flight to Marseille from Gatwick in July. It was his first flight since November 2019 The idyllic Cala Pi cove to the south-east of Palma 'We don't want queues of this nature to become the norm and we are looking at mitigation measures to make them more bearable if they appear unavoidable due to delays at the border. 'These include handing out bottled water, kids' activity packs, holding people's place in the queue to allow them to go to the toilet, and ensuring there is strong, free Wi-Fi all along the route.' The airport spokesperson added: 'With regards to your baggage, I am very sorry to hear this and this is not the level of service we wish to provide our passengers.' When I relayed my experience to the Home Office, the response was colder, with no apology for the queue. A Home Office spokesperson said: 'The pandemic is not over. We've said throughout that people should expect delays, whilst we conduct additional checks to protect the vaccine roll-out. We will not apologise for doing whatever is necessary to keep our country safe.' The spokesperson then claimed there was no queue anyway. Turning to the 'fake news' playbook, they added: 'MailOnline's claims regarding the number of Border Force staff working at Gatwick and queues are false. 'Border Force works hard to ensure it has the right level of resources to check that passengers are compliant with our border health measures and to maintain border security as travel continues to open.' Easyjet was approached for a comment, but has yet to respond. For more on The Regenerative Clinic, which offers testing from 49, click here . For more on Qured, which offers testing from 39, click here . Exorbitant fees. Dodgy service. Here's what you should know to avoid the great Covid testing rip-off Getting to grips with testing before going on holiday has become a minefield. Some people have been left unable to go abroad due to their tests not arriving in time. Others have been forced to quarantine for long periods after receiving the incorrect and even used tests. Here's what you need to know . . . Travellers are having to rely on reviews to find the best providers. The above table shows the ones to trust and those to avoid WHICH ARE APPROVED BY THE GOVERNMENT? With more than 400 companies listed on the gov.uk website (and prices ranging from 19.95 to 399), it's difficult to establish the best provider. Travellers are forced to trawl through the list and rely on reviews and comments. In order to get on the Government's list of 'approved providers', companies simply have to declare they meet minimum standards for testing, opening it up to rogue companies. To cover itself, the Government states underneath the list that it 'does not recommend any particular test provider. Do your own research about available providers, the tests they supply and their terms and conditions.' Getting to grips with testing before going on holiday has become a minefield, writes the Daily Mail's Harriet Sime A scan of reviews website Trustpilot shows dozens of approved providers have been hit with bad reviews, some as low as 1.4 out of 5 (one is the lowest rating a customer can give). Expert Medicals, which claims to offer 'industry leading medical services', has more than 400 reviews and an average rating of 1.4. It has even been accused on social media of sending out tests with used nasal swabs inside. Eurofins, which claims to 'offer its global scientific testing expertise to make fast, reliable and affordable PCR testing available to all', has more than 900 reviews with an average rating of 1.4. Customers have complained about delays with results and refunds being refused. Those using Randox Health, the official testing partner of the 2020 Olympics, have had similar issues with its service. Richard Lamping, who works in the drinks industry, returned from Paris last week after visiting family. He booked a 48 'day 5' test with Randox which would mean he could leave the 10-day quarantine early through the Test to Release scheme and go back to the office. But his test didn't turn up and he was forced to pay 129 for another with a different firm. Richard, 41, said: 'I needed to work and see clients. I tried to speak to Randox several times. I waited on the phone for two hours only for someone to answer, laugh at me and hang up. I thought it was a reputable company, but it's a joke. A Randox spokesperson said: 'We investigated the cases brought to our attention and have been in communication with the customers.' WHAT ARE OTHER COUNTRIES DOING? The UK appears to be on its own with testing, especially when it comes to pricing. Last November, Greece introduced a price cap on private medical facilities of 34 for PCR tests and 8.50 for antigen tests, while some regions in Italy have capped the cost of PCR tests at 52. In France, residents get free PCR and antigen travel testing. EXPLAINING THE RULES GREEN: Take a 'pre-departure' antigen test while on holiday (72 hours before your flight back to the UK). Take a PCR test on day one or two after arriving back into the UK. AMBER: Rules the same as above, with an extra test on day eight of your return. RED: Quarantine at a Government-approved hotel for ten days at a cost of 1,750. NSW will lock down residents in the Northern Rivers region over fears a Covid-positive 50-year-old Sydney man has spread the virus throughout the area. The stay-at-home orders effecting regional town centres like Byron Bay, Ballina, Brunswick Heads, Grafton, Yamba, Casino, Lismore and Murwillumbah, will start from 6pm on Monday and will remain in place for the next seven days. This will leave the region's 300,000 residents under the same tough restrictions as Greater Sydney, Hunter Valley, New England and Tamworth. At NSW's Covid update on Monday morning, chief health officer Kerry Chant said investigations were ongoing into where the man had been after he travelled from Sydney to Byron Bay in late July. 'He is currently being re-interviewed and we are also arranging urgent testing of his two household contacts,' she said. The man's movements remain a mystery after it was discovered he was not recorded on any QR code check-ins while he was infectious. 'That matter is under investigation,' Dr Chant replied when asked why the man had travelled from Sydney. 'The gentleman himself has been admitted to hospital for the moment.' NSW chief health officer Kerry Chant said the man in his 50s travelled from Sydney to Byron Bay in late July and was believed to be infectious in the community for five days Premier Gladys Berejiklian said Covid restrictions applying to the Northern Rivers region would not change while the man's journey was under investigation Premier Gladys Berejiklian on Monday morning said Covid restrictions applying to the Northern Rivers region would not change while the man's journey was being investigated. But but by the afternoon that advice had changed and now Byron, Ballina, Lismore and the Richmond Valley will all be locked down until August 17. 'To protect people of NSW from evolving Covid-19 outbreak, new restrictions will be introduced for the Byron Shire, Richmond Valley, Lismore and Ballina Shire Local Government Areas Effective from 6pm Today until 12:01 Tuesday August 17,' the NSW government said in a statement. 'Following updated health advice from NSW Chief Health officer Dr Kerry Chant, stay-at-home orders will apply to all people who live in these areas or have been there on or after July 31.' Dr Chant urged residents in the Byron Shire, Richmond Valley, Tweed, Lismore, Kyogle and Ballina LGAs to come forward for testing if they experienced symptoms because the man was symptomatic in the community for a number of days. He travelled from Sydney at the end of July and spent five days in the community before being admitted to the Lismore Base Hospital. The restrictions will be the same rules as those already in place across Greater Sydney, as well as Tamworth, Armidale, Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, Maitland, Port Stephens, Singleton, Dungog, Muswellbrook and Cessnock. NSW will lock down residents in the Northern Rivers area over fears a 50 year old Sydney man has spread the virus throughout the region At NSW 's Covid update on Monday morning, chief health officer Kerry Chant said investigations were ongoing into where the man, who is in his 50s, had been in travelled from Sydney to Byron Bay (pictured) in late July Everyone in these areas must stay at home unless they have a lawful excuse to leave such as food shopping, essential exercise, essential work that cannot be done from home or giving or receiving healthcare. Visitors from outside of a household, including family and friends, are not permitted during the next seven days. 'People also cannot enter the Byron Shire, Richmond Valley, Lismore and Ballina Shire Local Government Areas, without a reasonable excuse to do so,' NSW government said. Earlier, Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk responded to news of the case by suggesting the state may 'go harder' in enforcing border restrictions with NSW. The man at the centre of the Northern Rivers lockdown who travelled to the area from Covid-ravaged Sydney has checked himself into the Lismore Base Hospital (pictured) Residents in the NSW Northern Rivers area are pictured lining up to get swab tested for Covid at Lismore Base Hospital on August 9, 2021 'We are absolutely concerned about what is happening in New South Wales,' she said. 'The further north the virus travels is alarming for us so we'll be watching that incredibly carefully.' 'We already have those border patrols and those border controls in place at present. But if we have to go harder, we will.' The Byron Bay alert came as another regional NSW town, Tamworth, was plunged into a seven-day lockdown after a woman, who was exposed to the virus in Newcastle, visited several venues including a pub, cafe and hotel on August 4. Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced the lockdown would begin from 5pm Monday. Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the state may 'go harder' in enforcing border restrictions with NSW as a result of the Byron Bay alert A COVID-19 drive through testing clinic at the Cavanbah Centre on April 1, 2021 in Byron Bay, Australia She said interstate travel would remain restricted until Greater Sydney got the current Delta outbreak under control. 'Can I stress at the moment nobody from New South Wales is going anywhere, what we want to see is an improvement of the situation,' she said. 'I think it's pretty predictable what the other states will do. I don't know about you guys but I don't think any state Premier will change their position.' NSW announced 283 new Covid-19 cases and one death on Monday, an unvaccinated woman in her 90s who died from the virus at Greenwich Hospital on Sunday. Ministers pledged help for hard-pressed families to go green today amid questions over the cost to taxpayers of the Prime Minister's climate change plans. The Prime Minister wants a 'net zero' Britain by 2050 that includes banning gas boilers in homes and sales of new petrol and diesel cars. Mr Johnson today said a damning UN report highlighting the scale of global climate change was a 'wake-up call' for the world and demanded an end to the use of coal for power. But the PM, who hosts the Cop26 meeting of world leaders to discuss climate action in Scotland in the autumn, is facing pushback from within the Conservatives Party. Kent MP Craig Mackinlay has launched a group to to push back at plans he argues could be could 'completely kill us off politically'. He and others argue they will hit poorer voters in former 'Red Wall' areas who voted Conservative for the first time in 2019. Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng today said ministers 'want to try and help people make that transition' when asked about the expense to consumers of scrapping gas boilers. He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'There is a transition and that's something that we're focused on and we want to try and help people make that transition... We've got a Heat and Buildings Strategy that is going to come out very soon - I don't think it was quite January, I think it was in March, but... I'm very keen to see it published because I think that will set out a number of options.' But he admitted he was 'concerned' about a 20 billion hole in the public finances created by a loss of fuel duty through the switch to electric cars, adding: ' I don't have the authority to write budgets or dictate tax policy.' The Prime Minister said: 'Today's report makes for sobering reading, and it is clear that the next decade is going to be pivotal to securing the future of our planet' A senior minister today insisted that targets to make the UK 'net zero' in terms of emissions by 2050 would be met ahead of the release of a shock UN climate report expected to paint a bleak picture. A new group is being set up by Kent MP Craig Mackinlay to push back at plans to outlaw sales of new petrol and diesel cars and replace gas boilers within the next 20 years. Chancellor Rishi Sunak (left) is said to be looking at ways to ease the pressure on poorer families of the transition. On the heels of deadly floods in India, China and northern Europe as well as asphalt-melting heatwaves in North America and southern Europe (Greece pictured), the IPCC's report is the first so-called assessment report since 2014. World on the edge of climate disaster Today's report puts huge pressure on Governments to take more action to cut emissions in the run up to international Cop26 climate talks in Glasgow in November. The study, which focuses on the physical science of climate change, forms the first part of the IPCC's sixth assessment report, and is even clearer on the impact humans are having on the planet than the last such analysis in 2013. It draws on more than 14,000 scientific papers to reach its conclusions and has found it is 'unequivocal' that human activity is warming the world. Rapid and widespread changes to the land, atmosphere and oceans have occurred - from temperature increases to sea level rises - that are unprecedented for many centuries or even many thousands of years. The report makes clear that human-caused climate change, which has pushed up global temperatures by 1.1C, is driving weather and climate extremes in every region across the world. There are already more frequent and intense heatwaves and heavy rainstorms in many places, including northern Europe, as well as droughts and cyclones. Humans are also very likely the main driver in the global retreat of glaciers, declines in Arctic sea ice, and rising sea levels. Sea level rises are speeding up, with the oceans rising by 3.7mm (0.15 inches) a year in recent years, and are set to continue to rise this century whether emissions remain high or fall dramatically. Changes to oceans, sea levels and melting permafrost and glaciers are irreversible for decades, centuries or even millennia as a result of past and future warming. And cities are at particular risk as the climate warms, experiencing hotter temperatures in heatwaves and flash flooding from heavy rain. The study also warns that unlikely events such ice sheet collapses, abrupt changes to ocean circulation - which drives weather patterns - and much higher warming cannot be ruled out. But the report, which assesses the potential impact of a range of five future scenarios from very low emissions to very high pollution, highlights the impacts of the choices the world makes now. Temperature rises have a good chance of remaining below 1.5C in the long term if carbon emissions are cut to net zero by 2050, followed by efforts to take more carbon dioxide out of the air than is put into the atmosphere, along with deep cuts to other greenhouse gases. Cutting methane - produced by oil and gas drilling and agriculture, particularly livestock farming - could help curb rising temperatures, as well as improving air quality, the report said. But scientists who worked on the report said current pledges of action on emissions put the world on a pathway that could lead to 2.7C of warming by the late 21st century - or higher if the pledges were not delivered on. Sea levels would rise by around 28-55cm (11-22 inches) by 2100 in a very low emissions scenario, but by significantly more if emissions stayed high. Every additional 0.5C temperature rise leads to clear increases in the intensity of heatwaves, rainstorms and flooding, and droughts in some regions. Advertisement He told Sky News: 'It's not something that's going to happen overnight ... I think the electric vehicle rollout is something that is actually very encouraging. 'I'm concerned about it but I don't have the authority to write budgets or dictate tax policy.' Ministers have been warned that plans to outlaw new fossil fuel car sales in less than a decade will blow a none-figure hole in Treasury coffers. Electric cars are currently exempt from vehicle excise duty (VED) and pay no fuel duty because they use no fuel. But ministers are considering new tariffs to offset the loss. A road pricing scheme using toll booths or in-vehicle technology could be brought in. But analysis by the AA suggests that such a plan could cost 765 per car per year. Mr Johnson today warned that the next decade will be 'pivotal' in the fight against climate change. The assessment from the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change found that humans are unequivocally driving global warming - with impacts from heatwaves to rising seas and extreme rain already seen around the world. It painted a stark picture of the impact humans are having through activities such as burning fossil fuels - and the future the world faces if it fails to rapidly tackle the crisis. The world will reach or exceed temperature rises of 1.5C - a limit countries have pledged to try to keep to in order to avoid the most dangerous consequences of warming - over the next two decades, the report says. The Prime Minister said: 'Today's report makes for sobering reading, and it is clear that the next decade is going to be pivotal to securing the future of our planet. 'We know what must be done to limit global warming consign coal to history and shift to clean energy sources, protect nature and provide climate finance for countries on the frontline. 'The UK is leading the way, decarbonising our economy faster than any country in the G20 over the last two decades. I hope today's IPCC report will be a wake-up call for the world to take action now, before we meet in Glasgow in November for the critical COP26 summit.' But Mr Johnson, who hosts the Cop26 meeting of world leaders to discuss climate action in Scotland in the autumn, was facing pushback from within the Conservatives Party. Mr Kwarteng said the UK Government was 'on track' to hit net zero emissions by 2050 but acknowledged 'it's challenging'. He told Sky News: 'If you look since 1990 we've reduced our emissions by 45 per cent and we've managed to grow the economy by 80 per cent, this is a world-beating figure.' Hee told the BBC that a carbon tax - seen as a tax on meat - is also still being considered. He added: 'It's 2021 now, I think there's every chance we will hit the target. It's a lot of work and I think we can do that ... it is challenging, it's not an easy thing, if it were an easy thing we wouldn't be going on about it.' But South Thanet MP Mr Mackinlay, who is also a member of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Motorists and hauliers, told the Politics Home website: 'We don't want to be on the wrong side of the electorate, that just will not wear this.' Rishi Sunak is drawing up plans for richer households to take the bigger hit from green changes, the Times reported today. The UN's climate science panel will today unveil its much-anticipated projections for temperature and sea-level rises less than three months before a crucial climate summit in Scotland. After two weeks of virtual negotiations, 195 nations approved the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's (IPCC) comprehensive assessment of past and future warming on Friday in the form of a 'summary for policymakers'. The text - vetted and approved line by line, word by word - is likely to paint a grim picture of accelerating climate change and dire threats on the horizon. On the heels of deadly floods in India, China and northern Europe as well as asphalt-melting heatwaves in North America and southern Europe, the IPCC's report is the first so-called assessment report since 2014. Both the world and the science have changed a lot since then. With increasingly sophisticated technology allowing scientists to measure climate change and predict its future path, the report will project global temperature changes until the end of the century under different emissions scenarios. How much will new green and anti-obesity projects cost Britons? Boris Johnson's green and anti-obesity projects could end up costing Britain's households more than 28,000 each over the coming decade if they are fully implemented, it emerged today. The Prime Minister is considering a range of eco-friendly policies during his tenure such as a ban on new fossil-fuelled cars including hybrids by 2033. 15,000 : Extra average cost of buying a new electric vehicle is 44,000 compared to 29,000 for a new medium-sized car : Extra average cost of buying a new electric vehicle is 44,000 compared to 29,000 for a new medium-sized car 10,500 : Extra cost of energy efficiency measures, such as improving insulation and installing low carbon boilers. A new gas-fired boiler costs about 1,500 with installation, compared to up to 11,000 for an air source heat pump : Extra cost of energy efficiency measures, such as improving insulation and installing low carbon boilers. A new gas-fired boiler costs about 1,500 with installation, compared to up to 11,000 for an air source heat pump 2,400 : How much a 'snack tax' would cost the average family of four over a decade if implemented - which is 60 per person per year : How much a 'snack tax' would cost the average family of four over a decade if implemented - which is 60 per person per year 200 : Average bill for new light fittings after the ban on sales of halogen bulbs from September, with an average of 4.4 new fittings each. : Average bill for new light fittings after the ban on sales of halogen bulbs from September, with an average of 4.4 new fittings each. TOTAL: 28,100 Advertisement Based almost entirely on published research, it could forecast - even under optimistic scenarios - a temporary 'overshoot' of the 1.5 degrees Celsius target of the Paris Agreement, and revise upwards its estimates for long-term sea-level rise. It is also expected to reflect huge progress in so-called attribution science, which allows experts to link individual extreme weather events directly to man-made climate change. While the underlying IPCC report is purely scientific, the summary for policymakers is negotiated by national representatives, and therefore subject to competing priorities. At the weekend it was reported the green agenda had hit another stumbling block amid growing fears within government that it will hit poorest households the hardest. Chancellor Rishi Sunak was reportedly leading push-back against net zero, fearing it will spark a cost-of-living crisis with energy bills already on the rise and inflation spiking as Covid lockdowns ease. Senior Tories fear the crisis could prove politically ruinous in so-called Red Wall seats in traditionally working class areas of the north that flipped blue from Labour at the 2019 election, handing Mr Johnson a landslide victory. A Treasury review into the costs of meeting the net-zero 2050 goal has already been delayed twice from its original spring publication date. According to the Sunday Telegraph, the delay is due to fears that analysis shows working class families bearing the heaviest share of the burden. But a source told today's Times that No10 and No100 were both on the same page when it comes to climate change. Last month experts advising the Government on infrastructure warned Britain's families face paying hundreds of pounds more a year on food, flying and shipping costs to help industries remove greenhouse gases from the atmosphere. The National Infrastructure Commission said the poorest tenth of households will pay an extra 80 each year by 2050 while the richest tenth will face a 400 bill to help sectors that currently have a low chance of hitting the Net Zero emissions target If hydrogen is part of a zero-carbon future, it could have to be produced by electrolysis (as shown above), which sees electric currents passed through water. Another option is for the plants to capture the carbon emissions and pump them underground The poorest tenth of households will pay an extra 80 each year by 2050 while the richest tenth will face a 400 annual bill to help sectors that currently have a low chance of hitting the emissions target by this date. The National Infrastructure Commission said the UK needs an industry to store the gases to help meet its pledge on carbon emissions and taxpayers will have to spend up to 400million in the next decade to fund this. However the executive agency added that the biggest polluting industries such as agriculture, shipping and aviation should make a 2billion-a-year contribution from 2030 even if these costs are passed onto households. The suggestion issued in a report provoked fury among consumer groups amid mounting concerns over how much Boris Johnson's Net Zero commitments will end up costing hard-working families in the long run. A young woman who inadvertently plunged her home town into a week-long lockdown has described the experience as the most stressful of her life. The born and bred 'Tamworth girl' has apologised for bringing the virus to the regional city in north-east New South Wales, but has insisted she didn't break any rules. Earlier, Gladys Berejiklian announced the regional city will enter a week-long lockdown from 5pm on Monday. NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced the regional city will enter a week-long lockdown from 5pm on Monday The woman was exposed to coronavirus in Newcastle before she travelled to the regional city on August 4 to visit family and friends. Pictured: The Tudor Hotel in Tamworth The woman was exposed to coronavirus in Newcastle before she travelled to Tamworth on August 4 to visit family and friends. The infected traveller stopped at several venues in the regional city on August 5 that are now classified as exposure sites by NSW Health. The venues include the Inland Cafe, the Tudor Hotel, a Gloria Jeans, the Super Vape Store and the Ampol Roadhouse. Ms Berejiklian confirmed there had been no incidents of transmission. The young woman made an impassioned plea for forgiveness on Facebook on Monday after returning to Newcastle to isolate. She said bullies had been dragging her name 'through the dust'. The infected woman visited the Inland Cafe, the Tudor Hotel, a Gloria Jeans, the Super Vape Store (pictured) and the Ampol Roadhouse during her time in Tamworth NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian confirmed on Monday there had been no incidents of transmission at any of the venues so far 'I was not in lockdown, I was not a close contact and I had no symptoms on Thursday,' the young woman wrote. 'There was nothing to stop me from visiting my family and friends in Tamworth. I am a Tamworth girl. What happened to country hospitality? What happened to looking after your neighbour. 'I'm sorry youre all in lockdown, but theres nothing I can do beyond cooperating with the relevant authorities. 'I have done all the right things and now my only advice is to get tested and stay home.' During NSW's Covid update on Monday, Ms Berejiklian said interstate travel would remain restricted until Greater Sydney got the Indian Delta outbreak under control. The young woman stopped at the Inland Cafe (pictured) on August 5 during a trip to her home town of Tamworth to visit family and friends Tamworth exposure sites list Anyone who visited the below venues has been urged to get Covid-19 tested and isolate for 14 days regardless of results: - Inland Cafe, 407 Peel Street, between 9.15am to 10am, August 5. - Tudor Hotel, 327 Peel Street, between 11am to 11.40am, August 5. Residents who have visited the below venues must get tested and isolate until they receive a negative result: - Gloria Jeans Coffee, 1/369 Peel Street, 9.15am to 9.20am, August 5 - Super Vape Store, 2/411 Peel Street, 10.55am to 11.05am, August 5 - Ampol Roadhouse Tamworth, 502 Goonoo Goonoo Road, 12.25pm to 12.30pm, August 5 Source: NSW Health Advertisement 'Can I stress at the moment nobody from New South Wales is going anywhere, what we want to see is an improvement of the situation,' she said. 'I think it's pretty predictable what the other states will do. I don't know about you guys but I don't think any state Premier will change their position.' It comes as residents in the Northern Rivers region will be locked down over fears a Covid-positive 50-year-old Sydney man has spread the virus throughout the area. The man spent five days in the Byron Bay community in late July but was not recorded on any QR code check-ins while he was infectious. The stay-at-home orders effecting regional town centres like Byron Bay, Ballina, Brunswick Heads, Grafton, Yamba, Casino, Lismore and Murwillumbah, will start from 6pm on Monday and will remain in place for the next seven days. This will leave the region's 300,000 residents under the same tough restrictions as Greater Sydney, Hunter Valley, New England and Tamworth. Dr Kerry Chant has urged residents in the Byron Shire, Richmond Valley, Tweed, Lismore, Kyogle and Ballina LGAs to get tested after a man, aged in his 50s, tested positive for the virus after spending five days in Byron Bay while infectious NSW announced 283 new Covid-19 cases and one death on Monday. Pictured: A masked woman at a vaccination hub in Sydney Olympic Park on Monday 'That matter is under investigation,' chief health officer Dr Kerry Chant replied when asked why the man had travelled from Sydney. 'The gentleman himself has been admitted to hospital for the moment.' Dr Chant said the man was currently being reinterviewed while his two household contacts were urgently tested. She urged residents in the Byron Shire, Richmond Valley, Tweed, Lismore, Kyogle and Ballina LGAs to come forward for testing if they experienced symptoms because the man was symptomatic in the community for a number of days. A record 133,000 tests were conduced and more than 11,000 people were vaccinated in the last 24 hours. Pictured: People queue to be vaccinated in Homebush Earlier, Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk responded to news of the case by suggesting the state may 'go harder' in enforcing border restrictions with NSW. 'We are absolutely concerned about what is happening in New South Wales,' she said. 'The further north the virus travels is alarming for us so we'll be watching that incredibly carefully.' 'We already have those border patrols and those border controls in place at present. But if we have to go harder, we will.' NSW announced 283 new Covid-19 cases and one death on Monday, an unvaccinated woman in her 90s who died from the virus at Greenwich Hospital on Sunday. An eight-year-old Hindu boy faces the death penalty in Pakistan after becoming the youngest person ever charged with blasphemy in the country. The boy and his family are now being held in protective custody after a Muslim mob attacked and badly damaged a Hindu temple in the conservative town of Bhong in the Rahim Yar Khan district, Punjab, in response to a court granting the child bail. The boy, who has not been named, was arrested on charges of intentionally urinating on a carpet in the library of a madrassa, or religious school, that houses religious books last month. The mob alleges he committed blasphemy, an act punishable by the death sentence in Pakistan, where mere accusations of blasphemy have in the past incited mobs to violence and deadly attacks. The boy and his family are now being held in protective custody after a Muslim mob attacked and badly damaged a Hindu temple in the conservative town of Bhong in the Rahim Yar Khan district, Punjab, in response to a court granted the child bail. Pictured: People gather outside a Hindu temple after it was set on fire in Bhong on August 4 Paramilitary troops were deployed to the area to quell the unrest, which left many Hindus fleeing their homes in fear. A member of the boy's family, speaking from an undisclosed location, told The Guardian: 'He [the boy] is not even aware of such blasphemy issues and he has been falsely indulged in these matters. He still doesn't understand what his crime was and why he was kept in jail for a week. 'We have left our shops and work, the entire community is scared and we fear backlash. We don't want to return to this area. We don't see any concrete and meaningful action will be taken against the culprits or to safeguard the minorities living here.' The case has shocked activists and legal experts, who say the blasphemy charges filed against the child is unprecedented as no one so young has been charged with blasphemy before. Pakistan's blasphemy laws have long been criticised by rights groups because they are seen as vague and widely abused in order to dangerously discriminate against religious minority groups in the Muslim-majority country. While courts have pronounced death sentences for some of those convicted, Pakistan has never carried out an execution over blasphemy charges. But the blasphemy laws are also seen by activists as giving cover to vigilantes to attack those accused of the crime, whatever the courts decide. Video footage shows the mob attacking the Hindu temple in Bhong on Wednesday, where they burned down the temple's main door and damaged statues Ramesh Kumar, the head of Pakistan Hindu Council and a lawmaker, told the newspaper: 'The attack on the temple and blasphemy allegations against the eight-year-old minor boy has really shocked me. More than a hundred homes of the Hindu community have been emptied due to fear of attack.' Meanwhile, human rights activist Kapil Dev said: 'I demand charges against the boy are immediately dropped, and urge the government to provide security for the family and those forced to flee. 'Attacks on Hindu temples have increased in the last few years showing an escalating level of extremism and fanaticism. The recent attacks seem to be a new wave of persecution of Hindus.' Video footage shows the mob attacking the Hindu temple in Bhong on Wednesday, where they burned down the temple's main door and damaged statues. On Thursday, paramilitary troops were deployed to the area, while in New Delhi, India's foreign ministry summoned a Pakistani diplomat to protest the attack and demand protection for Hindus living in the predominantly Muslim Pakistan. Prime Minister Imran Khan condemned the attack on Twitter, saying he has ordered the provincial police chief to take action against any officers whose negligence may have contributed to the attack. Khan also promised the government would restore the temple. Police have since arrested 50 people suspected of ransacking the temple and were searching for another 100 suspects, police said. Jam Ghaffar, the area police chief, said order was restored after the deployment of extra police and a paramilitary force and police were looking for the remaining suspects. The Hindu temple was cordoned off by local authorities after it was stormed by a Muslim mob Ramesh Kumar, a Hindu community leader said after the attack that the initially slow response from the police had made the situation and the damages to the temple worse. In New Delhi, India's External Affairs Ministry spokesman Arindam Bagchi said such 'incidents are occurring at an alarming rate while the state and security institutions in Pakistan have stood by idly and completely failed in preventing these attacks.' Muslims and Hindus have mostly lived peacefully in Pakistan, but there have been attacks on Hindu temples in recent years. Most of Pakistan's minority Hindus migrated to India in 1947 when India was divided by Britain's government. In 2012, a 14-year-old Christian girl was accused of burning pages of the Koran but later released on bail in Rawalpindi, a garrison city near Islamabad, Pakistan. Rimsha Masih was taken by helicopter to a secret location in a dramatic operation over fears for her safety and was later able to escape to Canada with her family. A family were given a shock when they spotted what they believed to be a 'massive shark' swimming just yards from the shore while walking on Norfolk beach. Kerry Hester, 47, was strolling along the beachfront in Caister-on-Sea, near Great Yarmouth, when she and her daughters saw the fin of what she thinks was a basking shark poking out the water. The mother-of-two from Harlow, Essex, quickly pulled out her camera to record the 'shark' as it swam in the waters close by. Kerry Hester, 47, and her two daughters were walking along the beach in Caister-on-Sea near great Yarmouth when they spotted what they believed to be a basking shark just off the shore (pictured) The two youngsters were seen in the clip looking out into the water as the shark swam by (pictured) Kerry and her daughters aged seven and 13, stopped to watch the rare sighting for 20 minutes as they walked their dog, The Mirror reports. In the fascinating clip, the 'shark' can be seen swimming at the surface of the water, close to the shore and a wind farm. She said: 'We looked out to sea and we spotted the shark. It was really weird as there was hardly anyone down there and no one else seemed to notice it. 'I was really mesmerised by it. I think it was a basking shark and I don't think they're that common around here. 'It was about 100metres from the shore and it was visible with the naked eye.' Captioning the video which she posted on Facebook on Saturday, Kerry wrote: 'Was looking for seals and saw this. Don't think I will be in the sea for a while.' The mother-of-two from Harlow, Essex, quickly pulled out her camera to record the 'shark' as it swam in the waters close by and shared the video on Facebook on Saturday Kerry said in the 30 years she has taken trips to Caister-on-Sea she has never seen a basking shark in the waters. Basking sharks are most commonly seen in Cornwall, western Scotland and the Isle of Man but other sightings have taken place across the UK. They are the second-largest shark in the world after the whale shark but are harmless and feed on microscopic plankton scooped into their giant mouths. Last month, beachgoers in Ireland were stunned when a pair of sharks swam just feet away from them. The pair of sharks can be seen swimming just feet away from a group of people, including children, in the waters of Keem Bay on County Mayo's Achill Island Video footage shows their large fins emerging from the water in Keem Bay on County Mayo's Achill Island, with one following the other closely, as the beachgoers look on in astonishment. 'Oh my god,' a child can be heard screaming as the basking sharks are seen slowly swimming past. The pair, which appear to be an adult and a youngster due to the difference in their fin sizes, end up swimming across the bay in shallow waters. But the sighting caused alarm for onlookers who thought there could be danger. Sharing the footage on Twitter, Alan O'Neill said: 'This is like a scene from Jaws'. What are basking sharks? Basking sharks are the second-largest fish in the world and can grow up to 39ft. (Stock image) Basking sharks are the second-largest fish in the world after whale sharks. They have long gills which almost go completely around their heads. The maximum size of the sharks is around 39ft but there have been unconfirmed reports of larger ones. It is unknown how long they live, but scientists are trying to learn this by counting the number of vertebral spines - in a similar way to counting the rings of a tree trunk to discover its age - and comparing that to other animals whose age is known. Basking sharks feed mainly on zooplankton and will swim slowly just beneath the surface with their mouths open to filter the tiny organisms from seawater. They prefer to live in cooler waters, along coastlines and in open water, and can be found across the world. Northern hemisphere countries where basking sharks can be found near include China, Korea, Japan, the east coast of the US, Great Britain and Norway, as well as in the Mediterranean. In the southern hemisphere they can be found off Southern Australia, South America and the tip of South Africa. These giants are relatively harmless to humans. According to the United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, they 'are considered passive and no danger to humans other than that posed by their large size and rough skin.' Advertisement There's some fin down there! Moment snorkelling postman, 38, comes into contact with a giant SHARK off the coast of Cornwall By Joseph Laws for MailOnline A postman came face-to-face with a huge shark while snorkelling off the coast of Cornwall. Martin Yelland, 38, was diving just off the coast of Penzance when the blue shark swam straight towards him. It stuck around for about an hour, before being scared off by a pod of 80 dolphins. Mr Yelland, who lives in St Erth, Cornwall, takes wildlife photographs in his spare time. He said: 'It was a really memorable encounter. Martin Yelland, 38, was diving just off the coast of Penzance when the blue shark, which can grow up to 13ft, swam straight towards him 'I was apprehensive the evening before the shark snorkel, but once I saw the shark I was just amped to get in the water as they were so graceful and inquisitive. 'At no stage did I feel frightened, the sharks were curious but in no way aggressive. 'The blue sharks come so close you sometimes need to get out of their way, as we were told never to touch them.' Mr Yelland, who also takes wildlife photographs in his spare time and lives in St Erth, Cornwall, said: 'It was a really memorable encounter Mr Yelland said: 'I was apprehensive the evening before the shark snorkel, but once I saw the shark I was just amped to get in the water as they were so graceful and inquisitive' The father-of-two fell into animal photography after starting a family. He has been taking pictures of local wildlife including kingfishers, choughs, badgers, foxes and deers for many years. He added: 'It was such a buzz, and to see the super pod of dolphins was insane too. 'There were a group of 10 of us out on the snorkel trip, and I loved it so much I've booked on again next week. 'I've always done surf and more recently wildlife photography, but seeing the sharks up close was one of the best things I've ever done.' A TV and radio host who branded Covid a 'scam-demic' and urged his listeners not to get vaccinated has died from the disease. Dick Farrel, who was an outspoken critic of Dr Anthony Fauci, is said to have told friends 'I wish I had gotten [the vaccine]' before he passed away aged 65. The right-wing host had described Fauci - the top immunologist and chief medical adviser to the president - as a 'power-tripping lying freak' who conspired with 'power trip libb loons'. TV and radio host Dick Farrel (pictured) - who branded Covid a 'scam-demic' and urged his listeners not to get vaccinated against coronavirus - has died from the disease aged 65 He had urged people not to get the vaccine as recently as June, but reportedly changed his opinion about Covid vaccines after falling ill and later being admitted to hospital, where he died on August 4. 'He texted me and told me to "Get it!" He told me this virus is no joke and he said, "I wish I had gotten it!"' close friend Amy Leigh Hair wrote in a Facebook post on August 4 announcing the news of Farrel's death. She then urged her own friends to get the vaccination. 'I was one of one the people like him who didn't trust the vaccine. I trusted my immune system. I just became more afraid of getting COVID-19 than I was of any possible side effects of the vaccine. I'm glad I got vaccinated,' Hair added to WPTV. Farrel was an ardent Trump supporter, and perpetuated the unsubstantiated conspiracy theories of election fraud in the 2020 election that saw Joe Biden elected The right-wing host had described Dr Anthony Fauci - the top immunologist and chief medical adviser to the president (pictured) - as a 'power-tripping lying freak' who conspired with 'power trip libb loons' Farrel, who was born and raised in Queens, New York, moved to Florida where he worked for a number of stations, as well as a fill-in anchor for conservative news outlet Newsmax in 2018. Mick McCabe, creative director of the radio broadcaster Hubbard South Florida, described Farrel as a pioneer 'shock talk' host, and as a 'loyal friend both personally and to listeners here for decades.' Farrel was known as an ardent supporter of former president Donald Trump, and perpetuated the unsubstantiated conspiracy theories of election fraud in the 2020 election that saw Joe Biden elected. Farrel, who was born and raised in Queens, New York, moved to Florida where he worked for a number of stations, as well as a fill-in anchor for conservative news outlet Newsmax in 2018 'He was known as the other Rush Limbaugh. With a heavy heart, I can only say this was so unexpected. He will be missed, Farrel's partner, Kit Farley, wrote on Facebook, according to WPTV. 'He fought like a tiger. Please don't put off getting attention for this illness,' Farley wrote on Facebook. 'Yes, for some it has minimal effects, but others it is deadly. We will always love Dick Farrel, always appreciate his spirit, and miss him greatly.' Since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, the United States has seen over 35.8 million confirmed cases of the disease, with over 617,000 related deaths. hould be paid less than those in the office Downing Street refused to condemn civil servants resisting a return to Whitehall today amid calls for them to face a pay cut if they want to continue to work from home. No10 insisted that the Civil Service was following its plan for a gradual return to work post lockdown amid concern at the economic impact of a fall in commuting in major towns and cities. Unnamed senior ministers last night suggested those who refuse to return to the office should be paid less than those back at their desks, or passed over for promotion. It came as the Department of Health and Social Care reportedly abandoned plans for its civil servants to be back at their desks between four and eight days a month from September. Asked if it was right to take such punitive action, the Prime Minister's official spokesman today told reporters: 'No. We have no plans for that approach.' He added that the PM had made clear 'the benefits of office working' but it was up to individual departments to set their own targets, adding: 'Flexible working is rightly here to stay'. Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng also took a much more conciliatory tone today, warning against Government 'diktats' and quotas and saying deals should be hammered out between firms and their workers. He said he would 'never' advocate docking pay and regarding his own department's staff he said that while he would be 'encouraging them to come in ... of course there will be a degree of flexibility.' His comments came as unions lashed out at blunt attempts to coerce civil servants back to Whitehall, amid fears for city centre economies stripped of commuter cash. The Government has recommended employees make a 'gradual return' to offices over the summer after many have spent well over a year working from home because of the pandemic. But a senior minister told the Mail it was unfair that those still at home should get the same benefits as those commuting in. Another hinted to the Times that promotion could be affected, saying: 'People will find that those who get on in life are those who turn up to work.' They also spoke of a 'big push' to get civil servants back to Whitehall at least three days per week. But the comments were described as 'insulting' by a civil service union chief, who said ministers should focus on whether public services are being delivered, rather than where civil servants are sitting. Nicola Sturgeon weighed in to the row today, saying there would be no pressure on Scottish Government workers to rush back to the office full time, saying a 'work-life balance' was important. A Cabinet minister suggested that civil servants who refuse to return to the office in Whitehall (pictured) should be paid less than those back at their desks Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng took a much more conciliatory tone today, warning against Government 'diktats' and quotas and saying deals should be hammered out between firms and their workers. Nicola Sturgeon weighed in to the row today, saying there would be no pressure on Scottish Government workers to rush back to the office full time, saying a 'work-life balance' was important. The long delays faced by frustrated Britons as civil servants continue to work from home Members of the public trying to return to a version of normality after the Covid pandemic face weeks waiting for crucial documents as civil servants continue working from home. The passport office has warned renewing papers could take as long as ten weeks if the three million people who failed to apply last year submit orders. But the problem is the same across the spectrum of services all providing key documentation. It includes delays of up to six months on a tax rebate, up to ten weeks for a paper driving licence application. And the situation for ordering copies of birth, marriage or death certificates appears even more dire with the government's General Register Office for England and Wales unable to give dates on when they will be sent out. It comes as civil servants have been told there is no pressure to come back into the office - despite the Government telling everyone else they should begin returning. A plan has also been suggested for the majority of Whitehall staff that they may only ever have to come in a maximum of two days a week. If that proves true questions are bound to be asked over whether some services will ever be able to return to pre-pandemic efficiency again. Advertisement 'People who have been working from home aren't paying their commuting costs so they have had a de facto pay rise, so that is unfair on those who are going into work,' they said. 'If people aren't going into work, they don't deserve the terms and conditions they get if they are going into work.' The minister said people should be 'keen to get back to normal', adding that it was difficult to know whether someone at home was working or watching television. 'I think people who want to get on in life will go into the office because that's how people are going to succeed,' they said. But Mr Kwarteng told BBC Radio 4's Today: 'I think flexible working is something that is here to stay, but I have always said that I think it is up to employers and employees to come to their own arrangements depending on the needs of the company and the needs of the businesses. 'I don't think it makes sense to have a government diktat telling people exactly how many hours they are going to spend in the office and exactly how many hours they are going to spend at home.' Whitehall departments are being allowed to decide individually how quickly they want their staff to come back to the office. According to The Times, only a quarter of desks at the Department for Education were filled on a typical day and the Whitehall Treasury building was 'like a ghost town'. A source in another department, who asked not to be named to avoid a revolt, told the paper they would be mandating a return to the office from September after struggling to persuade civil servants to return just one day a week. Meanwhile, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport is encouraging its staff to return, something sources said had so far not proven difficult because many are young and keen to be back. Other departments have accepted flexible working will become 'the norm'. And in Scotland, Ms Sturgeon said that hybrid working would be the way forward for civil servants and other workers. She said that while her government was promoting a gradual return to offices and factories, 'we are also saying ''lets think about whether we want to encourage a more hybrid form of office/home working in future'''. 'The Scottish Government is doing that for our own employees and of course that may help us over the months to come in controlling a virus,' she told BBC Breakfast. 'But there are also issues about wellbeing, work-life balance that also come into play. A few months ago at the start of this pandemic we all said that lets use it as an opportunity to rethink how we do certain things and not just slip back to all of the old ways. 'Many people got used to home-working. Not everybody likes it, many people would like to go back to the office for at least some time, but let's think about what a model of office working would look like in future that actually prioritises wellbeing as well as hopefully helping us keep the virus under control. New polling today suggests efforts to promote home working as inefficient are not working. Just a quarter of those polled by YouGov for the Times said being away from the office had reduced their productivity, with almost half saying it had actually increased. It is understood that in discussions about returning to the office, some Whitehall managers have pointed out to civil servants that they receive 'London weighting' a salary boost to cover the additional costs of working in the capital. Tory grandee Sir Iain Duncan Smith said last night: 'Civil servants need to get off their backsides and into the office and they need to do it pretty quickly.' Tory grandee Sir Iain Duncan Smith (left) said 'civil servants need to get off their backsides and into the office' while skills minister Gillian Keegan (right) admitted just 20 to 25 per cent of staff at the Department for Education were in on any given day He said there should be an end to home working as a 'default' as the office is more creative and 'fosters better mental health'. He added: 'Managers can't manage properly, companies aren't as effective, income goes down go back to the office.' Sir Iain, a former party leader, also suggested London weighting should be scrapped for home workers. 'If you're not travelling anywhere you don't carry any extra cost,' he said Many bosses are keen to get their employees back in the office now Covid cases are levelling off and the majority of adults have been double-jabbed. They believe companies benefit from staff being able to swap ideas face to face, and new recruits are missing out on advice from experienced colleagues. Working from home has had a disastrous effect on town centres, where cafes and shops are hugely reliant on office workers. Skills minister Gillian Keegan admitted just 20 to 25 per cent of staff at the Department for Education were in on any given day, but added: 'Quite frankly they are all excited to come back.' But Dave Penman, of the FDA union which represents senior civil servants, said: 'Ministers don't need to create a fake conflict with the civil service over the return to workplaces, where there is none. 'The vast majority want hybrid working, with a balance between time in the office and time working from home.' The Public and Commercial Services Union, which represents middle and lower-ranking civil servants, warned that any mass return to offices must not happen 'until it is demonstrably safe'. A Government spokesman said last night: 'The civil service continues to follow the latest Government guidance, and is gradually and cautiously increasing the number of staff working in the office.' Last week, Chancellor Rishi Sunak highlighted the benefits of office working. He said it had been 'really beneficial' working in an office environment early in his career and doubted whether he would have been able to build 'strong relationships' with mentors over Teams or Zoom. 'That's why I think for young people in particular being able to physically be in an office is valuable,' he added. In the Department for Education, skills minister Gillian Keegan estimated around 25 per cent of staff were in on any given day 'and quite frankly they are all excited to come back'. Layla Moran, chairwoman of the all-party parliamentary group on coronavirus, said there was 'mixed messaging from the Government at a time when the public and businesses need clarity'. 'Ministers shouldn't be urging people back to the office at a time when cases remain high and against the Government's own workplace safety guidance,' she said. Ten weeks for a new passport, six months for a tax rebate and huge wait for a driving licence: The long delays faced by frustrated Britons for vital documents as civil servants continue to work from home Members of the public trying to return to a version of normality after the Covid pandemic face weeks waiting for crucial documents as civil servants continue working from home. The passport office has warned renewing papers could take as long as ten weeks if the three million people who failed to apply last year submit orders. But the problem is the same across the spectrum of services all providing key documentation. It includes delays of up to six months on a tax rebate, up to ten weeks for a paper driving licence application. And the situation for ordering copies of birth, marriage or death certificates appears even more dire with the government's General Register Office for England and Wales unable to give dates on when they will be sent out. It comes as civil servants have been told there is no pressure to come back into the office - despite the Government telling everyone else they should begin returning. A plan has also been suggested for the majority of Whitehall staff that they may only ever have to come in a maximum of two days a week. If that proves true questions are bound to be asked over whether some services will ever be able to return to pre-pandemic efficiency again. MailOnline took a look at some the services being hit: Driving licences The DVLA say paper applications will take ten weeks due to reduced staff working in the office The DVLA, which is based in Swansea, says paper applications for licences are currently taking up to ten weeks to process. It has firmly laid the wait at the door of a number of union strikes that have been held and the fact some people are having to work at home. The service said: 'We are currently operating with reduced staffing levels on site due to social distancing rules in Wales and ongoing industrial action by members of the Public and Commercial Services Union. 'Industrial action has been taking place since April and PCS is targeting a variety of areas within DVLA designed to have maximum negative impact on members of the public. This means that there are continuing delays with paper applications and in reaching our contact centre. There are no delays for those applying online. 'We're sorry for any inconvenience caused but we are working as quickly as we can to deal with your application. We receive around 60,000 items of mail every day that needs to be opened and processed.' A PCS spokesman said: 'Our action to date has had a huge impact on the backlogs at the DVLA. However, this dispute could have been easily resolved in June when a deal was withdrawn at the last minute. It's time for Transport Secretary Grant Shapps and DVLA to get back around the table and negotiate. 'PCS continues to have intensive and productive discussions with the Cabinet Office on future working arrangements. We are pressing them to prevent any large-scale return of staff to offices until it is demonstrably safe to do so; and even then to not return to the pre-pandemic world we want maximum choice and flexibility for workers going forward, including homeworking where desired. The pandemic has proven that this is eminently achievable while maintaining service delivery.' Tax rebates A heavy workload at HMRC combined with working from home has seen rebates delayed HMRC is also struggling with the processing of tax rebates to taxpayers. Many who are owed money are having to wait up to six months to get their cash back. This has been sparked by a combination of an increased workload relating to managing Covid payments as well as Brexit paperwork. It has seen staff moved around to tackle different duties that are a bigger priority. An HMRC spokesperson has said: 'We're doing all we can to process self assessment rebate claims as fast as possible and are sorry to any customers who have waited longer than they expected. 'We're continuing to redesign our business to meet our customer demand needs in the most effective way, based on our available resource.' Birth, marriage and death certificates Ordering service for birth and other certificates will not commit to providing by any date Online ordering of birth, adoption, marriage, civil partnership and death registrations for England and Wales from the General Register Office has also been badly hit. It has been straight with customers and has told them certificate orders will not be completed within the published timescales The office said: 'In line with public health guidance, the General Register Office is operating with reduced staffing to comply with social distancing guidance. 'We remain committed to processing orders as fast as we can, however we will be unable to confirm when your order will be completed. 'If your order is not urgent, please apply at a later date so we can help those who need our services the most.' Renewing passports The passport office has warned people they could face an up to ten week wait to renew papers MailOnline told yesterday how holiday-starved UK residents hoping to travel abroad for a well-deserved break were facing ten week queues to renew their passports. The waiting time is over triple that of the clearing period pre-coronavirus, when it took just three weeks to get a new document. The Home Office said warnings have been issued due to a potential rush for renewals after numbers applying for new passports dropped to four million in 2020 from seven million on average. Texts have been sent by mobile phone out to those whose documents are nearing expiry. It reads: 'Reminder: It takes up to ten weeks to get a new passport. Don't leave it too late, renew now.' And the website for the identifying travel papers urges people to avoid delaying getting them re-ordered. A Home Office spokesperson said: 'We continue to process passport applications promptly and last month 99.6% of passports using the urgent Fast Track and Digital Premium services were issued within their respective service standards. 'Since the outset of the pandemic, more than 4.5 million people have delayed applying for a passport. 'With the potential demand for passports higher than ever before, passport processing times could change quickly. 'Since April we have been advising applicants using the standard service to plan to wait up to 10 weeks before they receive their passport.' Advertisement Protesters are marching on Downing Street calling for Geronimo the alpaca to be spared - as dozens of supporters vowed to form a 'human shield' around the animal. The eight-year-old alpaca stud, from New Zealand but now living in south Gloucestershire, was condemned to death after twice testing positive for bovine tuberculosis (bTB). A warrant was last week issued to destroy the animal following a 50,000 High Court battle, but owner Helen Macdonald, 50, claims the skin tests were flawed because Geronimo had been given the vaccine tuberculin which produced a false positive. The alpaca was given a 48-hour reprieve over the weekend amid fears police will force their way into Ms Macdonald's farm early on Monday with a vet to put him to sleep. Volunteers and supporters are now planning to form a human shield around Geronimo's pen to save him - and protesters are today marching on Downing Street to try and save Geronimo from his grisly sentence. The stricken animal has also attracted some unlikely supporters, with Prime Minister Boris Johnson's father Stanley among those asking for a last-minute reprieve. Writing in The Sun, he said: 'I hope and believe his execution can be avoided even at this late stage.' The author said seeing photos of Geronimo 'took me back 62 years ago' to his gap year in South America from Brazil to Peru where he encountered 'herds of llamas, vicunas, and alpacas'. 'But when I read the dreadful story which accompanied the photos, my heart took a rapid leap back down to earth,' he added on hearing of Geronimo's ordeal. Despite pleas to The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) to re-test Geronimo, the Government have point-blank refused. And Downing Street has made clear there can be no reprieve for Geronimo. The eight-year-old alpaca stud, from New Zealand but now living in south Gloucestershire, was condemned to death after twice testing positive for bovine tuberculosis (bTB) Demonstrators head to Downing Street in central London, during the protest march against the decision to put down Geronimo Helen Macdonald, 50, claims the skin tests were flawed because Geronimo had been given the vaccine tuberculin which produced a false positive Demonstrators head to Downing Street in central London, during the protest march against the decision to put down Geronimo, the alpaca which has tested positive for tuberculosis Protesters hold up placards as they gather outside Downing Street to protest against the decision to euthanize 'Geronimo' Demonstrators outside Defra headquarters in central London during a protest march against the decision to put down Geronimo Protesters march on Downing Street in a bid to save doomed alpaca Geronimo from death A group of supporters with Helen and her alpaca Geronimo who has been sentenced to death Demonstrators stage a protest outside the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) against the decision to put down Geronimo the alpaca Demonstrators in Westminster, central London, during a protest march against the decision to put down Geronimo, the alpaca which has tested positive for tuberculosis Demonstrators stage a protest outside the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) against the decision to put down Geronimo the alpaca The Prime Minister's official spokesman said: 'We know how distressing losing animals to TB is for anyone. That is why the Environment Secretary has looked at this extremely carefully and interrogated all the evidence. 'The fact remains that Geronimo has sadly tested positive twice using a highly specific and reliable and validated test. WHAT IS BOVINE TB? Bovine tuberculosis is a disease of cattle that can also infect badgers, deer, goats, pigs, dogs and cats. The disease is caused by the bacteria Mycobacterium bovis. This is related to the microbe that causes tuberculosis in humans. Bovine tuberculosis is typically transmitted aerially through coughs and sneezes. It causes fever, coughing, weight loss, pain, diarrhoea and ultimately death. Badgers are the most significant wildlife reservoir for the bacterium. In the United Kingdom, most bovine tuberculosis outbreaks occur in the South West and the West Midlands. Advertisement 'This is something the Environment Secretary has looked at very carefully.' Speaking from her farm in Wickar, south Gloucestershire, Ms Macdonald said: 'The police will come in early in the morning because they will try to catch us off guard, so we'll get people here as early as possible. 'They could get up at dawn, so we want a human shied for Geronimo and we have people offering to help with that. 'We're very grateful, some people have said they'll come from further away but we'll use local people to start with. 'We'll have a human shield situation, it's just for our peace of mind. 'We will not break the law but we will stand up for what is right and what the Government want to do to a healthy animal is not right. 'We are under siege and aren't getting any sleep. 'It's awful, we're just so exhausted. 'We don't have time to do normal things we just manage to get the animals fed and put the washing on but were not getting any kind of respite. 'We're worried about being here on our own, they can turn up at any time. 'When there's lots of people around we feel safer - it's a very strange situation where you have a Government treating you like a criminal and you haven't done anything wrong. 'My mum is 84 years old on Monday and she asked me last night if she was going to effectively have the firing squad here on her birthday.' Veterinary nurse Helen has previously vowed to 'kill him myself' if she was sure Geronimo was infected with bovine TB. She added: 'If he was given a valid test which proved he actually had the disease then I would kill him myself. 'Geronimo has never tested positive for bTB. He had anti-bodies after taking the vaccine tuberculin which is exactly what you would expect to happen. 'The science was dodgy. The Government do not want to admit that they have to investigate why alpaca's react differently to tuberculin.' Demonstrators in Westminster, central London, during a protest march against the decision to put down Geronimo, the alpaca which has tested positive for tuberculosis Helen Macdonald with her alpaca Geronimo, who has been sentenced to death Demonstrators stage a protest outside the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) against the decision to put down Geronimo the alpaca, which has tested positive for tuberculosis in London Demonstrators outside Defra headquarters in central London during a protest march Demonstrators ahead of a protest march against the decision to put down Geronimo, the alpaca which has tested positive for tuberculosis Veterinary nurse Helen has previously vowed to 'kill him myself' if she was sure Geronimo was infected with bovine TB (pictured: Demonstrators outside Defra headquarters in London) Environment Secretary George Eustice refused to overturn the decision to destroy Geronimo, saying: 'Every livestock farmer has to get used to their share of tragedy and loss.' Helen and her family lost a final attempt on Thursday to save Geronimo from being destroyed. The Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) now has 27 days to carry out the court order. BBC presenter Chris Packham urged Mr Eustice to put politics aside and allow Geronimo to be tested one more time. Last night Geronimo's vet accused minister George Eustice of 'lying about the science' to justify the alpaca's execution and called for him to be sacked. Dr Iain McGill criticised comments made by the Environment Secretary in which he explained why the positive bovine tuberculosis (bTB) tests were reliable. 'George Eustice has blatantly lied here about the tests used on Geronimo,' he said. 'It is despicable to attempt to manufacture consent for the slaughter of Geronimo with entirely false information. George Eustice must now resign. If he doesn't, the Prime Minister should sack him.' Protesters hold up placards as they gather outside the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to protest against the decision to kill Geronimo Supporters of Geronimo the alpaca at the gate to Shepherds Close Farm in Wooton Under Edge, Gloucestershire Alpaca farmer Andrea Crips (centre) with supporters of Geronimo the alpaca at the gate to Shepherds Close Farm in Wooton Under Edge, Gloucestershire A warrant was last week issued to destroy the animal following a 50,000 High Court battle, but owner Helen Macdonald, 50, claims the skin tests were flawed because Geronimo had been given the vaccine tuberculin which produced a false positive Geronimo's vet last night accused minister George Eustice (pictured) of 'lying about the science' In an article in The Mail on Sunday, Mr Eustice claimed the 'Enferplex' blood test, used twice on Geronimo, was validated by the British Alpaca Society, was 99 per cent accurate and produced a 'false positive' in only 0.34 per cent of cases. However, Dr McGill said Mr Eustice had failed to take into account the fact that Geronimo was 'primed' or injected with a protein called tuberculin to increase sensitivity to the test, on the orders of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). Experts and Geronimo's owner, veterinary nurse Helen Macdonald, are convinced that the tuberculin produced false positive results. Dr McGill, an ex-Government adviser and bTB expert, also said Mr Eustice had shown a 'total misunderstanding' of the science by claiming Enferplex tests detect the bug itself, rather than an immune response to it. Dr McGill said Mr Eustice was confusing Enferplex with the 'Actiphage' test, which detects live bTB bacteria. Defra has refused to use this test. Last night, Defra rejected Dr McGill's claims that Mr Eustice had lied and misinterpreted the science. A spokesman said unique antigens, or proteins, secreted by bTB bacteria were detected by the two Enferplex tests. The spokesman also stood by the test accuracy rate, saying a survey used to assess accuracy did include primed alpacas, and added that Actiphage test results were difficult to interpret. Farmers come out in SUPPORT of Geronimo: Livestock owners say they have had 'perfectly healthy' animals killed by DEFRA because of inaccurate tests including one who had vets turn up and kill 95 of his heifers Tony Brunt, 71, barricaded himself into his farm near New Quay, Cardiganshire, in an attempt to save his heifer He was hoping to fight it out in court but a team of 16 vets and police turned up ready to dispatch the animal He had decided to put up a fight after 94 of his shorthorn cattle were slaughtered Farmers have blasted Defra for 'killing perfectly healthy animals' suspected to have TB as the row over Geronimo the alpaca, who has been condemned to die by the government, carries on. Tony Brunt, 71, barricaded himself into his farm near New Quay, Cardiganshire, in May this year in a bid to save Mary, a three-year-old pregnant heifer, condemned to die by Government ministers. He was hoping to fight it out in court but a team of 16 vets, officers from the Dyfed Powys Police Rural Crime Unit, agriculture officials and slaughtermen turned up at his remote West Wales farm along with a marksman armed with a high-powered rifle. Mr Brunt said: 'If they are prepared to go to those lengths what chance does the Alpaca stand? They are killing perfectly healthy animals based on inaccurate testing - I'm fed up with it.' He decided to put up a fight after 94 of his shorthorn cattle were slaughtered over four years at his farm. Welsh first minister Mark Drakeford had earlier this year had sparked a fierce backlash when he said the 'single biggest reason' for a rise in TB levels in parts of the country with low risk was farmers 'buying infected cattle and bringing them into the area'. Abi Reader, who manages a dairy farm in Glamorganshire, south Wales, told Farmers' Weekly in July that she had lost 42 cows due to TB. She said: 'There is a big wildlife problem, especially in west Wales. The Welsh government needs to be a little bit bolder and have a go at a badger population cull like they have done in England. 'The testing is also not good enough. We are all suffering and that would include members of the government. They are not doing enough really.' Tony Brunt, 71, barricaded himself into his farm near New Quay, Cardiganshire, in May this year in a bid to save Mary, a three-year-old pregnant heifer, condemned to die by Government ministers (pictured: Mr Brunt and Mary) He was hoping to fight it out in court but a team of 16 vets, officers from the Dyfed Powys Police Rural Crime Unit, agriculture officials and slaughtermen turned up at his remote West Wales farm along with a marksman armed with a high-powered rifle Geronimo's owner Helen McDonald is convinced her four-year-old alpaca is free of TB after being tested in 2017 Organic dairy farmers Dai, Sharon and Llyr Miles, who are based in Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, said their farm had gone down with TB for the first time in three years following a positive test from a first-calving heifer. Llyr said it was 'not just cows with TB', adding: There is nothing being done to address the problem in the wildlife reservoir. 'Let's not forget that countries such as France and Germany are able to maintain bovine TB incidence levels close to zero, and the Republic of Ireland has been able to halve TB incidents through proactive badger culling.' Dairy farmer Mr Brunt told MailOnline he had parked a tractor to block off the farm entrance and hid Mary on the farm - not even telling his wife where she was to avoid her having to lie to the agriculture officials. But at 7am on the morning of May 26 the couple were woken by the roar of vehicles coming into their farmyard. Mr Brunt said: 'I was still in my pyjamas, they hammered on the door and demanded I told them where Mary was. I said: ''Why would I do that?'' If I told them I wouldn't be doing my job as a farmer to look after her. 'There were so many vehicles in my yard, I lost count. It was a big operation for just one cow - it was overkill and heavy-handed in my opinion.' Mr Brunt, pictured with Mary, said: 'If they are prepared to go to those lengths what chance does the Alpaca stand? They are killing perfectly healthy animals based on inaccurate testing - I'm fed up with it' The team from the Animal and Plant Health Agency began searching the 250-acre Coybal Farm for Mary who was tagged with a tell-tale plastic identity clip on her ear. Tony, who has coronary heart disease, said: 'We had to stay in the farmhouse while they searched, I knew it wouldn't be long before they found her. 'She was shot by a marksman with a rifle, she was due to have her second calf in September.' Mr Brunt's wife Heather, 69, said it was 'disgraceful and insensitive' that Mary was killed in front of other cattle causing them great distress. Mary, whose lineage goes back more than 50 years with the Brunt family, was loaded onto a trailer and taken away to the local knackers yard. A post mortem examination on her carcass revealed Mary didn't have bovine tuberculosis. Tony and Heather were not surprised, their beloved animal had three inconclusive TB skin tests and five negative blood tests for the disease. Geronimo the alpaca at Shepherds Close Farm in Wooton Under Edge, Gloucestershire Geronimo's owner Helen McDonald is also convinced her four-year-old alpaca is free of TB after being tested in 2017. Father-of-three Mr Brunt said: 'I don't hold out much hope for the lady's alpaca but she has Chris Packham and public opinion on her side so who knows? 'I hope the animal is saved but I don't think that will happen if our experience is anything to go by. 'The best thing she can do is keep filming it - they won't turn up and kill the alpaca if there are cameras there. 'We tried to do that to save Mary but they would not let us take photographs, in fact they wouldn't let us anywhere near when they killed her.' The couple once had 400 cattle at their farm overlooking the Irish Sea but they are down to 150 due to Government policy on bovine TB. They get financial compensation but nothing has come through so far for Mary and the healthy calf that died with her. The Brunts face losing more of their herd when Welsh Government vets return to the farm later this week to test remaining cattle. Mr Brunt said: 'We are being treated like dirt but we have to be realistic, and expect some of the cows to test positive for TB. 'I'm not impartial in this. The Government doesn't want livestock in Wales and they are taking this course. That's my opinion, some people won't agree.' Bovine TB has become a hot-button issue in rural areas of the country, with farmers calling for more government action to tackle the disease in wildlife. The Taliban has seized control of its sixth city in less than a week, dealing another blow to government forces trying to keep Afghanistan out of the hands of Islamists. Aibak, the capital of Samangan province, fell to the jihadist group on Monday morning which tweeted that all government and police outposts had been 'cleared'. Sefatullah Samangani, deputy governor of the province, also confirmed that the Taliban are now in 'full control' of the city - coming just a day after they captured Kunduz, Sar-e-Pul and Taloqan. The cities of Zaranj and Sheberghan also fell late last week. Fierce fighting is still underway in Lashkar Gah, Kandahar and Herat, while the Taliban claims that Mazar-i-Sharif - the largest city in Afghanistan's north - was attacked today. Meanwhile it was revealed that pilots are deserting Afghan forces after being targeted for assassinations, leaving government troops largely without air support that will be key to winning the battle against the Taliban. The Taliban now controls more than half of Afghanistan's territory and is fighting for control of dozens of other provinces, including the cities of Herat, Lashkar Gah and Kandahar Hamidullah Azimi, a Black Hawk helicopter pilot for the Afghan army, was killed on Saturday when a bomb attached to his car exploded near the capital Kabul Azimi's assassination (scene, pictured) along with the murder of seven other pilots has caused a collapse of morale that has seen 19 colleague desert their posts in recent weeks Eight pilots have been killed in recent weeks, with Hamidullah Azimi - a Black Hawk pilot - the latest to die after being blown up near the capital Kabul on Saturday. Azimi was killed by a sticky bomb attached to his car which detonated, wounding five civilians who were nearby. Speaking anonymously to The Times, one pilot said he knows of 19 colleagues who have deserted the air force in recent weeks because the government could not guarantee their safety. 'I have been flying for ten years. From the day I put on my uniform I swore to defend my country until the last drop of blood ... but seeing my friends assassinated ... I do not feel safe,' he said. 'I have to change the car I use every single day, borrowing my friends' cars to drive to work. I can't spend time outside my home. I can't go shopping, not even get a haircut, to protect my identity and reduce the risk. 'I am considering leaving my job. If the government can guarantee my family's safety I will stay on base and fight forever.' The Taliban has also been targeting media personalities with Toofan Omar, a radio station host and activist supporting independent media, shot dead in Kabul today. Meanwhile Nematullah Hemat, a journalist working in Helmand province, was kidnapped on Monday by the Taliban, local officials said. The apparent attack on Mazar-i-Sharif - which has been dismissed by government officials as 'propaganda' comes after the Taliban captured a major Afghan army base at Hazrat Sultan, halfway between Kunduz and Mazar-i-Sharif. Videos posted on pro-Islamist social media channels showed Taliban units at the base, which was reportedly captured without a shot being fired. Some 50 vehicles, including armoured trucks, were left behind and have fallen into Taliban hands. Atta Mohammad Noor, the strongman leader of Mazar's, vowed on Monday to fight for the city - saying there would be 'resistance until the last drop of my blood'. 'I prefer dying in dignity than dying in despair,' he tweeted. The Afghan air force had been hit particularly hard by US and NATO withdrawal, as an army of contractors who had maintained aircraft and helicopters used by government forces quit the country with them. Around a third of the military's planes known to be out of action due to damage or a lack of spare parts, with morale among pilots running low due to non-stop sorties and supply missions they are forced to fly. Morale then took a further beating due to the assassinations, with pilots seemingly unprotected even in the country's heavily-defended capital. Afghans survey the damage caused by fighting between the Taliban and government forces in Kunduz, the capital of Kunduz province which has now fallen to the Islamists Smoke rises from the remains of shops that were destroyed in fighting between Taliban and government forces in the city of Kunduz The Afghan army's air force represents possibly its single-largest advantage over the Taliban, which has ranks filled with experienced and battle-hardened fighters but can field no aircraft. But that advantage is fast evaporating - with the US forced to fly bombers and drones in from Oman to try and tip battles in the government's favour. Those sorties have managed to halt Taliban assaults such as the one underway in Lashkar Gah, which looked ready to fall last week before US bombs started dropping. But Taliban commanders are quietly confident that the the US with eventually withdraw its air support. 'These airstrikes ... will not last much longer,' one commander told The Times. The US began withdrawing its forces from Afghanistan in April this year after Biden re-committed himself to an earlier Trump pledge to end America's 'forever war'. Initially due to be complete by the symbolic date of September 11, sources on the ground say the withdrawal is already all-but over. NATO's own withdrawal is also thought to be effectively at an end, leaving Afghan security forces under the command of President Ashraf Ghani to defend the country. Ben Wallace, UK defence secretary, has said he wanted British forces to stay in the country and prop up government troops - leading an effort to rally like-minded NATO nations to join the effort. But not a single country in the 30-member alliance was willing to make a commitment, leaving him with little choice but to join the retreat. Ben Wallace told the Mail the UK had urged 'like-minded' nations to stay on after US troops withdrew 'All of us were saddened, from the Prime Minister down, about all the blood and treasure that had been spent, that this was how it was ending,' he said. Mr Wallace said that Trump's deal with the Taliban early last year convinced the militants they had been victorious - calling the treaty 'rotten'. 'It saddens me that the deal picked apart a lot of what had been achieved in Afghanistan over 20 years. We'll probably be back in ten or 20 years. But acting now is not possible. The damage was done,' he added. The Taliban struck hard and fast as western forces withdrew, rapidly capturing swathes of Afghan countryside and overrunning government outposts. Some were conquered in fierce gun battles, but in other locations government troops either surrendered or were paid-off to leave their posts. Ghani played down the Taliban's initial successes, claiming the retreat was tactical and that he was withdrawing forces into cities which would be easier to defend. But worrying early signs emerged when the Taliban starting eating up territory not just in its traditional southern hinterlands of Kandahar and Helmand, but also in the north along the borders with Tajikistan and Iran. Then came the assault on the cities, and so-far Ghani's forces have not fared well. Since Friday, they have lost control of no fewer than five provincial capitals: Kunduz and Sar-e-Pul, capitals of Kunduz and Sar-e-Pul provinces, and Taloqan, the capital of Takhar province. Lashkar Gah, the capital of Helmand, has also been left on the brink with Kandahar also under sustained attack. Only in Herat, in the north west, has the government met with any degree of success as its troops drove back a Taliban offensive last week - though fighting has since resumed and intensified. Ghani's only hope is that the Taliban can be fought to a stalemate, forcing the Islamists to return to the negotiating table and strike a power-sharing deal. The white flag of the Taliban is pictured flying over the main square of Kunduz after it was captured by Islamist fighters on Sunday But if major regional capitals such as Lashkar Gah, Kandahar and Herat fall, then it will likely spur the militants on to attack Kabul. If they can take the capital it will return them to full control of the country and undo two decades of western intervention in just a few months. But analysts have also warned of another, worst-case scenario: That neither side is able to strike the killing blow while peace talks prove inconclusive. In that case, the conflict could draw out into a long a bloody civil war of the kind seen in the 1990s and from which the Taliban first emerged. If that happens, Afghanistan would likely become a haven for terror groups such as al Qaeda and ISIS. General Sir Nick Carter, head of the Armed Forces, has urged the UK to stand 'shoulder to shoulder' with Afghan security forces. Yesterday, Tory MP Tobias Ellwood, chairman of the Commons defence committee, condemned the 'shabby withdrawal', 'abandoning the country to the very insurgency that drew us there'. He wrote in The Mail on Sunday: 'Afghanistan might once again become a terror state. This is the country that brought us 9/11.' Former Army commander General Sir Richard Barrons told BBC Radio 4's The World This Weekend yesterday: 'We run the risk of terrorist entities re-establishing in Afghanistan to bring harm in Europe and elsewhere.' A homeowner who erected a fake green traffic light outside his home in an attempt to confuse drivers and stop them damaging his property near a crossing junction has been fined 332 for causing a public nuisance. Wayne Earl, 62, became frustrated after forking out thousands repairing damage to his 600k Tudor-style house, a Grade II listed former toll house in Upton Lovell, Wiltshire. Mr Earl's house in the village, where property prices average 600,000, sits on crossroads of the A36 and Manor Road where there have been fatal road traffic collisions. He said that his home had been damaged by lorries and cars reversing at the crossroads and so he put up the light so drivers could 'see his porch'. However, locals complained and police accused Mr Earl of deliberately trying to confuse motorists about the traffic light sequence 'on a junction which had previously seen serious injury and fatal road traffic collisions'. Mr Earl admitted a charge of causing a public nuisance and was fined 150. He was also ordered to pay 150 in costs and a 32 surcharge for a total of 332. Speaking after the court case, Mr Earl - who has lived in the house for 24 years - said: 'One lorry was turning up the lane opposite and could not make the turn so reversed and demolished the wall and the porch. 'The damage cost me thousands to repair. It was after that I decided to put the light up so the porch could be seen by people driving past. 'There had also been a few other times drivers had knocked the porch and caused some damage.' The green light outside Wayne Earl's Tudor-style house which was shown as evidence in court The junction outside Wayne Earls house, with his light directly between two traffic lights on the crossing He said he originally fitted a white light but changed it after someone told him bright white light was bad for the local bats. He claimed other villagers had said 'untrue' things in their statements to police and the case should have never gone to court. 'There are a couple of people in the village who made statements which are untrue which then gave the police a case against me,' he added. 'This should never have gone this far and was stupid to have gone to court.' He had faced three charges of failing to comply with a community protection notice but these were dismissed after he admitted the charge of causing a public nuisance. The police approached Mr Earl but said it was three months before he switched the light off. As a result, the 62 year old, who said other villagers objected to the light, was charged with causing a public nuisance and hauled before magistrates in nearby Salisbury. Wayne Earl arriving at Salisbury Law Court where he admitted causing a public nuisance Prosecuting, Ryan Senevirante, told the court: 'A police officer saw lights signalling from the area outside his house that looked as though they could be mistaken for traffic lights. 'The green lights were similar in size and shape to traffic lights and in a position that they would be likely to cause confusion to road users and potentially cause road traffic accidents.' Defence lawyer Trevor Line explained Mr Earl set up the light after his porch had been damaged on several occasions by passing vehicles and even demolished by a lorry. Mr Line told magistrates: 'He was fearful that the next time it might be his house so he put up a light so vehicles could see the porch.' However, Sergeant Kevin Harmsworth, of Wiltshire Police, said Mr Earl's light 'posed a considerable danger' and caused locals 'a huge amount of frustration'. He said: 'The installation of these green lights, directly in line with a traffic light junction, caused a huge amount of frustration and concern amongst the local community and the local policing team, due to the potential danger they posed. 'We are in no doubt that these green lights posed a considerable danger to road users, as they appear to have been deliberately placed to confuse motorists about the traffic light sequence on a junction which had previously seen serious injury and fatal road traffic collisions. Police accused Mr Earl of deliberately trying to confuse motorists about the traffic light sequence 'We made repeated attempts to liaise with Mr Earl, including serving both a Community Protection Warning and a Community Protection Notice, ordering him to either turn off or take down the green lights. 'Unfortunately, he failed to adhere with these orders and we had no choice but to pursue prosecution.' The court heard the traffic lights at the crossroads went up in 2015 and the first official complaint the self-employed carpenter's green light came in 2019. At Salisbury Magistrates Court, Mr Earl was fined 150 after pleading guilty to causing a public nuisance. Presiding Justice Mrs Hatty Stafford-Charles said: 'We accept you put on those lights quite a long time before anyone came and complained about them however clearly the lights were misleading as we saw from the photograph and you did not remove them until January.' A British holidaymaker bitten by a spider on a beach in Ibiza has been told he needs to have at least two fingers amputated. The 19-year-old is waiting to have surgery after returning home to Wales following two weeks of hospital tests in Spain to try to unravel the mystery swelling affecting his right hand. Medics now say he was bitten by a poisonous Mediterranean recluse spider - and the bites are sometimes deadly to humans. The teenager was bitten as he watched the sun set at a beach thought to be in the popular resort of San Antonio. He told newspaper Diario de Ibiza: 'I sat on some steps and felt something and stung me but I didn't think anything of it. 'I woke up at 5am the following morning because my hand was burning and was swelling up.' Medics now say he was bitten by a poisonous Mediterranean recluse spider - and the bites are sometimes deadly to humans (file image) Detailing how he was given an injection which didn't resolve the situation at a local health centre before being taken to Can Misses Hospital in the island capital Ibiza Town, he added: 'I began to panic because my hands were turning more and more purple and the doctors told me they had never seen anything like it.' Medics ended up putting him on a drip before a battery of tests showed he had been bitten by a poisonous Mediterranean recluse spider. Bites from the species are uncommon but can cause necrosis which over time can lead to gangrene. The unnamed holidaymaker is now facing surgery to remove two fingers and part of another at a hospital in Wales. Describing his experience as a chance occurrence, he said: 'Millions of people go to the same place every year to see the sunset and nothing ever happened to them before me.' The teenager, bitten as he watched the sun set at a beach thought to be in the popular resort of San Antonio in Ibiza (file image) In June a student was left fighting for her life in hospital after a venomous spider bit her while she slept on holiday and left her with a huge lump on her arm. Abby Tannnetta, 18, who had been staying at her parents' caravan in Cardigan Bay Holiday Park, Pembrokeshire, Wales, said at the time she thought a false widow spider was to blame. She had to have emergency surgery to avoid sepsis setting in. The teenager said after recovering: 'People always say that spiders won't hurt you, that you're much bigger than them, but this shows they can. You just don't think it will happen to you until it does.' Most Mediterranean recluse spider bites do not result in any symptoms but when they do, the soft tissue destruction they cause can take months to heal and leave deep scars. Over time the wound can grow to as large as 10 inches. They are frequently exterminated in the lower midwestern US because of increased fear towards the arachnids, which can survive up to 10 months with no food or water. Video footage captured the heartwarming moment a father was reunited with his two daughters at the airport after returning home from the Army. Mother Amy Farrell, 37, from Grantham, Lincolnshire, planned the reunion with her husband Gary, 36, after finding out he was able to return home for two weeks after spending four months away from his family in Poland. Gary works as a CSgt Farrell with the ISR Company in 2nd Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment in Poland and left on March 30. Gary Farrell, 37, was reunited with his daughters Pixi, nine, and Ivy, seven, at Luton airport after four months away in Army Amy Farrell surprised her daughter's with their father's return home - telling them they were going to collect their uncle from the airport before their father walked through the arrivals gate Amy explained it could be another two years before Gary has to go away again and that he only goes on exercises for six-ten weeks once a year Amy, who runs her own children's business, took their daughters Pixi, nine, and Ivy, seven, to Luton airport on August 2 and told them they were picking up their uncle from a trip. But to the girls surprise, their father walked round the corner as the pair of them ran up and hugged them - leaving the whole family in tears as they were finally reunited. Amy explained: 'Gary has been in the Army for 17 years so this is something we have had to live with for quite a while. 'He's out there for seven and a half months and we wasn't sure if he would be able to come home until October but he called me and told me he was going to be able to take two weeks leave. 'My girls had said goodbye and were prepared to not see their dad again until October so it was a huge surprise. 'This is the first time he's been away for a long period of time - Ivy in particular found it extremely difficult but we just have to get into a new routine and I try to keep them busy. Gary works as a CSgt Farrell with the ISR Company in 2nd Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment in Poland and left on March 30 'I didn't tell them anything because I was worried his flights would be cancelled or something would go wrong so I didn't want to get their hopes up. 'They thought they were at the airport to pick up their uncle so as soon as they saw him, they ran towards him and my eldest started crying. It was a really emotional moment'. Gary often has to leave home for a few weeks to go on exercises but this is the first time he's been away for a long period of time. Amy added: 'I run two businesses and the children are at school so we get into a routine but I try to keep the weekends as busy as possible. Amy kept Gary's arrival a secret until he walked through the arrivals gate because she was worried his flight may be cancelled He often has to leave home for a few weeks to go on exercises but this is the first time he's been away for a long period of time 'It's harder for Gary because he doesn't have much to do at the weekends and has to stay in camps so he's just sat there thinking about us. 'We're lucky because he's in Poland and the internet is good so we're able to Whatsapp him and speak regularly. 'I had butterflies at the airport because I knew he was just on the other side of the wall waiting for his luggage. These moments make up for the time he's gone. 'After the video was filmed, we drove four hours up to Newcastle to visit his family who he hasn't seen for over a year'. Gary is going back out to Poland in a week and won't return home again until October. Gary has to leave his family again in a week to head back to Poland and won't be back again until October Amy said: 'I'm dreading it - we will have to drop him off at camp and then he'll get on transport to go to the airport to be posted over to Poland. There will be lots and lots of tears. 'We have the Little Troopers charity that help children of deployed parents to help us through it. 'We've done four months already so we only have two left - we tick the days off so they know when he's coming home. 'It could be another two years before he goes away again so it's intermittent and when he's home, he only goes on exercises for six-ten weeks once a year'. Professor Mark Woolhouse, an epidemiologist at Edinburgh University, believes 'we're pretty close' to hitting the key threshold The UK may be within touching distance of finally reaching herd immunity against Covid, according to one of No10's top scientific advisers. Professor Mark Woolhouse, an epidemiologist at Edinburgh University, believes 'we're pretty close' to hitting the key threshold. But he warned the UK would 'bounce around' and dip below the marker throughout the winter, when another resurgence is expected. Herd immunity refers to having such a high proportion of a population protected that a pathogen finds it difficult to spread. But it's not a simple 'all-or-nothing' concept, according to Professor Woolhouse, who sits on a modelling sub-committee of SAGE. And because immunity can fade over time, many other experts believe achieving a true constant state of herd immunity will be impossible. Other leading virologists believe the coronavirus will never be eradicated and will instead become endemic, meaning it will circulate for generations. They say people will gradually build-up immunity through repeated vaccinations and natural infection. As a result, symptoms of the virus will eventually resemble that of a common cold. Asked about how far away Britain was from achieving herd immunity, Professor Woolhouse told Times Radio yesterday: 'We're pretty close. 'Ninety per cent of adults have some sort of vaccination but there are still around 8million adults in the UK who have not been vaccinated.' He added: 'We don't know how people's behaviour is going to change over the winter months. WHAT IS 'HERD IMMUNITY'? Herd immunity is the indirect protection from an infectious disease that happens when a population is immune either through vaccination or immunity developed through previous infection. Effectively, it means that once people have some form of immunity, it reduces the ability of a disease to spread among the population. Therefore, someone who has antibodies either through previous infection or vaccines, acts as a 'barrier' to the virus. If you have enough 'barriers' then the disease cannot effectively spread through a population. But in the case of a new virus, such as with Covid-19, the virus can spread essentially without any barriers - which can lead to a pandemic. The World Health Organisation says it supports achieving herd immunity through vaccination, not by allowing a disease to spread through any segment of the population. But one expert told MailOnline that Covid-19 is here to stay and that the key is reaching a 'herd immunity threshold'. This keeps the virus at what is known as an endemic level - where a disease is regularly found among the population but is not harmful enough to impact on society. Keeping Covid-19 within the herd immunity threshold, which can vary particularly in winter when diseases such as flu and coronavirus spread quickly, will mean it is kept at a 'manageable level', the expert added. Research shows the current crop of Covid vaccines help by increasing the antibody response to the virus - therefore heavily reducing the risk that someone can be made seriously ill. But data is not yet available about how effective the vaccinations are at preventing transmission. Advertisement 'I suspect we're going to be bouncing around either side of the herd immunity threshold for quite a few months to come, probably over the whole winter.' The concept of herd immunity was first floated last March, when SARS-CoV-2 and its clever transmission tactics were shrouded in mystery. No10's chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance claimed the threshold could be hit if approximately 60 per cent of the country or 40million people had some level of protection. Professor Woolhouse said the threshold now was probably in the region of the 'high 80s' because the virus had mutated to become more contagious. But he warned the herd immunity threshold could be 'raised that bit higher' if people behave differently or 'transmissions start to pick up again'. He added: 'It's going to be a very cautious period for epidemiologists like me to predict just how close we are to it.' It comes after several top scientists told MailOnline last week that the concept of achieving herd immunity looked ever-increasingly impossible. Neither vaccines nor getting infected create a 'perfect' immune response, meaning carriers can still transmit the virus. And any immunity generated by natural infection or jabs is likely to only be short-lived. But scientists say this makes it even more important to get a vaccine because higher levels of immunity in the population still slow the spread. And jabs will protect tens of thousands of vulnerable people from dying in future waves, as the virus gradually becomes endemic. Professor Paul Hunter, an infectious disease expert at the University of East Anglia, said: 'You do not get herd immunity against coronaviruses because immunity is not sufficient or last long enough to stop spread.' Dr Adam Kucharski, an infectious disease expert at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and member of SAGE sub-committee Spi-M, said immunity will gradually build-up over time through a mix of natural infection and vaccines. He told MailOnline: 'To reach herd immunity, there needs to be enough immunity to reduce R below one, even when everyone is back to normal social interactions. 'So the more transmissible the virus, or the less effective the vaccine in reducing transmission, the higher this threshold. 'Vaccines against measles are very effective, with long-lasting immunity. In contrast, flu vaccines don't reduce transmission as much, and the virus gradually evolves to reduce this effectiveness further.' Dr Kucharski said it meant large flu outbreaks are still expected every winter, but that they eventually fizzle out as a result of natural immunity. 'Covid vaccines worked very well against the Alpha variant (which triggered Britain's devastating second wave in January),' he told MailOnline. 'It meant transmission of the Alpha variant declined dramatically as a result, but the characteristics of Delta have put us in a scenario closer to what we see with flu.'